Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
The saying belongs to a Roman centurion at Capernaum whose servant lay sick and dying of palsy. He was tenderly attached to that servant and greatly desired his recovery, though Romans commonly held servants as slaves to be bought and sold and treated them with abuse and cruelty. He had never seen Jesus, but the reports he heard about Christ inspired faith in him. The teaching of Christ as reported met the need of his soul, and notwithstanding the formalism of the Jews he was convinced that their religion was superior to his own.
He had already broken through national prejudice and hatred between conquerors and conquered. He did so by respecting the service of God and showing kindness to the Jews as His worshipers, loving their nation and building them a synagogue. Feeling unworthy to come into the presence of Jesus and to have Him enter his home, he first appealed to the Jewish elders to ask for him. He thought they were acquainted with the great Teacher and would know how to approach Him to win His favor, and as Jesus entered Capernaum they met Him, told Him of the desire, and urged that he was worthy.
He then came in person to complete his request. In doing so he answered the elders' claim that he was worthy because he loved their nation and had built them a synagogue by declaring himself not worthy to come to Jesus. His declaration means he trusted that Jesus need only speak a word for his servant to be healed. He felt unworthy to have Jesus enter his home and unworthy to approach Jesus, yet he believed healing would follow without Jesus coming in person or being physically present. His faith rested on Jesus' power rather than on seeing a sign.
His confidence rested on Jesus' authority. As he himself represented the power of Rome and his soldiers obeyed his command, so Jesus represents the power of the infinite God. As his soldiers obey his authority, so all created things obey Christ's word. He can command disease to depart and it must obey, and He can summon heavenly messengers to bring healing. Just as his own command was obeyed by those under him, Jesus could command disease to depart.
Though feeling unworthy, he did not fear to ask help from Jesus. He trusted not his own goodness but Jesus' mercy and authority. He made his great need and helplessness his only plea and argument. That helplessness shows that human helplessness makes God's redeeming power necessary.
Jesus praised this trust as great faith and as exceptionally great faith. When Jesus spoke the servant was healed. The servant was found healed.
The rewarding of this Gentile centurion's faith and his conversion is an example of Jesus working beyond the acknowledged people of Israel. It is a partial unfolding of the breaking down of the middle wall of partition between Israel and other nations. It shows that salvation is for all mankind, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs with the Jews and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel. In God's kingdom there are no territorial lines, no caste, and no aristocracy. Among those many regard as unworthy of salvation there are souls hungering for the light of truth who must be given the message of a Saviour's love.
The saying belongs to a Roman centurion at Capernaum whose servant lay sick and dying of palsy. He was tenderly attached to that servant and greatly desired his recovery, though Romans commonly held servants as slaves to be bought and sold and treated them with abuse and cruelty. He had never seen Jesus, but the reports he heard about Christ inspired faith in him. The teaching of Christ as reported met the need of his soul, and notwithstanding the formalism of the Jews he was convinced that their religion was superior to his own.
He had already broken through national prejudice and hatred between conquerors and conquered. He did so by respecting the service of God and showing kindness to the Jews as His worshipers, loving their nation and building them a synagogue. Feeling unworthy to come into the presence of Jesus and to have Him enter his home, he first appealed to the Jewish elders to ask for him. He thought they were acquainted with the great Teacher and would know how to approach Him to win His favor, and as Jesus entered Capernaum they met Him, told Him of the desire, and urged that he was worthy.
He then came in person to complete his request. In doing so he answered the elders' claim that he was worthy because he loved their nation and had built them a synagogue by declaring himself not worthy to come to Jesus. His declaration means he trusted that Jesus need only speak a word for his servant to be healed. He felt unworthy to have Jesus enter his home and unworthy to approach Jesus, yet he believed healing would follow without Jesus coming in person or being physically present. His faith rested on Jesus' power rather than on seeing a sign.
His confidence rested on Jesus' authority. As he himself represented the power of Rome and his soldiers obeyed his command, so Jesus represents the power of the infinite God. As his soldiers obey his authority, so all created things obey Christ's word. He can command disease to depart and it must obey, and He can summon heavenly messengers to bring healing. Just as his own command was obeyed by those under him, Jesus could command disease to depart.
Though feeling unworthy, he did not fear to ask help from Jesus. He trusted not his own goodness but Jesus' mercy and authority. He made his great need and helplessness his only plea and argument. That helplessness shows that human helplessness makes God's redeeming power necessary.
Jesus praised this trust as great faith and as exceptionally great faith. When Jesus spoke the servant was healed. The servant was found healed.
The rewarding of this Gentile centurion's faith and his conversion is an example of Jesus working beyond the acknowledged people of Israel. It is a partial unfolding of the breaking down of the middle wall of partition between Israel and other nations. It shows that salvation is for all mankind, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs with the Jews and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel. In God's kingdom there are no territorial lines, no caste, and no aristocracy. Among those many regard as unworthy of salvation there are souls hungering for the light of truth who must be given the message of a Saviour's love.