The Centurions Servant

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The Centurions Servant
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Encounters With The Lord

• Jesus was a teacherbefore all else.
• For example, there is often a central theme to
  his healings, though side issues are common.
• Those who encountered the Lord frequently
  represented the nation of Israel in its need.
• Many of Jesus miracles were enacted parables.
• The encounters usually brought great personal
  blessings to those involved.
• In principle, our needs are similar to those of
  the people with whom the Lord interacted.

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A Time-Line for Jesus Ministry
Fourth Passover, Thu, Apr 4 Jesus 33/34
Ministry begins Jesus about 30
Tabernacles
Second Passover Jesus 31/32
Third Passover Jesus 32/33
First Passover Jesus 30/31
Sermon on Mount
January 1, AD30
January 1, AD27
January 1, AD28
January 1, AD29
Transfiguration
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• Matthew 85-13 Luke 71-10 (RSV)
• After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing
  of the people he entered Capernaum.(Luke 71) Now
  a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who
  was sick and at the point of death.(Luke 72)
  When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of
  the Jews,(Luke 73) beseeching him(Matt 85) and
  saying, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at
  home, in terrible distress.(Matt 86) And when
  they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly,
  saying, He is worthy to have you do this for
  him,(Luke 75) for he loves our nation, and he
  built us our synagogue.(Luke 76) And Jesus said
  (to him), I will come and heal him,(Matt 87)
  and went with them.

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When he was not far from the house, the centurion
sent friends to him, saying to him, Lord, do not
trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you
come under my roof(Luke 76) therefore I did not
presume to come to you.(Luke 77) But only say
the word, and (letLuke 77) my servant (willMatt
88) be healed.(Matt 88) For I (too Most
versions) am a man set under authority, with
soldiers under me and I say to one, Go, and he
goes and to another, Come, and he comes and
to my slave, Do this, and he does it.(Luke 78)
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When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and
turned and said to the multitude that followed
him, Truly(Matt 810) I tell you, not even in
Israel have I found such faith.(Luke 79) I tell
you, many will come from east and west and sit at
table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the
kingdom of heaven,(Matt 1011) while the sons of
the kingdom will be thrown into the outer
darkness there men will weep and gnash their
teeth.(Matt 1012) And to the centurion Jesus
said, Go be it done for you as you have
believed. And the servant was healed at that
very moment.(Matt 1013) And when those who had
been sent returned to the house, they found the
slave well.(Luke 910)
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Sea of Galilee
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Capernaum

• Peter moved here from Bethsaida
• See John 144 Mark 121, 29 Luke 431, 38.
• Jesus moved here too, after rejection at
  Nazareth
• See Lk 416, 28-31 Mk 21-3 cp Mt 91, 2.
• Many Gospel healings happened here
• Peters mother-in-law Demoniac in synagogue
  Palsied man lowered through roof Noblemans son
  Jairus daughter (?)Man with withered hand (?)
• See also Mt 816, 17 Mk 132-34 Lk 416, 23,
  31, 40, 41.
• Matthew came from Capernaum (Matthew 91, 9).
• Jesus spoke of the bread of life here (John
  624-59).
• The centurions synagogue was probably here (Luke
  71, 5).

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The Synagogue
A 3rd Century Capernaum Synagogue

• The centurions synagogue (Luke 75)seems to
  have been the synagogue of the gospels.
• ... they went into Capernaum and immediately on
  the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught
  (Mark 121).
• ... there was in their synagogue a man with an
  unclean spirit (Mark 123)
• ... he left the synagogue, and entered the house
  of Simon and Andrew (Mark 129).
• Compare these with (for example)
• ... he entered the synagogue, and a man was there
  who had a withered hand (Mark 31).
• ... he entered the synagogue ... a man was there
  whose right hand was withered (Luke 66. Cp Luke
  1310, one of the synagoguesAlso see John
  659).

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An Apparent Discrepancy

• In Matthew 85, 8 - The centurion speaks directly
  to Jesus.
• In Luke 7 he uses intermediaries.
• These are not necessarily inconsistent
• One may act through agents and still be
  represented as acting directly
• As in business, or in building a house, for
  example.

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Possible Sequence

• The servant fell sick.
• Perhaps the Jews prayed for him.
• For example, as in James 514.
• The Jews were consulted - Luke 73.
• Feeling personally unworthy to approachJesus,
  the centurion sent Jewish elders to fetch him.
• While Jesus was coming, and further reflecting on
  his unworthiness, the centurion sent more
  messengers - this time asking that Jesus simply
  declare the healing from afar.
• The centurion would have known the court official
  of John 446-53.
• So he would have heard (Luke 73) of Jesus power
  to heal at a distance.
• Jesus marvelled at the centurions faith the
  servant was healed.

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The Servants Distress

• Matthew 86 lying paralyzed at home, in
  terrible distress
• Luke 72 at the point of death.
• Though not necessarily a sinner, he was suffering
  from the consequences of sin.
• Paralyzed and in pain a graphic description of
  the human condition.
• Jesus was able to deliver him from his misery
  without even being physically present!

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The Centurions Approach

• When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of
  the Jews,(Luke 73) beseeching him(Matt 85) and
  saying, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at
  home, in terrible distress.(Matt 86) And when
  they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly,
  saying, He is worthy to have you do this for
  him,(Luke 75) for he loves our nation, and he
  built us our synagogue.(Luke 76)

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Jews Deemed him Worthy! (Luke 74)

• They were not necessarily poor judges of
  character
• But Jewish elders would not normally have
  endorsed any Gentile.
• And in this case they besought Jesus earnestly.
• This is all the more surprising in view of their
  developing hostility ...

