In this fascinating story of a Roman centurion’s faith in Christ, we have a beautiful example of the kind of person that Jesus marveled at. He displayed great love, great humility, and great faith.
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What Kind of Person Did Jesus Marvel At?
Luke 7:1-10
At first glance there seems to be nothing exceptional about this story. On the surface it appears to be just another story of Jesus healing someone, of which we have scores in the gospel accounts. However, if we look a little closer, I believe we will see something that sets this story apart from all the others.
Look at verse 9: “Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him.” The word for “marvel” is thaumazo in the Greek. It means to “wonder, marvel, be astonished.” The only other time in the gospels where Jesus “marveled” at someone was in Mark 6:6 where it says, “And He wondered at their unbelief.” When Jesus came to His hometown of Nazareth He could do very few miracles because of their unbelief. As a result, Jesus “wondered” or “marveled” at their unbelief. He marveled at the unbelief of Israel. However, in our current text Jesus marveled at the faith of a Roman Centurion, a Gentile. When it comes to Jesus’ assessment of Israel, He marveled at their lack of faith. His marveling carried a negative connotation. However, when it came to Jesus’ assessment of his centurion, He marveled at His great faith. His marveling carried a positive connotation. That is what sets this story apart from all the rest. In it, we learn what kind of person Jesus marveled at.
Jesus has just finished a sermon on the plain addressed to His disciples. In that sermon He emphasized that if He was their treasure, they were blessed, no matter how little they had in this world. He instructed them to love their enemies, and to refrain from judging them. Then He concluded His message by telling them what kinds of people will end up in heaven. Only those “disciples” who have evidenced saving faith by obedience to Jesus as Lord will be able to stand in the judgment.
Now, Luke 7:1 says, “When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.” This was Jesus’ base of operations. It was here that this fascinating story unfolds for us. This story is unique in that Luke gives us much more information about the centurion than He does about Jesus. Clearly, the centurion is the one in the spotlight here. For that reason, I believe the Holy Spirit wants us to focus on this man – a man who made Jesus marvel. There are three things about this man that made Jesus marvel: His love, His humility, and His faith.
1. His Great Love: Read 7:2-5
For His Slave: We are told that this man was a centurion. That meant that he was a military officer who commanded roughly 100 men. In order to be appointed as a centurion, he would have proven himself with courage and valor in battle. He would be the rough equivalent of a captain in the Army today. Interestingly, every time a centurion appears in the New Testament, it is with approval. Cornelius was a centurion and is described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually” (Acts 10:2). It was some centurions who saved Paul’s life from the Jewish mob would were trying to kill him in Acts 21. In Acts 27, the Roman centurion, Julius, treats Paul with consideration, and allowed him to go to his friends and to receive care.
Now, interestingly, we are told that this centurion had a high regard for his slave who was very sick, and did his utmost to get him healed. This is unusual. The centurion had devoted his life to the military of Rome. A centurion was forbidden to marry because he was constantly being sent out all over the world on assignments. Sometimes these assignments could last 20 years. You can imagine how difficult it would be on a family for the husband and father to be gone from the family for 20 years at a time! Thus, often centurions became very close to their servants, because their servant was about the only family that they had.
However, on the other end of the spectrum, in that day, slaves were regarded as property to be used and discarded at the will of the owner. Under Roman law, a master had the right to kill his slave, and it was expected that he would do so if the slave became ill or injured to the point where he could not work. Well, that is exactly the situation that this slave boy is in. Verse 2 says “he was sick and about to die.” Over in Mt. 8:6 it says that the servant “is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” However, rather than executing this slave who was paralyzed and unable to serve any longer, this centurion showers love upon him. He highly regards him, meaning that he prizes him. There was nothing that any of the doctors could do for him. He was paralyzed, having the lost of his arms and legs. So, when all natural remedies failed, this centurion turned to the spiritual. He had heard of Jesus from someone. They had told him that He had performed many miracles, and cured many people who were in just as bad if not worse condition than his slave. In fact, I have a hunch that he had heard of the royal official in John 4:46 who had a son at the point of death. This royal official, was also from Capernaum. Jesus healed the son with just a word, from a distance, which may be why this centurion believes Jesus can do the same for his servant boy.
So, instead of seeing a gruff, stern, uncaring military man who would quickly execute his paralyzed son, we see a kind, caring man who will go to any lengths to try to get him healed.
For The Jews: Verse 3 tells us that this centurion sent some Jewish elders with a message to Jesus. Evidently, this Gentile thought that some Jewish elders would have more clout with this Jewish Rabbi, than he would. But the thing that intrigues me, is, how did this guy develop a good relationship with these Jewish elders to begin with, so that they would do this favor for him? Remember, that Jews despised Gentiles, and would not even talk with them. This man was not just a Gentile – he was a military officer of the Romans, the occupying force that is holding the Jews in subjection. You would never expect Jewish elders to be on friendly terms with a Roman centurion. So, how did this centurion win over these Jews?
