Luke 7
Luke 7:1-5 When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion's slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. 3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5 for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue."
Analysis of vv. 1-5:
1) Luke indicates that Jesus completed His discourse and then traveled to Capernaum.
2) The verb “completed” means to proclaim completely in v.1 and stresses the significance of Jesus had just taught to the multitude (plhro,w, pleroo- Rom. 15:19).[1]
3) We also see from Matthew that “great multitudes followed Him” after He had finished (Matt. 8:1).
4) The city of Capernaum was situated on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee (last mentioned in 4:31).
5) V. 2 provides details of a “certain centurion’s slave.”
6) The slave was “highly regarded” by the centurion which indicates he wasn’t viewed as a piece of property or lowly servant.
7) “Highly regarded” may also mean honored, respected, or esteemed (e;ntimoj, entimos- Phil. 2:29).
8) The language conveys that the centurion and slave shared a close relationship.
9) This slave was sick and on the verge of death.
10) Luke doesn’t indicate the exact nature of the sickness just that it was mortal.
11) However Matthew indicates the sickness involved some sort of paralysis that was extremely painful (Matt. 8:6).
a) His paralysis was incapacitating as he was “lying paralyzed at home.”
b) “Suffering great pain” indicates very extreme pain (lit. “terribly tortured in pain”- deinw/j basanizo,menoj, deinos basanizomenos).
12) The centurion is significant in part because he was a gentile who sought out Jesus.
13) A centurion was an officer in the Roman army that commanded about a hundred men (e`katonta,rchj, hekatontarches derived from hekaton- a hundred + archo-to rule: leader of a hundred- Acts 23:23).
a) Most men were promoted from among the ranks progressing through the various grades within a century; this typically took ten or more years.[2]
b) At initial enlistment, whether conscript or volunteer, Roman citizenship wasn’t mandatory, but free birth was necessary.[3]
c) Centurions who served with distinction were courageous and level-headed, able to assert their authority on the battlefield during crisis situations, and avert the onset of panic among the legionnaires they commanded.[4]
d) Typically losses were high among centurions as they commanded their troops from the front.
14) The exact duties of the centurion in our context are unclear.
15) Apart from commanding other troops, centurions were at times assigned other duties (e.g. policing, guard duty- Matt. 27:54, Acts 27:1ff).
16) The NT refers to several centurions who are for the most part placed in a positive light (Luke 7:1-10, 23:47, Acts 10:1ff, 22:25-26, 23:17-18, 27:43).
17) After hearing that Jesus was in Capernaum, the centurion dispatched some “Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.”
18) He was clearly aware of the miracles Jesus performed among multitudes (Luke 4:39-40, 5:12-13,17ff, 6:10, 18).
19) It would be the acceptable protocol as a gentile, to send the Jewish elders to approach Jesus on his behalf.
20) The term “elder” may refer to a greater age, an older person or it may refer to various types of officials and authorities (presbu,teroj, presbuteros- Heb. 11:2 cf. Matt. 16:21).
21) Elders had been part of Israel’s society for many years prior to 1st Advent.
a) There were elders among the people during the captivity in Egypt (Ex. 3:18, 4:29, 12:21).
b) They assisted Moses in governing the people of Israel (Ex. 18:12ff, Num. 11:16-17).
c) Elders were responsible to enforce various statutes of the Law and encourage obedience (Deut. 19:12, 25:7-10, 27:1, 31:9-12).
d) They were present in Israel during the Judges period (Judges 2:7, 8:16, 11:5, 21:16).
e) In the time of Christ they were associated with the religious leaders in Israel and were staunch opponents of Jesus (Matt. 16:21, 21:23, Mark 15:1, Luke 20:1, 22:52).
22) The “Jewish elders” in v. 3 would be a contingent from the local synagogue.
23) In case Jesus had any misgivings about helping a gentile from their point of view, the elders vigorously upheld the character of the centurion.
24) Luke indicates that “they earnestly entreated Him…”
25) The general meaning of the verb translated “entreated” is to call to one’s side.
26) However, in our verse the verb is intensified and means to make a strong or urgent request for something (parakale,w, parakaleo- Luke 8:41, Acts 16:15).
27) The adverb “earnestly” further conveys the urgency of the elders’ request (spoudai,wj, spoudaios).
28) They sought to assure Jesus about the centurion saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5 for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.”
29) The Jewish elders notably describe the gentile as “worthy” or deserving to have his slave healed.
30) He is clearly held in high esteem by these men and as evidence of his worthiness they press his case citing two reasons.
31) First, the elders indicate that the centurion “loves our nation.”
32) “Love” is the familiar verb, agapao which is used in a general sense to refer his high regard and affection for someone of something (avgapa,w, agapao).
33) The form of the verb in the text indicates the “love” is ongoing (avgapa/|, agapa-present active indicative).
34) “Nation” commonly refers to a body of persons united by kinship, culture, and common traditions (e;qnoj, ethnos).
35) Ergo, this gentile centurion demonstrated an ongoing high regard and affection for the Jewish people.
36) Second, as a clear display of his worthiness and love of the nation the elders reveal that “it was he who built us our synagogue.”
37) Apparently there was a principle synagogue in Capernaum referred to as “the synagogue” which the centurion was instrumental in building.
38) If he hadn’t solely financed the building of the synagogue, he was the main benefactor in its construction.
39) The centurion’s spiritual status, whether unbeliever or believer, isn’t explicitly revealed (cf. Acts 10:2, 22).
