Faith Demonstrated

Matthew 8:5-13

Context: Matthew 8:1–9:34

Memory Verse: Matthew 8:13

Main Idea: Jesus has authority over all His creation.

FIRST THOUGHTS

     A clearly recognized chain of command lies at the organizational heart of military life. The chain of command works due to the pervasive recognition of authority. The authority flows from the top down. Various symbols of authority include gestures like snapping to attention in the presence of one’s superior and offering a crisp salute. Recognition of authority can be heard in the language that carefully addresses those of higher rank with “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.” Authority is also demonstrated by stripes on a uniform. Recognition of authority makes the machinery of the military run smoothly when commands are given and obeyed.

List examples of how a chain of command is seen in society. How do these chains help bring order to society?

     Inherent authority resided in Jesus as the incarnate Son of God. His authority found expression in commands that caused nature to obey, demons to flee, and illnesses to disappear. God’s extended authority resides in inspired Scripture, which reveals truth, evidences the Spirit’s breath in its origin, and has life-giving power when received in heartfelt trust and lifelong obedience. Just as God’s spoken word had authority to cause the creation of all things, so too does God’s living Word, Jesus, have authority over all creation. Jesus’ authority was clearly seen in His dealings with a Roman centurion’s request that He intervene when a servant became paralyzed with his life in danger.

I. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

Matthew 8:1–9:34

     Matthew’s Gospel draws a clear line of demarcation between the words of Jesus and the deeds of Jesus. There are five distinct teaching sections in Matthew’s Gospel: the Sermon on the Mount (5:3–7:27), instructions to the disciples as He sent them out to preach (10:1-42), parables of the Kingdom (13:1-52), instructions on living together as the family of God (18:1-35), and woes on the Pharisees and the coming judgment (23:1–25:46). Interspersed between these teaching sections are Matthew’s narrations of Jesus’ miraculous deeds. Matthew demonstrated that the words Jesus spoke and the deeds He performed displayed the matchless power and authority of the eternal Son of God in human flesh.

     More specifically for this week’s core passage, Matthew had just narrated Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5–7. Matthew reported that the crowds who overheard Jesus’ teaching “were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (7:28-29). Jesus’ sermon provided an opportunity to display His authority through the content of His teaching, the manner in which He delivered it, and the force of His personality as One fully God in human flesh. Coming down from the mountain, Jesus continued to display His power through His deeds. He immediately healed a leper (8:1-4), a centurion’s servant who was near death (8:5-13), and Peter’s mother-in-law of a high fever (8:14-15). Thus, Jesus’ authority over diseases complemented the authority of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

     Jesus also displayed His authority over demonic powers (8:16-17,28-34). Calming the storm evidenced Jesus’ authority over creation itself (8:23-27). Additionally, Jesus revealed His authority over human beings when He called Matthew to leave his former life and follow Him (9:9-13). Finally, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the final enemy, death, when He raised Jairus’ daughter (9:18-26). Thus, Matthew 8:1–9:34 provides irrefutable evidence of Jesus’ authority over demons, disease, the destructive forces of nature, and even death. Jesus has authority over creation and everything that it contains.

II. EXPLORE THE TEXT

A. Ask with humility (Matt. 8:5-7)

⁵ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

VERSES 5-6

     After concluding the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus came down from the mountain and immediately encountered and cleansed a leper. From there, He entered Capernaum, the city in Galilee that became His headquarters. He then encountered a centurion who begged Him to heal his servant.

     In order to grasp the full significance of the story, one must take into account that the man who approached Jesus was a Roman centurion. Most significantly, this man was a Gentile. Relationships between Jews and Gentiles were destined to be strained, since the fundamental theological affirmation for Jews consisted in the belief that there was one God who alone deserved worship (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 6:4). Gentiles, on the other hand, acknowledged and worshiped many deities. As a result, Jews viewed Gentiles largely with disgust. Jews mostly avoided dealings with Gentiles altogether, whether economic, social, or religious.

     Perhaps even more notable than the man’s ethnicity was his identification with the Roman military machine; he had even achieved the rank of centurion. A centurion held command over roughly 100 men. Although respected among Roman citizens, soldiers were despised by nations that Rome had conquered. The Jews, living under Roman occupation, would see the Roman military, and particularly their crucial officers, as objects of extreme revulsion if not downright hatred. All of this makes it remarkable that the centurion approached Jesus so respectfully and that Jesus responded so agreeably.

