Under Authority

In this lesson from Lk 7:1-10 we are going to study three different aspects of this passage.  First, we’re going to look at the facts of the story, second, we’re going to study “authority”, and, third, we are going to reconcile this passage with Matt 8:5-13.

The Facts

The scene is Capernaum, v.1.  The centurion was a Roman soldier, v.2, and thus a Gentile.  His servant was sick and dying.  So, he sent to Jesus to heal his servant, who was dear to him.

The centurion sent the elders of the Jews, v.3, because he didn’t think he was worthy to come, v.7.  He wasn’t a Jew but he loved their nation and had even built them a synagogue, v.5.    For this reason they said “that he was worthy”, v.4.  After beseeching him, Jesus went with the elders, v.6.

Not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, v.6, to say, “I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof”.  And in v.7 they said, “neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee”.  I’m not worthy for you to be in my house, and I’m not worthy to come to you myself.  Lots of humility for a centurion.

Say in a word, and my servant shall be healed, v.7.  He had a good reason for saying this.  In Capernaum in Jn 4:46-54, a nobleman’s son was dying.  While Jesus was in Cana of Galilee, he healed the man’s son.  He didn’t go to the son; he simply said to the nobleman, “Go thy way; they son liveth”.  “The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him”, Jn 4:50.

Just say the word and he’ll be healed.  In v.9, Jesus called this “so great faith”.  Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, Rom 10:17.  The man believed that if Jesus would say it, his servant would be healed.  Jesus couldn’t find this kind of faith in Israel.

When they that had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant whole, v.10.

The Authority

The authority of his word.  Lk 4:31-32 says, his word was with power.  This was in Capernaum.  Lk 4:36 says, with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out.  Lk 4:41 the devils came out and said Thou art Christ the Son of God.  As the Son of God he was under the authority of God.  And the centurion believed this.

The centurion said, “I also am a man set under authority”.  The centurion had command of 100 soldiers.  But he, himself, was under his commanding officer.  He had authority to command because he was under the authority of an officer who gave him that authority.  The centurion believed that Jesus’s word had power because he was under the authority of God.

This is what Jesus preached.  In Jn 7:16-17 he said, “my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me.  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself”.

Therefore, if the centurion, who was not even worthy to come to Jesus, had the authority to command soldiers because he was under authority, then he believed Jesus had the authority to heal his servant because he was also under authority.  Jesus marveled at this man’s faith.

Principle: you’ll never be over those who are under you until you are under those who are over you.

Principle: if we ever accomplish anything in the ministry it will be because of the power and authority of God’s words and not because of us.  Rather, in spite of us.

The Reconciliation

Matt 8:5-13 says that the centurion came to Jesus and beseeched him.  In fact, the elders and the friends beseeched Jesus as the centurion’s agents, acting under his authority.  An excellent example of this is found in Ezra 1:7-8.  Ezra 1:7 says that Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord.  In fact, they were brought forth by the hand of Mithredath, Ezra 1:8, acting under Cyrus’s authority.

Thus, when Matthew writes “there came unto him a centurion”, Matt 8:5, and “the centurion answered”, Matt 8:8, he was referring to the elders and the centurion’s friends who delivered the messages for him.

In Matt 8:7, when Jesus said, “I will come and heal him”, he was speaking to the elders, Lk 7:3.  After this, he went with them toward the centurion’s house, Lk 7:6.  When Jesus was not far from the house, Lk 7:6, the centurion’s friends then relayed the centurion’s message to Jesus in Matt 8:8-9.  They (plural) spoke to Jesus in the singular first person.

Notice that the centurion said, “Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee”, Lk 7:7.  He wasn’t there.  Notice also in Lk 7:10, “they that were sent” returned to the house.  It appears that the centurion never left the servant sin the house.  Notice further that Jesus said the words, “I have not found so great faith”, Lk 7:9, “unto the people that followed him”.  Contrast this with Matt 15:28, where Jesus spoke directly to the woman of Canaan and said, “O woman, great is thy faith”.  It appears that if the centurion were there, Jesus would have made this statement to him.

To view the previous lesson, see A Disciples Character.