BURKITT : | Lu 7:1-10 | Lu 7:11-17 | Lu 7:18-21 | Lu 7:22 | Lu 7:23 | Lu 7:24-27 | Lu 7:28 | Lu 7:29-30 | Lu 7:31-35 | Lu 7:36-38 | Lu 7:39-43 | Lu 7:44-50 |
Reference
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)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
In our Saviour’s miraculous cure of the centurion’s servant, we have several particulars very observable:
1. The person applying himself to our blessed Saviour for help and healing: he was a Gentile, a Heathen, a Roman soldier, an officer and commander; yet he believes in, and relies upon the power of Christ.
Note, that such is the freeness of divine grace, that it extends itself to all sorts and ranks, to all orders and degrees of men, without exception; even the bloody trade of war yields worthy clients to Christ: he does not so much regard what we are and which we are, as with what dispositions and the desires, with what purposes and inclinations, we come unto him.
Observe, 2. The person whom the centurion came to Christ for: not for himself, nor for his own, but for his servant. His servant was sick; he does not drive him out of doors, nor stand gazing by his bedside, but looks out for help and relief for him: a worthy example of humanity! Some masters have not so much regard to their sick servants as they have to their oxen and their swine. But he is not worthy of a good servant that in a time of sickness is not willing to serve his servant.
Observe, 3. Unto whom the centurion seeks, and with what zeal and application; he seeks not to wizards and conjurers, but to the physician, for his sick servant; yea, to Christ, the chief Physician; and this not with a formal relation in his mouth, but with a vehement aggravation of his disease. My servant lies sick of the palsy, grievously tormented, Mt 8:6 Where the master’s condolence, and tender sympathy, with his afflicted servant, is both matter of commendation and imitation.
Observe, 4. The happy mixture of humility and faith which was found in this centurion. See his wonderful humility in not thinking himself worthy to come into Christ’s presence, or that Christ should come under his roof. The best men have always the lowest thoughts of themselves; when we esteem ourselves as unworthy of any favors, Christ accounts us worthy of all.
See also his faith in Christ’s divine power; he believed that Christ was able at a distance, and by a single word, to command off the distemper of his servant; he tells him, that diseases were as much at Christ’s command, as his servants were at his command.
Humility, we see, is both the fruit of faith and the companion of faith. A humble soul has evermore a high esteem of Christ’s power and a low esteem of itself.
Observe, 5. How our blessed saviour exceeds not only the centurion’s desires but his expectations. Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. Mt 8:7.
O wonderful condescension. In Joh 4:47 we read of a certain nobleman and ruler that twice entreated our Saviour to come to his house and heal his son, but our Lord refused. Here the centurion does but barely tell Christ of his poor servant’s sickness, and Christ, both unasked and undesired, says, I will come and heal him.
O how far is Christ from seeming in the least to honor riches and despise poverty! He that came in the form of a servant goes down to visit a sick servant upon his poor pallet bed, who did not come near the rich couch of the ruler’s son.
Observe, 6. The notice and observation which our Saviour takes of the centurion’s faith: he wondered at it from him. Admiration agreed not to Christ as God, but as man it did. Christ wrought faith as God, and wondered at it as man. What can be more wonderful than to see Christ wonder? We find not our Saviour wondering at worldly pomp and greatness: when the disciples wondered at the magnificence and stately buildings of the temple, Christ rather rebuked them than wondered with them; but when he sees the gracious act and exercise of faith, he is ravished with wonder.
Let it teach us to place our admiration where Christ fixes his; let us be more affected with the least measure of grace in a good man than with all the gaieties and glories of a great man; let us not envy the one, but admire and imitate the other.
Observe, lastly, Christ does not only admire the centurion’s faith but publishes it: Verily I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel; that is, amongst the generality of the Jewish nation.
For, as to particular persons, several had shown a greater faith than this, as Joseph and Mary. This expression lets us know, that where the means of faith are but small, the nobler act and exercise of faith are wonderful and soul amazing.