Christian Family Services Ministry

4-15-2023 – A Word to the Wise – Let’s spend some time with one of the miracles of Jesus.

Examining Matthew and Luke’s story of the healing of the centurion’s servant might be fruitful and enlarge our understanding.

We now look at the text trying to picture the event and the setting. This means looking at the order of vents ands how Matthew shortens the encounter while Luke gives more details.

Luke 7:1–10 and Matthew 8:5-13

1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

FIRST (Luke) This is the background which occurs first.

3 And when he heard of Jesus he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:

5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house,

SECOND (Luke) Now Luke tells us the centurion sends friends,

The centurion sent friends.

THIRD (Matthew) Now Matthew presents the picture that the centurion himself comes.

there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said,

to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

9 When Jesus heard these things he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

FORTH (Luke) Now Luke concludes the encounter.

And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

This I believe clears up any textual problems which occur when the authors emphasis different matters

We should understand that Matthew is giving an abbreviated summary while Luke goes into more detail.

Now let’s see if there are gems here to be uncovered that illuminate the living situation of the time.

First the centurion. The roman centurion was a military person set over a cohort of about 80 to 100 men. This centurion likely was about 50 years old and retired. Several things here give us this possible interpretation.

First, he is living with his family and servants. However, centurions on active duty were not allowed to be married. They were expected to be ‘married’ to their unit. They went where the cohort was assigned. No families were allowed to distract the centurion.

Another matter is this man’s wealth. Where did it come from? History tells us the basic salary of a new centurion was 1000 denarii per month the older centurions having been in several years received up to 15,000 denarii per month. Remember the base pay at this time was one denarius a day pay for the civilian population.

Back to this centurion’s wealth. It is not just his salary. Retiring he would have been given a sizable area of land usually in Galilee, or near Emmaus. This land could be used for farming and other endeavors. This land was sizable and excellent for farming.

However, there is more. If this centurion was from a wealthy family, which most of the older centurions were, then he would have access to huge amounts of family money. Much of this is addressed by early first century writers like Josephus and others.

Now we come to the issue that lies behind our inquiry. The rulers said he had built for the Jews out of his love for them a synagogue.

Now the synagogue that he built any idea the cost? Every bit of $3 million dollars in our culture! How could he afford such a price?

Given his retirement compensation, his earnings, his retirement settlement, and the wealth of his family, no problem. This is a gift for the Lord. Therefore, this encounter with Jesus, I like to think is God’s way of accepting this man’s gift.

Jesus saw in this man godliness, devotion to duty, a person unlike the rich man in the story pf Lazarus who would not even give a bread crumb to a dying man.

Moreover, this nameless centurion is not even asking for more wealth, or advancement, no, just that a suffering servant of his be healed. Nothing for himself.

We ought to be like this man and look for opportunities to bless our Lord.