The faith of the Centurion

[Jethro Bodine]

There is no much packed into the story of the Centurion.
Share what jumps out at you. What things do you see?

Matthew 8:5-13
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

Centurion: (paraphrase)
No, just say the word and it will be done! I know how this authority thing works, for I tell this one to go here, or come here and it's done.

That's the faith of the centurion.

 

[for_his_glory]

Scripture says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, Romans 10:17. This man under Roman rule had a greater faith in Jesus more than any Jew that followed Him, including the disciples.

Simple uncomplicated faith, humbling of the heart, but feeling unworthy, but made to see how worthy he was by having such great faith. It was by the Centurions faith and belief in Jesus that his servant was healed only by the words Jesus spoke of his healing.