"Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 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. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 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: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 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. 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. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick."
Today's lesson is a very good lesson on faith. It very clearly demonstrates the outcome that can be accomplished when one practices his/her faith in the absolute.
Although the Centurion, mentioned in today's quote, believed in God and had built a synagogue for a place to worship by the Jews, he was not a Jew himself. That fact is made evident by what the elders said, "For he loveth OUR NATION, (meaning the Centurion was not of that nation) and he hath built us a synagogue." Jesus also confirmed that the Centurion was not a Jew when He said, "I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, NOT IN ISRAEL." This also meant that the Centurion was not of Israel, the house of the Jewish Partiarch, Jacob.
The faith of that Centurion was total and absolute. He had NO doubt that if Jesus simply said the words, or just willed it in his mind, the servant would be healed.
The importance of knowing the Centurion was not a Jew is twofold: One, it is an example of Jesus taking the time, while going against Jewish tradition, to minister to a Gentile who the Jews traditionally considered unclean.
The second reason we should make the determination about the Centurion is to confirm that Jesus brought His sin remitting salvation primarily to the Gentiles knowing that the Jews, would, for the most part, turn their backs on Him. Jesus knew that it was the Gentiles, through the ministry of Paul the Apostle, who would eventually take over the building and spreading of His Church, and who would carry it into the future ages.
Paul, as we will learn as these lessons continue, was directly chosen and designated to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.
This all ties into today's lesson in that the faith of the Gentiles, as demonstrated by the Centurion, was far greater than anything Jesus had seen from His people, the Jews.~
This all ties into today's lesson in that the faith of the Gentiles, as demonstrated by the Centurion, was far greater than anything Jesus had seen from His people, the Jews.~
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