Just Give the Command
This is one of my favorite accounts in the gospels of Jesus healing someone. So much, that without hesitation I picked this for my first research paper in Bible School. I was enjoying and being blessed so much in the research that I did not want to stop and draft the paper. Bouncing from Matthew to Luke, I focused on the actions of not only the servant, the Centurion, and the Jewish elders, but also the crowd that was following Him. I was still typing into the last minute of the submission deadline.
Becoming a Christian and entering the military at the same time in my life helped me to understand just what a life of faith really meant. Attending church and Sunday school as a child I was taught and held two beliefs. One was to “just believe” and the other was “if it is God’s will.”
But maturing some in the Word of God I began to gain some understanding that just my believing and casting the outcome on “if it be His will,” was filled with doubt and convenient in removing any responsibility on my part.
Through experiences in the military, I learned honor, submission to authority, and obedience even when it is not convenient or it becomes difficult. It was on this account of healing of the Centurion’s servant that the Holy Spirit brought these together and I got revelation that faith requires action. I saw that faith cannot be separated from honor (humility), submission to authority, and obedience. We see this displayed in three ways by the individuals in this example of “Such great faith.” These actions are Recognition, Honoring, and Obeying.
The context is the healing of a sick servant. Some would quickly move past him, but if he were not sick this would not be in the Bible. It would be easy to think that this servant did not do anything, that he was simply the victim. But we read that he is dear to, highly regarded, and that the Centurion did not want to lose him. So, what made this servant valuable and not simply replaced?
Luke 7:8 “…to my servant, do this and he does it.”
The servant recognized the Centurion as an authority over him and was obedient to his commands, because of this the Centurion was not willing to lose him and interceded on his behalf. This is a principle that I have seen proven in my life. Being properly submitted to those in authority over you, whether your boss at work, your Pastor, even civil leaders, will cause them to be quick to defend, intercede, and value you.
Then these messengers, the Jewish elders. Some believe that these men were rulers in the synagogue. Others say they were leaders in the city. Respected heads of families or businessmen. I tend to go with the later only because I do not think a ruler in the synagogue would dare run the risk of Caiaphas and the scribes in Jerusalem finding out they took part in Jesus’ healing someone. There must have been a relationship based in honor among these elders and the Centurion for him to delegate to them the authority to speak on his behalf.
Now we have the Centurion. This man is a warrior, a leader of fighting men. I doubt he knew how sharp and powerful the Word of God was but could quickly show the sharpness of his blade. While he may have paid for the building of a synagogue nothing leads us to think he spent much time in it. Being an officer in the Roman Army he knew how to follow and issue orders. He dared not consider, nor tolerate anything but instant obedience.
“When the officer heard about Jesus…”
Leading up to this, the Word tells us that the fame or the news of Jesus was spreading (Matt. 4:23,24). I am sure that this Centurion had received intelligence or information about what was going on in the region. But I believe that it may have just been knowledge. But now, with his servant being sick, this Centurion really heard about Jesus and recognized His authority. Between hearing of Jesus and him sending elders of the Jews to Him, he could have entertained other options. He had authority and control of Capernaum and the surrounding area. With at least a hundred legionnaires under him he could have ordered them to bring Jesus to him. Well, he could have tried. He may have studied history and knew what happened to the King of Aram when he went after Elisha (2 Kings 6).
Recognition led this Centurion to honor in two ways. The first was deference. He understood that in this matter he did not have the authority needed. Unlike the religious leaders who were struggling with “By what authority are you…,” this Centurion deferred to Jesus’s authority. He realized that when it came to healing his servant, he, and all of Herod’s horses and all Ceaser’s men could not heal his servant again.
Next, he showed humility. He may have had some understanding of God’s covenant with Israel. His thoughts may have caused him to believe that he should not expect or deserve any of these covenant rights. In his saying that he was not worthy, I do not think he was debasing himself as a person, but elevating Jesus. He did not come like the Syrophoenician woman, the only other person mentioned as having great faith, with borrowed phrases and assumption, he came to Jesus with a heart of humility.
In the latter half of Luke 7:7, this Centurion said something that should totally remove any religious “If it be thy will” thinking in our lives today.
“Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.”
This Centurion just needed the command. Jesus wanted to hear faith. I believe this was what caused Jesus to marvel and elevate this man over all of Israel when it came to faith.
We should be watchful for opportunities to be like the servant, faithful and obedient in our duties to those in authority over us. Like the Jewish elders, ready to display the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone regardless ethnic, racial, or national divisions. And like the Centurion, show our faith by our good works. Conduct ourselves properly in authority, be in submission to authority, and quick to intercede for others.