Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Paralyzed Servant in Capernaum

Matthew 8:5-6 “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, [last week we looked at a leper who was outside the camp, this week we see a Centurian who was outside the covenant] 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy [palsy was a type of paralysis], grievously tormented [this means he was in pain, the book of Luke also tells us that he was nigh unto death]. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”

Our position doesn’t matter to God

A roman soldier was asking help from Jesus who was a Jew. That would be the modern day equivalent of a fighter from Hamas asking help from an Israeli. They hate each other.

The Roman soldier was also a Gentile. Of the 37 miracles recorded in the Gospels, only two were for gentiles.

Lastly look who the Gentile Roman Soldier was asking a miracle for: his servant. A lowly, nobody at that time.

APPLICATION: Our status in life doesn’t determine weather or not God is working. We can be a President, or a servant, or anywhere in between. God wants to work in our life. We can be thankful that God is not a respecter of persons.

Our perspective does matters to God

Look what word the Centurion uses that shows his perspective. He says he is not WORTHY. He knew who he was. He had no rights.

He also knew who Jesus was. He understood the authority of God. Jesus could speak and things would happen. He didn’t even have to speak, He could just will something to happen. He then gives this parallel of how he speaks and others do what he wants done. He knew who had the ultimate authority. He understood how authority worked. He was used to receiving orders and giving orders.

His perspective of who he was, and who God was was true.

We change our Perspective by changing our belief

When we were in Canada we stayed at a hotel that had a looking glass in their lobby. You could see what was going on in the bay by looking through the looking glass. Well that looking glass rested on a heavy tripod base. You know what would happen if I moved that base? The fixed looking glass would now view something entirely different. In the same way, our perspective is directly linked to our belief.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”

Jesus marvels at the belief of the Centurion. The Gospels only mentions only two places where Jesus marvels, here and in Mark 6:6 where Jesus marvels at the unbelief of His own people.

I know this seems like a such a basic principle, but when we really trace our perspecive of