“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”
Luke 7:9
Jesus Christ, God in flesh, was marvelled and astonished at the faith of a Gentile Army man, the Centurion, a commander in charge of 100 Roman Soldiers. Although there were many instances, we find in Bible wherein because of the faith people received healing from Jesus but what was so extra-ordinary in this case?
Centurion was a man of authority, enjoying great powers and was wealthy and influential. We see how he is mindful of the depleting condition of his servant and wanted him to be healed. He only heard about Jesus how he is healing and performing all the miracles in Israel and believed and accepted that Jesus is a man of Supreme Authority. Although he could have used his powers and could have ordered Jesus to come to him but he humbled himself so much so that he didn’t consider himself worthy enough to go and stand before Him rather asked the Jewish Leaders, the esteemed ones in Israel, to plead for him. (Isaiah 49:7, Proverbs 15:33)
Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4)
Further when he got to know that Jesus is on his way, he was baffled and would have said within himself, “Do I deserve to welcome God in my place? No. He completely emptied himself and sent his friends to request Jesus to say the word of healing only for his servant recognizing that the His Word only can heal (Psalm 107:20). He displayed his unshaken confidence in the authority of Jesus and also in his unworthiness to have God himself in his place. What can we boast about and be proud of to receive God’s favour? Nothing but only His grace can save us and that’s the only thing we can boast about.
Faith in God is to be shown by our works (James 2:26) and the Centurion, a Gentile, demonstrated the greatest faith acknowledging Jesus’s Godly authority and the power of His Word. In God’s Kingdom, there is neither Jew or Gentile but we all are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28) and through Faith only we can come to Him. (Ephesians 3:12)
“Heavenly Father, help us to humble ourselves completely and acknowledge that we have nothing that we can be proud of but only You Lord as You have adopted us as your sons and daughters through the sacrifice of Your son Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to show that faith that the Centurion showed before everyone and evangelize the whole World. In Jesus name we ask, Amen”
Sol. