Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Monday Easter III - Luke 7:1-10

Monday Easter III

Daily Lectionary Readings: Exodus 33:1-23; Luke 7:1-17; (Sirach 46)

Luke 7:1-10

[1] After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. [2] Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. [3] When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. [4] And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, [5] for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” [6] And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. [7] Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. [8] For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” [9] When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” [10] And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. (ESV)

This centurion is confident in Christ and His power and authority with his whole heart. All his eyes see is the grace of Christ, His kindness, and selflessness. If the centurion did not, he would not now be standing before Him. Here we see the living Gospel and how we must believe it. This Roman soldier does not come proclaiming his own authority or pointing to his own honor or position. He simply comes with a deep-seated trust that Jesus can provide the healing he seeks for his servant. So all we actually see in this exchange is Jesus' love and kindness in action. This soldier is an example of what Paul talked about in Romans chapter twelve: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.”1

The centurion himself is also an example of Christ-like love to us. He has approached Jesus not to seek something for himself but for the benefit of his servant, just as Christ has cared for all of us. This servant was “highly valued” by the centurion. Jesus also highly values the faith of this soldier. Why else would He have said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” Think about that. Jesus says the centurion's faith is greater than that of the patriarchs of old than that of Abraham, Moses, or Noah. Greater than that of any of the apostles. Greater even than that of Mary or John the Baptist.

Men cannot judge men according to man, nor can men judge the Spirit in a man by the standards of men. Only God can see these things. God gives His gifts freely in the manner in which it pleases Him to give them, not as it seems reasonable to our poor human perceptions and prejudices, as St. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “To each is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit for the common good. All these [gifts] are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”2 When we remember this, we will not fall into the trap of elevating one above another and causing divisions and strife; rather, allowing all to be equal under God's grace, we foster unity despite the differences in the gifts of God bestowed.

“I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.” We do not know how this soldier came to understand who Jesus is. Yet, his addressing Jesus as "Lord" is remarkable. This man knows where he stands and that he is unworthy. He rightly calls Jesus "Lord" and confesses that he isn't worthy of the bodily presence of the Lord in his home. Are we worthy of having Jesus under our roof? No, of course, we are not. Yet Jesus still chooses to dwell with us. Christ did not come into our flesh despite our sinfulness; he did so because of it. He likewise makes His home with us because we are not worthy. Jesus makes you worthy.

Our Lord said He had not seen such faith, no, not even among the children of Israel. He "marveled" at him. The word used here is ἐθαύμασεν - ethaumasen from the root word θαυμάζω – thaumazō, from which we get our word "amazing." Jesus was joyful in seeing this man’s faith. The centurion recognized Jesus’ authority, and he also confessed his unworthiness. Then he said, "Say the word, and it will be so." That is the centurion's faith, and it is a model for our own. It is the confidence to boldly come to God in prayer despite our unworthiness and uncleanliness and say, "Amen!" Amen – Yes! Let it be so! Just say the word! Because the centurion received the power, the faith, to believe in Jesus' authority over all things, he knew all Jesus had to do was say it, and it would happen. Amen! And that is precisely what Jesus said to him! "Let it be done for you as you have believed!" Jesus never saw the servant. He didn't use magic words or lay hands on him. He simply spoke, and it was done. Amen!

The centurion understood a straightforward fact we would do well to remember. The power of Christ does not depend on Jesus' bodily presence in the sense of standing before him as a man. The only thing that matters is faith in the words of Jesus. How does God “just say the word” for us today? When you came to the font and were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen – you became a child of God according to the words that He gave us for this purpose of making disciples of all nations. When life throws you sickness and stress this week, and you just can't take it anymore, when the world seems wholly overrun with evil and the devil appears to be winning; take it to Jesus in prayer, use that boldness Christ won for you on the cross, that Amen, that we almost take for granted at the end of our prayers! And because we are sinful humans, remember that He still comes to you in His physical body and blood hidden in the mystery of the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper to fortify you and grant you the bold confidence to continue trusting that His will will be done, just as you pray and ask.

1Romans 12:16-17 (ESV).

21 Corinthians 12:7, 11 (ESV).