In verse 4, these Jewish elders earnestly implored Jesus to come and heal the servant. They say of him, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.” Here, we learn a little bit more about this centurion. While he was stationed in Palestine, this centurion had become deeply impressed with the Jewish faith. He would have been brought up to believe in all of the Roman gods and goddesses. However, somewhere along the line, he had become disillusioned with the religion of Rome. He would have seen the gross immorality in the lives of so many Romans who worshipped these various gods. At the same time, He saw the high standard of morality that the Jewish people lived under, and was attracted to the one true and living God that they spoke of.
So, this centurion grew to love the Jewish people and all that they believed in. As a result, he built them a synagogue. Now, that is very telling. First, it tells us that either this centurion was a very wealthy man, or that he sacrificially gave most of his income to the Jews so that they would have the means to build a synagogue. Second, it tells us that it was important to the centurion that the religious beliefs of the Jews were taught to others. The primary activity that took place in a synagogue on the Sabbath day, was the teaching of the Law. Week after week, the Old Testament Scriptures would be read, and someone would expound on them, that the entire Jewish congregation would be instructed in the Law. Evidently, it was very important to this centurion that this religious instruction continue, because he was willing to fund the building of an entire synagogue single-handedly.
Imagine that. A Gentile dog, member of the Roman occupying military force over Israel, is sacrificially giving enough money from his own funds to build a synagogue for the Jews! Unheard of!
So, the first thing we see in this man who made Jesus marvel was his great love. He loved his slave, and he loved the Jews. He is far different than what we would ordinarily expect.
2. His Great Humility: 7:6-7
Verse 6 and 7 says, “Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, ‘Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
Somewhere along the line, this centurion had a change of mind. Originally, he thought it would be a good idea to try to get Jesus to come to his house to lay His hands on his sick slave and heal him. However, the more he thought about this, the more uncomfortable he became. Finally, he sent some of his friends with a message for Jesus. Basically his message was, “Jesus, don’t come here, because I’m not worthy. Furthermore, I’m not even worthy to come to You.”
Now, what did the Jewish elders say about this centurion to Jesus? They said, “He is worthy.” What does the centurion say about himself? “I am not worthy.” Now, where in the world did he get the opinion that he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his home? Imagine a wealthy Roman officer telling a poor Jewish rabbi that he was unworthy to have Him enter his home! Roman military men were not known for being humble, especially before their Jewish subjects.
Somewhere along the line, someone had told this centurion the truth about Jesus Christ. Not only did they tell him of His miracle-working ability, but they told him who He was. They must have said, “Yes, He is a rabbi, but He is much more. He is the Lord, the Master. He said, ‘Before Abraham was born, I am.’ He is the Son of the Living God. Even the demons cry out, “I know who You are, the Holy One of God.” We have watched this Man, and we can testify that He constantly goes about doing good, and healing all who are oppressed by the devil. He loves God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength, and His neighbor as himself. He is truly the Holy One. He denounces sin, wherever He sees it, and He calls all to repent and believe in the gospel.”
As the centurion heard this description of Jesus Christ, he began to feel a greater and greater sense of his own sinfulness. Although he did love the Jewish nation, and had built them a synagogue, he knew that he didn’t love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and didn’t love his neighbor as himself. He was aware of many sins in his own life. The more he thought of Jesus Christ, the more he was overcome with a sense of personal unworthiness. The reason he sent the Jewish elders to ask Jesus to come to him is because he didn’t want to bring his sinful self into the presence of Jesus. But the more he thought about Jesus coming to him, the more uncomfortable he became. There was a deep sense of sin and shame to the point where he didn’t dare allow Jesus to come into his home. The same thing happened with Simon Peter. Remember when he told the Lord, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” This centurion was a true penitent. He was a broken and contrite man.
How do we grow in humility? Real humility grows whenever I see my own insufficiency and Christ’s all-sufficiency. It arises when I see my own sinfulness and Christ’s holiness. When A. T. Pierson was writing his biography of George Mueller he said, “Nothing is more marked in George Muller, to the very day of his death, than this, that he so looked to God that he felt himself to be nothing, and God everything.” When you truly see things the way they really are, you will be humble. When you realize you are nothing, and when you realize Christ is everything, humility will naturally grow in your heart.
3. His Great Faith: Read 7:8-10
This is really the primary thing that Jesus marveled at – his great faith. There are only two occasions when Jesus says that someone has great faith. Interestingly, both of them are Gentiles. One is the Syrophoenician woman in Mt. 15:28. The other is this Roman centurion. One is a woman, the other a man. It’s as if the Lord is saying, “Great faith can be possessed by anyone. You don’t have to be a Jew, or grow up in the church. You can be a man or a woman. You can be from any nation on the earth and possess great faith.”