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Jesus and the Jews

• The Jews were amazed that Jesus healed the man
  with the unclean spirit in the Capernaum
  synagogue - Luke 431 ff.
• They murmured when Jesus attended Matthews feast
  - Luke 530.
• Jesus defended the disciples feasting instead of
  fasting - Mark 218 ff.
• Healing the cripple by the pool was controversial
  - John 510 ff.
• Jesus defended the disciples for plucking ears of
  grain - Luke 61-5.
• Healing the man with the withered hand was
  controversial- Luke 67 ff.
• Jesus criticised the scribes and Pharisees in the
  sermon on the mount - Matt 520, 61-7.
• This background of growing animosity makes the
  Jews recommendation of the centurions character
  all the more striking.

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The Grounds of Assessment

• ... he loves our nation (Luke 75).
• ... he built us our synagogue (Luke 75)
• They seem to have reckoned his worthiness on the
  basis of his attitude toward them!
• But what of his attitude toward God?
• Of course, his attitude toward Israel and his
  building the synagogue implied a love for God,
  but surely they might have mentioned it
  explicitly!

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Sensitive, Affectionate, Caring

• Jews had no dealings with Gentiles (eg John 49).
• So as to not offend Jesus, the centurion sent
  Jewishmessengers he was sensitive to the
  sensitivities of others.
• On reflection, rather than offend Jesus by having
  him enter his house (John 1828 Acts 1028), the
  centurion asked for a healing from a distance.
  Again, this shows his sensitivity - as well as
  his great faith.
• The servant was a slave (Greek). Roman slaves,
  though usually not badly treated, were still
  chattels. The centurions servant was dear to
  him. The centurion was affectionate and caring.
• The centurion seemed delightfully unaware that
  the Jewish leaders regarded Jesus as a dangerous
  threat.
• Their willingness to carry the centurions
  message to Jesus is a sign that the Jews held the
  centurion in great respect.

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He is Worthy! (Luke 74)

• He came to Jesus as a supplicant.
• Yet, as part of an occupying army hemight simply
  have demanded thatthe Lord attend to his
  servant.
• He thought of himself as set under authority.
  This means
• He thought of himself as a servant, not a master.
• He had been set under authority - promoted on
  merit like Joseph, David, Daniel, Mordecai - and
  Jesus himself (Philippians 28, 9).
• He recognised that Jesus, too, was set under
  authority. That is, he understood the basic
  principle of the Godhead!
• He knew that authority - even Gods authority -
  is vested in the individuals word (for example,
  see Exodus 2321).

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The Centurions View

• Two Greek words I am not worthy to have you
  come under my roof (Mt 88 Lk 76)
• Hikanos in context The house would be
  ceremonially defiling because he is a Gentile
  (Edersheim).
• He is worthy ... (Luke 74)
• Axioo to count as worthy in terms of character.
• ... therefore I did not presume (consider myself
  worthy NIV, NAB, AV) to come to you (Luke
  77).
• axioo So this is his own view of his character.
• He may be most fit to serve who has the least
  opinion of his fitness.
• Real authority derives from a willingness to
  serve.

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The Centurions Humility
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and
whoever humbles himself will be exalted Matt
2312, NIV

• Lord, I am not worthy ...
• Lord, I am not worthy ...
• Therefore I did not presume ...
• I am a man set under authority ...
• See also Mt 184 Jam 46, 10 1 Pet 55, 6 Isa
  5715 Pro 1619 Col 312 Psa 5117, etc. The
  importance of humility!

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From Whence His Faith?

• From the official of John 446-53? cp Ps 10720.
• Had the sick servant taught him about the God of
  Israel?
• Like the servant girl of Naamans wife 2 Kings
  51 ff.
• If so, perhaps the servants example of willing
  service had made him reflect on the nature of
  obedience and his own subjection Luke 78.
• Lesson!

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Jesus Marveled

• When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and
  turned and said to the multitude that followed
  him, Truly(Matt 810) I tell you, not even in
  Israel have I found such faith (Luke 79).
• Jesus marveled only here and in Mark 66 where
  the subject was the unbelief of the people of
  Nazareth.
• Sometimes, even uninformed outsiders may have
  deeper insights than Gods people! They are not
  all Israel which are of Israel Rom 96.
• The multitude was following Jesus, for he turned
  to address them (cp Peters rebuke Matt 1622,
  23).

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The Sons of the Kingdom

• I tell you, many will come from east and west and
  sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in
  the kingdom of heaven,(Matt 1011) while the sons
  of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer
  darkness there men will weep and gnash their
  teeth.(Matt 1012) And to the centurion Jesus
  said, Go be it done for you as you have
  believed. And the servant was healed at that
  very moment.(Matt 1013)

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Who Is the Centurion?

• Was he Cornelius? (Luke 7 Acts 10)
• Both were centurions (vs 2 vs 1).
• Both were men of faith (vs 9 vs 2).
• Both benefited the Jewish people (vs 5 vs 2).
• Both knew the work of Jesus (vs 3 vs 37).
• Both had faithful servants who were dear to them
  (vs 2 vss 2, 7).
• The centurion was in Capernaum, Cornelius in
  Caesarea (70 km SW - on the Mediterranean Coast).
• But 3 years had elapsed the centurion may have
  been reassigned.
• Either or neither of these might have been the
  centurion of the cross (see Luke 2347).
• Jesus finishes what he starts in us!

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The Centurions Servant