Luke 7:1 - Meaning and Application

There is some difference between this account of the healing of the centurion’s servant and Matthew’s account in Matthew 8:5 and following. There, the centurion is said to come to Christ. Here, he first sends some of the Jewish elders (Luke 7:3), and then later sends other friends (Luke 7:6). But a person is often said to do what he does through someone else. What we do through another, we are counted as doing ourselves. So the centurion could be said to act through his messengers, as a man takes possession through his attorney. Still, it is likely that the centurion himself later came, when Christ said to him, “As you have believed, so be it done to you” (Matthew 8:13).

This miracle is said to have happened after our Lord had finished all his words in the hearing of the people (Luke 7:1). What Christ said, he said openly. Anyone who wanted to could come and hear him: “In secret I have said nothing” (John 18:20). Now, to give a clear proof of the authority of his preaching word, he also gives an unquestionable proof of the power and effect of his healing word. He who had such complete rule in the world of nature that he could send diseases away surely has the same authority in the kingdom of grace. He can command duties that our sinful nature dislikes, and he can bind us, under the highest penalties, to obey them.

This miracle took place in Capernaum, where most of Christ’s mighty works were done (Matthew 11:23). Notice first the centurion’s servant, who was sick and dear to his master (Luke 7:2). It was a credit to the servant that, through his hard work, faithfulness, and clear concern for his master’s good, he had won his master’s love and respect. Servants should try to make themselves dear to their masters. It was also a credit to the master that, when he had a good servant, he knew how to value him. Many masters are proud and harsh. They think they have shown enough kindness if they do not scold, beat, or mistreat their servants. But they ought to be kind, gentle, and concerned for their servants’ well-being and comfort.

Second, when the master heard of Jesus, he wanted to ask him for help (Luke 7:3). Masters should take special care of their servants when they are sick, and not neglect them then. This centurion begged Christ to come and heal his servant. We may now bring our needs to Christ in heaven by faithful and earnest prayer, and we should do so when sickness enters our homes, for Christ is still the great Physician.

Third, he sent some of the Jewish elders to Christ to explain the case and ask for help. He thought this was a greater sign of respect to Christ than coming himself, because he was an uncircumcised Gentile, and he assumed Christ, as a prophet, would not want to keep company with him. So he sent Jews, whom he regarded as favored by heaven, and not just any Jews, but elders, men of authority, so that the dignity of the messengers would honor the one they were sent to.

Fourth, the Jewish elders were sincere advocates for the centurion. They pressed Christ earnestly (Luke 7:4). They pleaded his cause more strongly than he would have pleaded for himself, saying that he was worthy for Christ to do this for him. If any Gentile was fit to receive such a favor, they thought it was he. The centurion had said, “I am not even worthy to have you come into my house” (Matthew 8:8), but the elders thought him worthy of healing. In this way, honor supports a humble spirit. Let another person praise you, and not your own mouth.

What they especially pointed out was that, though he was a Gentile, he had shown true goodwill toward the Jewish nation and their worship (Luke 7:5). They thought they needed to remove the obstacles that might stand in Christ’s way because he was a Gentile, a Roman, and an army officer. So they mentioned, first, that he loved the Jewish people. “He loves our nation.” Few Gentiles did that. He may have read the Old Testament, which could lead him to a high regard for the Jewish nation as one especially favored by heaven. Even rulers and conquerors should keep an affection for the people they rule over.

Second, they said he loved their worship. He had built them a synagogue at Capernaum, because the one they had was likely worn out or too small for the people, and the town did not have the means to build a new one itself. By doing this, he showed reverence for the God of Israel, his belief that he is the one living and true God, and his desire, like Darius, to have a share in the prayers of God’s people (Ezra 6:10). He built the synagogue at his own expense, and he probably used the soldiers stationed there in the work, to keep them from idleness. Building places for worship is a very good work. It shows love for God and his people, and those who do such work are worthy of special honor.

Jesus Christ was very ready to show kindness to the centurion. He went with them at once (Luke 7:6), though the man was a Gentile. Is Christ only the Savior of the Jews? Is he not also the Savior of the Gentiles? Yes, he is also the Savior of the Gentiles (Romans 3:29). The centurion did not think himself worthy to visit Christ (Luke 7:7), yet Christ thought him worthy to be visited by him. Those who humble themselves will be lifted up.

When the centurion heard that Christ was coming to do him the honor of entering his house, he showed even more humility and faith. The graces of God’s people are stirred up when Christ draws near to them. When Christ was now not far from the house, and the centurion learned of it, he did not prepare his house to receive him. Instead, he sent friends to meet him with fresh expressions of humility and faith. First, he showed humility: “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am unworthy of such an honor, because I am a Gentile.” This showed his low view of himself, even though he was an important man. It also showed his high view of Christ, even though Christ seemed plain and lowly in the world. He knew how to honor a prophet of God, even though he was despised and rejected by men.

Second, he showed faith: “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I know there is no need. You can heal my servant without coming under my roof, by that almighty power from which no thought can be hidden. Say the word, and my servant will be healed.” He was far from Naaman’s idea that the prophet must come, stand there, and strike his hand over the sick man, and then the healing would happen (2 Kings 5:11).

He shows this man’s faith by using an example from his own work. The centurion was sure that Christ could drive away the sickness as easily as he could give an order to his soldiers. He believed Jesus could send an angel with the same authority as he could send a soldier on an errand (Luke 7:8). Christ has ruling power over all created things and all their actions. He can change the order of nature whenever he wills, fix what is broken in human bodies, and restore what has wasted away, because all authority has been given to him.

Our Lord Jesus was greatly pleased with the centurion’s faith, and he was even more struck by it because the man was a Gentile, someone outside Israel. Since the centurion’s faith honored Christ, Jesus honored that faith in return (Luke 7:9). He turned toward the crowd, as one amazed, and said, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” Christ wants those who follow him to notice and remember great examples of faith when they appear before them, especially when such faith is found in people who do not seem to follow Christ as closely in outward profession. Their strong faith should shame our own weakness and hesitation.

The healing happened at once and was complete (Luke 7:10). Those who had been sent knew they had finished their task, so they went back and found the servant well, with no sign of the disease left at all. Christ is careful about the suffering of poor servants and ready to help them, because he shows no favoritism. Gentiles are not shut out from his grace. In fact, this was a sign of the much greater faith that would later be found among the Gentiles when the gospel was preached, greater than what would be found among the Jews.