5 And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 and saying, Lord, my [a]servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not [b]worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say [c]the word, and my [d]servant shall be healed. 9 For I also am a man [e]under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my [f]servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 And when Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, [g]I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall [h]sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: 12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And the [i]servant was healed in that hour.
Footnotes
- Matthew 8:6 Or, boy
- Matthew 8:8 Greek sufficient.
- Matthew 8:8 Greek with a word.
- Matthew 8:8 Or, boy
- Matthew 8:9 Some ancient authorities insert set: as in Lk. 7:8.
- Matthew 8:9 Greek bondservant.
- Matthew 8:10 Many ancient authorities read With no man in Israel have I found so great faith.
- Matthew 8:11 Greek recline.
- Matthew 8:13 Or, boy
A Soldier Takes Jesus at His Word – Matthew 8:5-13
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, he was amazed at the faith of a soldier whom no one believed.
This man was a centurion, a military officer who was probably serving under Herod Antipas. Most Jews under Roman occupation were hostile toward Gentiles.
However, the centurion here appealed to Jesus on behalf of his servant who was paralyzed. The fact that this man, a Gentile, sought Jesus’ help speaks of his humility. Whether the centurion was an honorable master or not, his request is significant in showing the power of God’s word over disease and death.
The Faith of the Centurion
In chapter 8, a collection of miracle stories is set up in a way that shows Jesus’ authority over the impossible and his ability to perform healings with only His word. Each of the miracles is a response to an appeal for healing.
The first three miracles are in response to the requests of people suffering from leprosy, paralysis, and fever. All of these people were afflicted with diseases, and all of them came to Jesus because they needed his healing.
This is the only story in the New Testament where a soldier takes Jesus at His word. It is very important to note that this centurion was a Gentile, and it is his faith in Jesus that makes him an example to all of us.