     Matthew’s account provides less detail than the parallel in Luke 7:1-10. Matthew says only that the centurion approached Jesus because his servant was paralyzed and in terrible agony. Matthew uses the term pais to identify the paralyzed person, a term that could mean child but can also mean servant. In the parallel, Luke identifies the one in need with the term doulos, definitely a slave. Taken together, the two accounts indicate a soldier who acted as a personal servant to the centurion. Matthew emphasizes the terrible suffering of the servant; Luke stresses his nearness to death (Luke 7:2). Also, Luke’s account explains more fully that the request was made on behalf of the centurion by Jewish elders who vouched for the centurion because “he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue” (Luke 7:5).

     What is evident in both accounts is the humble manner in which the centurion approached Jesus. That a Roman centurion would address any Jew, even a recognized teacher like Jesus, with the term “Lord” is remarkable. Although the term can function as a simple term of respect, like “sir” (see Luke 9:61; John 4:11; 5:7), when it is applied to Jesus it is a way of associating Jesus with God (Matt. 3:3; 4:7,10; 7:21-22; 8:25). In either case, that the centurion—a man of power and authority—would show such deference to a Jewish peasant is the initial indication of the centurion’s humility. He likewise revealed himself to be a man capable of genuine compassion for others, as demonstrated by his concern for his servant.

Verse 7

     Most translations present Jesus’ response in the form of an affirmative statement: “I will come and heal him.” However, it is also grammatically possible to read Jesus’ words as a question: “Shall I come and heal him?” (as in the NIV). Although the centurion’s statement in verse 6 implies that he wanted Jesus to help his servant, it is not explicit. It could be read as a simple statement of his servant’s situation. It seems plausible that Jesus could have responded with a question that would provide an opportunity for the centurion to show further humility and faith.

     Reading the text two thousand years removed from the tensions between Jew and Gentile might cause us to miss the significance of Jesus’ willingness to go to the home of a Gentile. Recall the vision given to Peter so that he might be willing to go to the home of another centurion, Cornelius. Peter explained to Cornelius’s household: “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation” (Acts 10:28). The suggestion that Jesus might go to the home of a Gentile would create quite a stir in Capernaum. Yet Jesus was always willing to respond to anyone who approached Him with humility and faith.

What part of the verbal exchange between the centurion and Jesus gives the strongest evidence of the centurion’s character?

B. Acknowledge his authority (Matt. 8:8-9)

⁸ But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man 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.”

     The centurion’s response demonstrated his humility. Although he was a man of status and authority, he recognized Jesus’ greater status and unlimited authority.

Verse 8

     The centurion began by once again addressing Jesus as “Lord.” He also recognized his own unworthiness to have Jesus enter his house. Perhaps the centurion was acknowledging the Jewish distaste of entering into the home of a Gentile, a place of impurity and idolatry. In light of the inappropriateness of asking Jesus to enter his home, the centurion affirmed Jesus’ power to heal from a distance with just a word. The centurion’s affirmation reveals tremendous faith in Jesus’ ability to do the miraculous. He had likely heard of Jesus’ authority to heal a leper and to cast out demons with a word. As a result, he believed Jesus could do it for his servant as well.

Verse 9

     The centurion described his understanding of his own authority in comparison with Jesus’ authority. The centurion himself was under the authority of higher-ranking officials in the Roman military, and ultimately the entire military structure was under the authority of the Emperor Tiberius. But holding the rank of centurion meant that roughly one hundred men were under his authority. Thus, he was able to issue commands to his troops, and they would respond because he had authority over them. More precisely, they would respond because he had the full authority of the Roman military and even the Emperor behind him. While it was true that he was under Caesar’s authority, it was equally true that he had the authority of Caesar behind him. And yet, neither he nor the Roman power structure had any authority over the disease that held his servant in its deathly grip.

     As the centurion exercised his delegated authority to command his troops to obey, so Jesus had the very authority of God to command demons and diseases, and they must obey. With one word of command, the servant would be healed.

What part of the centurion’s words spoken to Jesus most clearly revealed his confidence in Jesus’ authority?

C. Anticipate in faith (Matt. 8:10-13)

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. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Verse 10

     In an interesting reversal, Jesus marveled at the centurion’s miraculous faith, rather than others marveling at Jesus miraculous deeds. In fact, this is the only time in Matthew’s Gospel that this verb for marveled (thaumazō) is used with Jesus as the subject. The only other time Jesus expressed such amazement in any of the Gospels was in response to the lack of faith in His own hometown of Nazareth (Mark 6:6). While the man’s confidence that Jesus had the authority to heal impressed Jesus, even more notable was the reality that such belief could not be found in Israel. What a contrast between the little faith of the residents of Jesus’ hometown and the remarkable faith of a Gentile with limited exposure to the truth.

