Section 55
A centurion's faith and the healing of his servant
Capernaum
Matthew 8:5-13
Luke 7:1-10
5When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him and pleaded with him, 6saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
1When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2There a centurion's servant, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard about Jesus and sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they earnestly pleaded with him, saying, “This man is worthy to have you do this for him, 5for he loves our nation and built our synagogue for us.”
7Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
6So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; 7therefore I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
8For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those who followed, “Truly I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith. 11I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet table in the kingdom of heaven, 12but the sons of the kingdom will be cast into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the centurion. And turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it will be done for you just as you have believed.” And his servant was healed in that hour.
10Then the men the centurion had sent returned to the house and found that the servant who had been sick was well.
Notes
Capernaum
Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry, is no longer inhabited. Although abandoned after the Islamic conquest of the seventh century, the earthquake of 747 A.D. left the town desolate, and only remains are left. It was once a thriving town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. As you pass the vibrant colors of the bougainvillea, eucalyptus and palm trees at the entrance, you are reminded of the fertility of the soil and the mild climate.
Only part of the city lies within the walls of the Franciscan compound. To the east of the walls is another part of the city owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. Most of the city in which Jesus ministered lies unexcavated, eastward along the shore and northward toward the hills. You can see black basalt stones in the fields, indicating the remains of buildings below the soil. This lovely village, with its white limestone synagogue and black basalt houses, gives evidence of its prosperity over several centuries.