In Jesus’ time, centurions were Roman army officers. They were crucial backbone commanders responsible for training, discipline, and leading troops in battle, often rising through the ranks based on merit.
A centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, who was lying at home paralyzed and suffering terribly.
Jesus readily agreed. However, the centurion told Jesus He knew Jesus did not even need to come. He knew Jesus could just say the word and it would be done.
The centurion told Jesus he understood authority.
He said,
“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
Matthew 8:9
Jesus said The Word and the healing was immediately done.
But Jesus was not done. He publicly commended the centurion’s great faith. In fact, Jesus said he had not found anyone with such great faith.
I imagine that might have ruffled some synagogue feathers. To have a member of the hated Roman army commended and said to have more faith than they?
Jesus was impressed with what the centurion had learned through his military experience.
This Roman soldier knew who was in charge.
He understood a command was not a suggestion, but something the commander expected would be carried out promptly.
But even more, the centurion knew the commander was trustworthy. People literally trusted their lives to him.
Jesus looked at the centurion with love and realized he had learned the basics well, even though the lesson had come through an imperfect system that was designed to promote and defend the very things Jesus opposed.
Jesus saw the man and He knew his heart.
And so that day, Jesus gave him the gift of having his servant’s life restored. Jesus gave the centurion the gift of a life saved by Love.
We don’t know all of the rest of the centurion’s story. He may have retired with the Roman Army many years afterward.
But, if so, I am betting he was an inside operative for Jesus. I like to think he found ways to show mercy. He found ways to work for peace instead of war. He worked to bring joy instead of pain.
And always, he remembered the joy of a life saved instead of a life taken.
He heard The Voice of The Greatest Commander giving the most important Command to override all the others.
That Commander is still in charge and His Orders have not changed.
Jesus said,
A new command I give you:
Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another!
John 13:34
