5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
A centurion was a Roman soldier of fairly high rank, typically commanding a troop of 1000 men. Often educated men, and of substantial means (not always legitimate), they had all the authority of Rome standing behind them and they wielded it mercilessly if needed. One simply did not mess with a man like that!
Centurions in the NT offer an “outsider’s” perspective of Christ at times. It was from the mouth of a centurion at the cross that we hear these words, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.” (Mark 15:39). It was a God-fearing, Jewish-respecting centurion named Cornelius who desired to hear the gospel Peter preached, and many people were saved. This event became the turning point in the expansion of the Gospel beyond the Jews.
Here in our passage, back in Jesus’ home base, we see an unnamed centurion coming to Jesus with a compassionate concern for his personal servant who was paralyzed. The Greek term (pais) refers to a young child-slave. While we may hold such practices in contempt today, the centurion obviously treated this child quite well in the context of 1st century culture and practice.
Rather than debating the morality of slavery, Jesus simply responded to the centurion’s genuine request. He is no respecter of persons. Social status did not affect Jesus. He was fully at ease embracing a leper, fellowshipping with despised tax collectors, dining with the religious elite, speaking with prostitutes and was even willing to go to the home of a military proponent of the oppressive Roman regime. Jesus’ goal was not to bring a new social, economical or political agenda, but a new spiritual order (Heb 9:10).
Notice this Gentile commander, despised in general by Jews, considered himself unworthy of the humble, Jewish teacher. What a remarkable exhibit of modesty, of self-effacing faith before the One who would one day be exalted above the heavens. While Jesus was not beneath going to the man’s home, the man considered himself beneath such an honor of having Jesus as his guest!
Lord, I too am not worthy that You should come into my life. You are the infinite God of the universe, holy and perfect. Thank you for Your grace and mercy.
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