And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
The centurion came to Jesus because his slave-servant lay at home sick with palsy, grievously tormented with severe pain and near death. Though he had never seen Jesus, reports about Him had inspired belief, and as a generous master tenderly attached to his servant he made an unselfish plea resting on the servant's need rather than his own worthiness. He did not doubt that Jesus could heal without coming in person, asking only for Him to speak, and the servant was healed when He spoke from afar. His faith as a Gentile outside Israel showed that those many counted unworthy of salvation could hunger for truth, that salvation is for all nations, and that love is not limited to race or nation. Christ welcomed and readily answered that wholehearted intercession for one in service, uniting ministry of the Word with healing work and teaching humility and tender care for the erring and suffering.
The Centurion's Plea
The plea tells of a servant lying at home sick with palsy, grievously tormented and suffering greatly with severe pain from paralysis. He was gravely ill and near death.
The sick man was a slave, yet his master, a Roman centurion, was generous and compassionate toward him, deeply caring for him and tenderly attached to him. The centurion had never seen Jesus, but reports about Him had inspired belief that Jesus could heal the servant.
The plea was unselfish intercession for another and not for self, made for a suffering fellow creature in simple, unselfish faith in Christ's power to heal. It rested on the servant's need rather than the centurion's worthiness, with the recognition that though the master had done what he could, healing required power he did not have. The centurion did not doubt Jesus could heal without coming in person, asking only for Him to speak, and the servant was healed when He spoke from afar. That healing from a distance gives encouragement in Christ's power to heal even one who is far away.
Mission Beyond Israel
The appeal for the gravely suffering servant is an instance of direct work beyond the acknowledged people of Israel and an example of faith and conversion outside Israel. By rewarding the Gentile centurion's faith at Capernaum, the encounter showed that people many considered unworthy of salvation could hunger for truth and that salvation is for all nations. The act rejected Jewish intolerance and exclusiveness, proving that love is not limited to race or nation and laboring to lead the Jews out of exclusiveness. It pointed forward to a time of active and continued work among the Gentiles when whole communities would receive the gospel and be gathered into God's church.
It shows ministry reaching every rank and class, rich as well as poor, including Roman rulers and officers as well as outcasts, working for all who would hear His word. To reach the wealthy and powerful, acquaintance was sought, invitations accepted, feasts attended, and interests and occupations learned in order to gain access to hearts and reveal imperishable riches. The centurion had shown kindness to Israel, yet the disciples thought the gifts of grace were given too freely to such outsiders; the healing gave an example of how such a one should be treated. People from other nations coming to seek help for relatives and friends, and Christ entering their concerns with words of hope and healing to bring healing and hope, set an example of service to humanity everywhere.
Pattern for Ministry and Prayer
Matthew 8:6 stands in a chapter that joins the ministry of the Word with medical missionary work, holding up Christ's methods of healing as the pattern to be followed. The appeal is that of a generous and compassionate master asking for healing for his servant lying at home suffering severely with palsy, having done what he could while recognizing that healing required a power he did not possess. Christ welcomed that concern for one in his service and answered willingly and readily, being pleased by a master's compassionate seeking of help for a servant gravely ill with paralysis and suffering. The plea illustrates earnest intercession, in which petitions offered with wholehearted concern and faith are heard, whereas spiritual blessings are lacking when people do not ask or ask wrongly.
The verse is part of Christ's lesson on humility and on tenderness and care to be shown to the erring and to those needing sympathy and love. The cry for a servant lying sick with palsy and grievously tormented displays how Jesus bears with sinful and deformed lives. Even those who have not honored God's cause but show the deformity of sin in life and character must therefore be borne with, remembering how wicked and sinful His own followers have been and how Jesus still bears with them.
The centurion came to Jesus because his slave-servant lay at home sick with palsy, grievously tormented with severe pain and near death. Though he had never seen Jesus, reports about Him had inspired belief, and as a generous master tenderly attached to his servant he made an unselfish plea resting on the servant's need rather than his own worthiness. He did not doubt that Jesus could heal without coming in person, asking only for Him to speak, and the servant was healed when He spoke from afar. His faith as a Gentile outside Israel showed that those many counted unworthy of salvation could hunger for truth, that salvation is for all nations, and that love is not limited to race or nation. Christ welcomed and readily answered that wholehearted intercession for one in service, uniting ministry of the Word with healing work and teaching humility and tender care for the erring and suffering.
The Centurion's Plea
The plea tells of a servant lying at home sick with palsy, grievously tormented and suffering greatly with severe pain from paralysis. He was gravely ill and near death.
The sick man was a slave, yet his master, a Roman centurion, was generous and compassionate toward him, deeply caring for him and tenderly attached to him. The centurion had never seen Jesus, but reports about Him had inspired belief that Jesus could heal the servant.
The plea was unselfish intercession for another and not for self, made for a suffering fellow creature in simple, unselfish faith in Christ's power to heal. It rested on the servant's need rather than the centurion's worthiness, with the recognition that though the master had done what he could, healing required power he did not have. The centurion did not doubt Jesus could heal without coming in person, asking only for Him to speak, and the servant was healed when He spoke from afar. That healing from a distance gives encouragement in Christ's power to heal even one who is far away.
Mission Beyond Israel
The appeal for the gravely suffering servant is an instance of direct work beyond the acknowledged people of Israel and an example of faith and conversion outside Israel. By rewarding the Gentile centurion's faith at Capernaum, the encounter showed that people many considered unworthy of salvation could hunger for truth and that salvation is for all nations. The act rejected Jewish intolerance and exclusiveness, proving that love is not limited to race or nation and laboring to lead the Jews out of exclusiveness. It pointed forward to a time of active and continued work among the Gentiles when whole communities would receive the gospel and be gathered into God's church.
It shows ministry reaching every rank and class, rich as well as poor, including Roman rulers and officers as well as outcasts, working for all who would hear His word. To reach the wealthy and powerful, acquaintance was sought, invitations accepted, feasts attended, and interests and occupations learned in order to gain access to hearts and reveal imperishable riches. The centurion had shown kindness to Israel, yet the disciples thought the gifts of grace were given too freely to such outsiders; the healing gave an example of how such a one should be treated. People from other nations coming to seek help for relatives and friends, and Christ entering their concerns with words of hope and healing to bring healing and hope, set an example of service to humanity everywhere.
Pattern for Ministry and Prayer
Matthew 8:6 stands in a chapter that joins the ministry of the Word with medical missionary work, holding up Christ's methods of healing as the pattern to be followed. The appeal is that of a generous and compassionate master asking for healing for his servant lying at home suffering severely with palsy, having done what he could while recognizing that healing required a power he did not possess. Christ welcomed that concern for one in his service and answered willingly and readily, being pleased by a master's compassionate seeking of help for a servant gravely ill with paralysis and suffering. The plea illustrates earnest intercession, in which petitions offered with wholehearted concern and faith are heard, whereas spiritual blessings are lacking when people do not ask or ask wrongly.
The verse is part of Christ's lesson on humility and on tenderness and care to be shown to the erring and to those needing sympathy and love. The cry for a servant lying sick with palsy and grievously tormented displays how Jesus bears with sinful and deformed lives. Even those who have not honored God's cause but show the deformity of sin in life and character must therefore be borne with, remembering how wicked and sinful His own followers have been and how Jesus still bears with them.