40) However, his status as a believer is sufficiently implied by Jesus’ emphatic commendation of the man’s “great faith” in v. 9.
41) Jesus would hardly commend this man to such a degree for simply being extremely confident that He possessed the authority and power to heal his slave and yet remain an unbeliever.
42) Additionally, his love for the Jewish people and involvement in building a place of study for the Word of God points to more than mere beneficence on his part.
43) Although Jesus’s ministry was primarily for the Jews, he provided for whomever manifested +v (Matt. 10:5-6, 15:24 cf. Luke 4:25-27, John 4:ff).
Luke 7:6-8 Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; 7 for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 "For I, too, 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."
Analysis of vv. 6-8:
1) After listening to their urgent plea Jesus departed with the elders to the house of the centurion.
2) Yet when nearly to the house, the centurion sent another group of envoys to meet Jesus.
3) This group was composed of the centurion’s friends who bore another message on his behalf saying, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof…”
4) Jesus is addressed as “Lord” which conveys honor and respect (ku,rioj, kurios).
5) Apparently after some introspection the centurion reconsidered and deemed himself unworthy for Jesus to even step foot in his house.
6) The centurion’s request isn’t based on the notion of ritual uncleanness or defilement that would allegedly be incurred if a Jew entered the house of a gentile.
7) This was one of the many legalistic beliefs that prevailed among the Jews at this time (cf. John 18:28, Acts 10:28, 11:2-3).
8) Indeed God sent His prophets to various gentiles and they remained ritually clean even when living under the same roof (1 Kings 17:9, 19, Jonah 3:1-2).
9) The centurion reveals why he didn’t come to Jesus himself and instead sent his friends.
10) In v. 7 he explains, “For this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
11) In addition to viewing himself as unworthy to receive Jesus in his house, the centurion didn’t even deem himself worthy to come meet Jesus face to face.
12) It’s clear that he was cognizant that Jesus’ ministry was primarily focused on the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:5-6).
13) Based on this knowledge, it’s probable as a gentile he felt undeserving of a personal meeting or visit from the Lord.
14) His self-effacement was an expression of genuine humility.
15) As a believer he recognized that Jesus was God the Son incarnate and in comparison, he was weak and sinful.
16) Such a recognition can make a significant impact on the evaluation of one’s own worth or merit (cf. Luke 3:16, 5:8).
17) The centurion requests, “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.”
18) He is fully aware that Jesus, God the Son incarnate possesses the authority and power to heal the slave without being present.
19) Furthermore, he explains this awareness through his own experience in the Roman military chain of command.
20) As a centurion he is under authority with soldiers and slaves under his command.
21) He followed orders and gave orders that were diligently obeyed.
22) Therefore, he was completely confident that Jesus, having divine authority especially over the physical realm, was able to order the sickness out of his slave.
Luke 7:9-10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith." 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Analysis of vv. 9-10:
1) The centurion’s words had a significant impact on Jesus.
2) His explanation conveyed absolute confidence in Jesus and His ability to heal.
3) Luke records that after hearing the explanation Jesus “marveled” at the centurion.
4) The verb translated “marveled” means to be extraordinarily impressed (qauma,zw, thaumazo).
5) Here, the Lord was singularly impressed by the centurion’s faith.
6) Jesus turns to the multitude following Him and proclaims, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
7) Matthew’s account is slightly more emphatic; Jesus indicates He hasn’t found anyone in Israel with such great faith (Matt. 8:10).
8) It’s important to note that Jesus had found faith in many He had taught during His ministry, but comparatively, no one had exhibited as great a faith (cf. Luke 5:5ff, 27, John 1:36ff).
9) One would expect the Jewish Messiah to be more readily accepted by Jews within His homeland of Israel.
10) To the contrary He was rejected by the majority of His own people (John 1:11)
11) Instead He singles out this foreign gentile residing in Israel as an example of “great faith.”
12) Jesus’ praise of the centurion’s great faith is a rebuke to unbelieving Jews.
13) The centurion was absolutely confident that Jesus could merely speak and his slave would be healed.
14) Although the Lord wasn’t personally present, this was not a deterrent to the centurion.
15) He knew Jesus to be the Messiah and had great faith in His power.
16) This was in contrast to many of the Jews who were eye witnesses of great miracles, but still demanded additional sign and miracles from Jesus (Mark 8:11-12, John 4:48, 6:30, 1 Cor. 1:22).
17) The centurion’s “great faith” resulted in great blessing by Jesus.
18) In Matthew Jesus assures the elders and friends of the positive outcome (Matt. 8:13).
19) The envoys sent by the centurion “found the slave in good health” when they returned to his house.
20) It’s evident from the start that the centurion possessed genuine humility.
21) He recognized his inferiority when faced with God the Son in the flesh (cf. Rom. 3:23).
22) Another aspect of the centurion’s humility involved his deep concern for his slave.
23) Approaching Jesus to heal the slave revealed a sincere concern for the slave’s welfare.
24) He was applying a principle of humility that is applicable to each of us today.
25) Namely, we are to have a sincere concern for each other and look out for each other’s interests (Phil. 2:3-4 cf. John 13:13-15, Gal. 5:13).
26) Additionally, it should be comforting to know that God takes pleasure in blessing the believer who manifests genuine humility in his thinking and behavior (Psa. 10:17, 25:9, 37:11; Isa. 66:2; James 4:6).