The Centurion of Great Faith

   I've been re-reading some old notes again (unfortunately I didnt have the insight to date said notes, so when I wrote them I know not, although I suspect 2008ish). I thought I might share some of my musings. 

   So here is "The Centurion of Great Faith":

  "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!"

Luke chapter 7, verse 9b   (From the larger passage: vs 1-10)

    Roman officers in Israel had a dreadful reputation- only comparitively recently to the time of this meeting Roman Legionnaires had crucified several Jewish men concerning an attempted revolt that had backfired- remember, Israel was a nation occupied by strange foreign powers, along with their strange and wicked Gods. The Romans in Jerusalem held the High Priest's robes and the Antonian Fortress loomed over the Temple court. Legionnairies could halt and commandeer Jewish citizens to carry their packs for a whole mile at any time. Its easy to see why the populace hated the occupying forces!

   However in our passage (Luke 7 vs1-10) we are faced with a senior Roman officer, a Centurion, who not only cares for his lowly local servant boy, but, more amazingly, is well liked and respected by the elders of the Jewish synagogue! He was obviously a man who cared for the local populace- perhaps he had been a follower of John the Baptist and obeyed John's advice to the Herodian soldiers: "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." Whatever the reasons for the Centurion being held in such high esteem, we are told that he was personally responsible for the building of a synagogue, a work gladly accepted by the Rabbis and scholars. 

   The Centurion must have seen Jesus' majesty and his own unworthiness, thus he sent the Jewish Elders with his request for healing, rather than going himself. We see this clearly when Jesus agrees to come and heal the boy: the centurion knows that Jews cannot enter Gentile homes without becoming ceremonally unclean and he does not wish to inconvenience Jesus in this way. He also had faith that Jesus could heal by a word- without being present; he saw the Lord Jesus' authority and knew that it was from God. The centurion showed, through a simple analogy, how he believed in Jesus' absaloute power- in the same way that his men did exactly as he commanded, so would creation bow to the orders of its very creator. 

   Jesus response appears typical to the Jewish thought process displayed by the Rabbis, in that he seems to introduce another theme entirely, however they are closely related topics. Firstly Jesus exclaims his pleasure and commends the commander for his firm belief- indeed he has shown a faith greater than that of his own disciples:

"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!"

   Jesus uses the example of the Centurion's faith to proclaim a truth that was thoroughly rooted in the Old Testament scriptures but nevertheless was a revolutionary idea to the Jews: Many gentiles shall be in Heaven but not all of the Israelites shall be.

  He explains to his listeners that faith and "saving grace" is neccasary and lineage is not an issue to God (a point that Paul elaborates on in his epistles)

   Jesus ends this encounter with an act of mercy and love towards the soldier and his servant:

"And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. "

   What a wonderful ending to the meeting between Jesus and the messengers of the Centurion, if only we could know what happened to that man of faith! 

    But the real point of this encounter is that Jesus, the "son of a carpenter" has authority and power over the whole of his creation- this man is the son of God, the Messiah, the Annointed one of God, come to redeem his people, Israel. And we can be certain that this Centurion was an Israelite indeed!