Verses 11-12

     Although publicly and privately Jesus continued to focus His attention on the lost sheep of the house of Israel, the faith of this Gentile foreshadowed the movement of the gospel beyond Israel, both ethnically and geographically. Jesus’ announcement that many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven provides assurance that the centurion would not be the last Gentile to respond to Jesus with faith. In light of Jesus’ previous statement about the centurion’s faith, the language of many coming from east and west can only be interpreted as including Gentiles as well as Jews.

     The kingdom of heaven should be taken as synonymous with the kingdom of God. This was the theme of Jesus’ teaching and preaching. Jesus’ proclamation that the kingdom had arrived was the announcement that God was acting decisively in Jesus to initiate His royal, sovereign rule. This rule started small, like a mustard seed, in the ministry of Jesus, but it would one day come to fullness in a decisive event that would signal the end of all that is opposed to God’s purposes, including death, darkness, and the Devil. This is what Revelation 21:4 refers to as a time when God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and death will no longer exist. The reference to Gentiles coming from east and west and to recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob looks ahead to that future consummation of the kingdom. John referred to it as the marriage supper of the lamb (Rev. 19:9).

     Jesus told a parable about a king hosting a great wedding banquet (Matt. 22:1-14). Many were invited and accepted the king’s invitation. But when the time came for the banquet, they refused to attend for various reasons. As a result, the king utterly destroyed those who rejected the invitation (22:7). Then, others were invited and attended. Some of those were not properly attired for the banquet and were cast into outer darkness (22:13). This is precisely the same language Jesus used here to refer to the sons of the kingdom who would be thrown into the outer darkness where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sons of the kingdom likely refers to Israelites who were depending on their birth privilege as descendants of Abraham rather than faith in Jesus as Messiah.

     There was never a time in God’s work of redemption when race determined who was reconciled to God and who was not. It was always about grace through faith. Thus, in what would seem cruel irony to many Jews in Capernaum, Gentiles who expressed faith in Jesus would sit down at the table with Abraham and the patriarchs at the great marriage banquet marking the consummation of the kingdom, while Jews who refused to believe would experience eternal damnation and separation from God. Jesus was already foreshadowing the truth that the true Israelite is the one who acknowledges Jesus as Messiah, whether that person be Jew or Gentile. (See Paul’s extension of this teaching in Gal. 3:6-14; 4:21-31.)

     The faith of the centurion, and Jesus’ response to it, would have sounded a serious warning to Israelites in Jesus’ day who thought their Jewish citizenship ensured their citizenship in heaven. This passage should continue to sound a similar warning to complacent church members in our own day who believe American citizenship or church membership ensures membership in the Kingdom.

Verse 13

     Verse 13 brings the miracle account to a proper conclusion by highlighting two central themes. To begin, Jesus emphasized the faith of the centurion. The only other account in the Gospels where Jesus responded to the request for healing from a Gentile is story of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to cast a demon from her daughter. After an uncomfortable exchange, Jesus granted her request with the following words: “O woman, great is your faith!” (Matt. 15:28). Once again, it was faith that provided the catalyst for Jesus to perform a miraculous deed on behalf of a Gentile.

     The other central theme in this account is Jesus’ absolute authority over disease. Matthew concluded the account by noting the servant was cured that very moment. Not only was the servant healed without Jesus actually touching the servant, but he was healed without Jesus even being in the vicinity. The simple word of Jesus spoken at a distance proved sufficient. Once again, the story is reminiscent of the healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter, who was also healed at a distance by Jesus’ word (15:21-28). Moments like this caused people to marvel that Jesus’ authority was unlike the authority of the scribes, Pharisees, or anyone else they had ever known.

What does it mean to you to have faith in Jesus, despite so much pain and suffering in our own lives and the lives of those we love? Does strong faith guarantee that the healing we seek will always come immediately? What else might God be up to when the solution or healing does not come at once?

KEY DOCTRINE

The Kingdom

     The Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ.

BIBLE SKILL

Use other Scripture passages to help understand a Bible passage.

     To understand the fullness of Jesus’ authority, we should examine the passages where the Greek word for authority, exousia, is applied to Jesus. Read the following passages: Matthew 7:29; 10:1; 28:18; Mark 1:22,27; Luke 4:36; John 5:27; 10:18; Revelation 12:10. What additional insight do these passages reveal about Jesus’ authority?