Knowing the Word in Matthew 8

The Faith of a Centurion

5 When he had entered Capernaum [now Jesus’ home base], a centurion [excluded from the congregation because of his race] came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” [This centurion was a junior officer in the auxiliary forces under the command of Herod Antipas, which were made up of non-Jewish forces from Syria and Lebanon.] 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” [A better translation might read: Am I to come and heal him?] 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word [faith in distant healing], and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man 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 servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” [This Gentile recognizes the authority of Jesus, even a greater authority than he has. He believes that what Jesus says will be done. He believes Jesus can speak healing into being. Who speaks things into being?] 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel [found totally lacking] have I found such faith [reliance on Jesus’ power]. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west [see Isaiah 43:5-6] and recline at table [the Messianic banquet; see Isaiah 25:6] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom [those who have rights by birth] will be thrown into the outer darkness. [The kingdom of heaven is not a Jewish preserve but open to Gentiles. In fact, some Jews will find themselves excluded. Faith, not race, is the criteria for membership.] In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth [the fate of the ungodly].” [Jesus’ mission is instituting a radical change in the understanding of the people of God.] 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. [Faith is the key element in this story of healing. This kind of faith is completely practical and renders tradition and heredity meaningless.]