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Bible Passage Matthew 8

Jesus’ Commendations 1: The Centurion

  • Tony Raker
Date preached January 30, 2022

Jesus’ Commendations 1: The Centurion

This series reviews instances where Jesus commended either individuals or groups, clarifying circumstances, identifying the heart intent of all and the impact on us today.

  • Contextual/Comparison: God keeps His Word: God continually uses His Word. The centurion of Matthew 8:5-13 had a servant whom he loved very much, who was very ill and who, Luke tells us, was “about to die” (Luke 7:2). The need was so great that he came to plead with Jesus for healing.  Five aspects we should consider:
  1. THE REQUEST HE MADE

See vv. 5-6. Here was a situation where only Jesus could help. The case was desperate, the matter was urgent, so he came to plead with the Lord. Maybe you have some great need? Perhaps you have a loved one who is ill, a problem in business, a domestic crisis, a financial or a spiritual need? Are you, with all your knowledge of the Lord and of His willingness to help and bless, as wise as this Roman soldier was? Have you brought your need to the Lord Jesus? He gives us one comprehensive invitation to cover all our needs (Matthew 11:28). How wise the centurion was that in his extremity he came to the Savior for help! But what happened then?

  1. THE ANSWER HE RECEIVED

Without any hesitation, the Lord said, “All right! I will go and heal him!” (v. 7).  The truth is that this is His attitude towards all who come to Him with their needs. The Bible shows us there are certain needs which we may be confident He will meet, because we have His promises. For example:

  • If we need SALVATION, we have His promise in John 10:9. All we have to do is to come to Him and enter into the kingdom by faith in Him. He says so, and faith takes Him at His word and enters in.
  • If we need CLEANSING, we may come as the leper came (Mark 1:40-41), saying, “If you are willing, you can make me clean…” – and at once Jesus will say to us, “I am willing; be clean!” Just as the man received cleansing from his leprosy, so we are promised cleansing from our sin (1 John 1:7).
  • If we need GUIDANCE, let us take hold of the special promise the Lord gives in Psalm 32:8 – one of many assurances that He will guide us if we will trust Him.
  • If we need DELIVERANCE, we may take Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:18 as an assurance that He will put forth His delivering power on our behalf.
  • If we need FRUITFULNESS, His promise is that as we come to Him, putting our whole trust in Him, His blessing will flow through us like rivers (John 7:37-38).
  • If we need ILLUMINATION, He tells us that by keeping close to Him we shall walk in the light and all darkness will be banished (John 8:12).
  • If we need VICTORY, see the promise in John 16:33 to all who trust in Him.
  1. THE FAITH HE DISPLAYED

In vv. 8-9 we note three significant things:

  • First: the man’s admission of his unworthiness. Luke gives a very interesting sidelight in Luke 7:6-7. This is the right way to come before the Lord: fully aware that we have no merit of our own. We must come as Peter came in Luke 5:8; and as the Prodigal Son came in Luke 15:18-19.
  • Second: the man’s great faith. He said, “Lord, say the word, and the miracle will take place…You needn’t come, for You can heal with a word, even from a distance” (compare Psalm 107:20; Ecclesiastes 8:4; John 6:63).
  • Third: the man’s intelligent reasoning, recorded in 9. As a centurion he not only had authority over soldiers, but he was under authority himself. He recognized that Jesus was in that same position: that as the Son of Man upon the earth He was under the authority of His Father in Heaven, who had given Him all authority. When the Lord saw this man’s great faith, He spoke a gracious word of commendation. Consider this:
  1. THE COMMENDATION HE HEARD

Matthew 8:10: “When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

  • Grammatical Usage: “marveled” or in the Greek, “ethaumasen” meaning, “amazed”; “faith” or “pistin” meaning, “belief; trust; confidence”.
  • Literal Interpretation: When Jesus heard He was seized with amazement and said to those who were following Him, Truly I am telling you not in anyone in Israel have I found such belief, trust and confidence as this.

Refer to vv. 10-12. This Roman soldier, a Gentile, had greater faith than many of the Jews; and directly Jesus began to commend him for this the centurion knew his prayer was answered. Why do we not trust Him more? We have far more to encourage us than the centurion had. We have the Bible in our own language, the Holy Spirit living in our hearts, and the testimony of God’s people who have proved the Lord is able and willing to answer prayer! Sadly, we often doubt Him, and He has to say, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). Now we come to the last chapter of the encounter:

  1. THE MIRACLE HE WITNESSED

Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would” (v. 13). He was saying, “According to your faith will it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29). The measure of our faith determines the measure of blessing God will be able to pour upon our lives. Little faith, little blessing; more faith, more blessing; great faith, great blessing!

The centurion had great faith. Arriving home, he found his servant had been “healed at that very hour”. God is still “the LORD who heals” (Ex. 15:26). He has not lost His ability to heal, and His love for His people has not diminished.

  • Conclusion: Would I be commended for my faith? Perhaps our prayer, like the father’s cry in Mark 9, should be, “I believe; help my unbelief!”