The healing of the Centurion servant is the next miracle in our series…This miracle is recorded for us in Matt 8:5-13, Luk 7:1-10 .
The Lord, as He enters Capernaum. is met by a Centurion (Roman captain over a legion of soldiers – approximately 60-100 men). This Centurion had a servant who was sick with palsy (a nervous disorder causing paralysis). The Lord offers to come to this Gentile’s home to heal his beloved servant. The Centurion answers, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Based upon the Centurion’s position of authority, he understood that it only took a verbal command to be given for a command to be fulfilled. He recognized Christ had authority over this sickness and, therefore could, simply, speak and the disease would be healed.
Jesus responded by saying, “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” This statement by Christ resulted in the servant being healed the same hour.
Based upon the response of Christ, we find that this Centurion’s faith was a forerunner showing us the faith that would be shared by other Gentiles as the gospel would be spread among the nations. (Keep in mind there were several Gentiles saved in the OT as well as during Christ’s ministry on earth… Ruth, Nebuchadnezzar, the inhabitants of Nineveh, etc. All of these Gentiles were symbolic representatives of the Gentiles who would come to faith in Christ following Christ’s earthly ministry.)
Notice in Christ’s response that, following His rejection by the Jews, the gospel would now be distributed among the Gentile nations resulting in the salvation of many Gentiles (described as “many shall come from the east and west”). Another result of the Jews rejection of Christ would be eternal punishment brought upon those Jews who continue to reject Him as their Messiah (described as “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”)
Our Lord, the Divine Sovereign Healer of Mankind has chosen to allow His healing message of the gospel to reach out beyond the borders of the Jews into the Gentile world. As Gentiles, we should be always thankful for this act of divine grace as the Lord allowed His message to reach out to us, touching our hearts and bringing us into a saving relationship with Him.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
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