Notice what the centurion says at the end of verse 7, “but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Lord, you don’t have to come to my house. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Now, what led to this conclusion? Well, he gives us his reasoning in verse 8, “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” What is he saying? He’s saying that he recognizes that Jesus is from God, under God’s authority, so He possesses authority. When you drive up to an intersection and you see that police officer holding up his hand to stop you, you stop, even though the officer is only 21 years old, and barely out of the police academy. Why? Because if you deliberately violate the command of that police officer, you are rejecting the authority of the United States government. He is under authority, so he possesses authority.
Furthermore, this centurion understands this principle from his own life. He is a man under authority. He had officers who gave him orders that must be immediately obeyed. Likewise, he gave orders. When he told a soldier to go or to come, that soldier would immediately obey him. If he told his slave to do something, he would immediately do it. Because he recognizes that Jesus is in authority on the earth, because He is under God’s authority, he reasons that he can do the same thing in the spiritual realm, that he does in the physical realm. If Jesus wants to banish a disease from someone, all He has to do is to say to it, ‘Go!’ and it will go. He doesn’t have to come to his house and lay his hands on the slave. All he has to do is speak the word, and his slave will be healed.
Now, that is when Jesus marveled at him. He turned and said to the crowd following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith. Over in Mt. 8:10 it says, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.” The word “found” implies that Jesus was looking for faith. He had been up and down the towns and villages of Palestine, and had not found anyone in Israel with that kind of faith. But He did find it in a Gentile who understood how authority works.
So, what was the result of his faith? Over in Mt. 8:13 it says, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed. And the servant was healed that very moment.” God honored this man’s faith with a gift of healing.
So, let me ask you – where did the centurion get this faith? The Scripture tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 that faith is a gift of God. Further, in Romans 10:17 we learn that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Somewhere, someone had spoken to him the truth about Jesus Christ. My hunch is that the royal official of John 4 may have been that person. Think about it. Both of them were in government service. The royal official’s son was healed by a word from Jesus at a distance. This centurion somehow knows that Jesus can heal his slave with a word from a distance. He has absolute confidence in Jesus Christ to heal his servant. His faith is unwavering.
Life Application
Now, as we draw this message to a close I want you to ask yourself this question – “If I was alive when Jesus was on the earth, would He marvel at me?” Would He marvel at my love, or humility, or especially my faith? Would He say that I had great faith?
Great Love – Are you known as a person of great love? Galatians 5:6 says, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” We can change that a little for our day to say, “Being baptized or not being baptized means anything. The thing that really matters is that you have faith that works through love.” Is that true of you? Does your faith work itself through love? Love will evidence itself through your life primarily in giving. “For God so loved the world that He gave…” If you love someone you will give. It might be of your time, your energy, your effort, your money, or your possessions, but love will involve sacrificial giving. This is how Jesus lived, did He not? He gave all His time, energy, effort, money and possessions in serving God and people. How much do you look like Jesus in this regard? Would Jesus marvel at your love? My counsel to you is to seek someone out this week that is needy, and give to them. Find out what their need is and then meet it for Christ’s sake. The people in my life that I see this the most consistently are the ones that look the most like Jesus. If you want your life to attract others to Christ, you need to be a person of great love.
Great Humility – Are you known as a person of great humility? If you are conscious of your humility it probably means you possess very little of it. I remember a story I heard of the preacher, Harry Ironside, pastor of Moody Church in Chicago. Ironside felt he wasn’t humble enough, so he asked an older friend what he could do about it. The friend suggested that Ironside wear a sandwich board with the plan of salvation, and walk through the city of Chicago for a day. So, Ironside took his friend’s advice, and suffered a very humiliating experience. When he got back home, he caught himself thinking, “I bet there’s not another person in Chicago, who would be willing to do a thing like that!” He was proud of his humility! Again, if would like to be humble, look to Christ. The Bible says, “although He existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil.2:8). Jesus was the most humble man who ever lived, because He had everything, but was will to give it all up to serve us. Learn from Him! Humility is attractive. It is a beautiful thing when you find someone who is truly humble.
Great Faith – Are you known as a person of great faith? When everything in your life looks like you should doubt God and His Word, do you hold on with absolute confidence? That is great faith! Do you recognize Jesus as the Sovereign Ruler over heaven and earth? Do you know that whatever He ordains, He will bring to pass? Hudson Taylor, the great pioneer missionary to China used to say, “All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them.” Is that you? Do you reckon God being with you? When you tell others of Jesus, do you reckon on Jesus being with you? When you set out to disciple someone, do you reckon on Jesus being with you? When you give to others, do you reckon on God being with you? All of us are weak men. We will only do great things for God when we reckon on God being with us. Again, Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of one with great faith. Christ never doubted His Father for a second. He had absolute and utter confidence in God and His Word. May we look to Jesus this morning, and follow in His footsteps.
Great love, great humility, great faith. That is the kind of person that Jesus marvels at. May God make it true of us, by His grace. Let’s pray.
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