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. 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, the centurion sent friends 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 marvelled 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. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. (Luke 7:1-10 KJV)
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
There is some difference between the account of the healing of the centurion’s servant in Luke and that in Matthew 8:5. In Matthew, it is said that the centurion came to Christ; in Luke 7:3, he sends Jewish elders, and later other friends (Luke 7:6). Yet, it is commonly accepted that what someone does through a representative is counted as his own act. The centurion may rightly be said to have come to Christ through these messengers. Still, it is likely that the centurion eventually came in person when Christ said to him, “As you have believed, so let it be done for you” (Matthew 8:13).
This miracle occurred after Jesus finished speaking to the people (Luke 7:1). His teaching was public, open to all—“In secret I have said nothing” (John 18:20). To confirm the authority of his words, he now confirms the power of his healing. He who had power over disease in the natural world also has authority in the spiritual world to command obedience. This miracle took place in Capernaum, the city where many of Jesus’ mighty works were performed (Matthew 11:23).
The centurion had a servant who was dear to him and seriously ill (Luke 7:2). The servant’s faithfulness and care for his master’s interests had earned his master’s affection. It was also commendable that the master valued and cared for his servant’s well-being. Many in authority neglect or mistreat faithful workers, but this centurion showed concern and compassion.
Upon hearing about Jesus, the centurion took action (Luke 7:3). He sought help from Christ for his sick servant, which teaches that those in authority should not neglect the needs of their subordinates. Today, we may still come to Christ through prayer, for he remains the great Physician.
The centurion sent elders of the Jews to Jesus, believing that was more respectful than coming himself. Being a Gentile, he may have thought Christ, a Jewish prophet, would be reluctant to come to him. So he sent respected Jewish leaders to speak on his behalf.
These elders earnestly pleaded with Jesus (Luke 7:4), saying the centurion was worthy of this favor. Though the centurion himself had said, “I am not worthy” (Matthew 8:8), others praised him. As Scripture says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth” (Proverbs 27:2). They emphasized his kindness to the Jewish people and his support of their religion (Luke 7:5).
He loved the Jewish nation—a rare thing among Gentiles—and had likely read the Old Testament, which would naturally lead him to honor the Jewish people. Even those in power should maintain goodwill toward those under their rule. The centurion had built a synagogue for the Jews at Capernaum, likely because the existing one was inadequate. This showed his reverence for the God of Israel and his desire to participate in their prayers, like Darius in Ezra 6:10. He likely used his own money and perhaps his soldiers to construct it, turning their idle time to good purpose. Building places of worship is a noble deed and reflects love for God and his people.
Jesus was quick to respond to the centurion’s request and went with the elders (Luke 7:6), though the centurion was a Gentile. Christ is not only the Savior of the Jews but also of the Gentiles (Romans 3:29). While the centurion felt unworthy to visit Jesus, Jesus considered him worthy of a visit—“Those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
When Jesus approached the house, the centurion sent friends with a message that showed both humility and faith. He said, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof” (Luke 7:6-7). This expressed not only his low opinion of himself but also his high regard for Christ. He honored Jesus as a prophet, despite his humble appearance.
His faith was just as striking: “Say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Luke 7:7). He didn’t expect a dramatic gesture, like Naaman did (2 Kings 5:11), but trusted in Jesus’ authority to command healing. He explained his reasoning: just as he had authority over soldiers, Jesus had authority over sickness and spiritual forces (Luke 7:8). Christ has supreme power over creation and can restore health and correct disorders in the body at his will.
Jesus was deeply impressed by this man’s faith, especially because he was a Gentile. He turned to the crowd and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel” (Luke 7:9). Jesus wanted those following him to observe and learn from this example. Sometimes those who do not appear to be close to Christ in outward profession may exceed others in inward faith, which should challenge and strengthen our own.
The healing was immediate and complete (Luke 7:10). Those who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant completely well. Christ is attentive to the needs of even humble servants and shows no partiality. This event also foreshadowed the strong faith that would later be found among the Gentiles when the gospel spread beyond the Jews.