“For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

Here is a man whom the beatitudes describe as “poor in spirit.” He was humble, sensing his unworthiness before One of great authority—greater than his own, a kind of authority that over-rides the sin curse of death in our fallen world. Being a man with insight into the real nature of Christ’s position over life itself, he dared to approach, seeking healing for his beloved servant.

Few things impressed Jesus, and this was one of them: the centurion’s faith hit the mark! (Another time Jesus was impressed, though in a negative way, was at the unbelief of the Jews, God’s chosen ones, in Mark 6:6). It wasn’t just that the centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant. His response proved unique (in Jesus’ own words) when compared to the lack of faith of God’s own chosen people. As one author puts it, “This Gentile penetrated more deeply into the nature of Jesus’ person and authority than any Jew of His time.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary).

This story anticipates the expansion of the gospel to the Gentile world, precipitated by the conversion of another Gentile centurion, Cornelius (Acts 10-11). The Messianic banquet referred to here is pictured in a number of places in the OT (e.g. Isaiah 25:6-9), normally with little or no thought of Gentile attendance. But the Lord Jesus clearly reverses things. What bitter irony coming from Jesus’ lips that the very people through whom He came to reach the world of fallen humanity would themselves be rejected because of their lack of faith. The consequences are terrible, no less than a hell described as outer darkness, weeping and wailing. But for this Gentile the result of his faith was the merciful healing of his servant.

Lord, like the centurion, I deserve nothing, but I ask that in Your mercy and with Your authority, please counteract the death-curse of sin on my life.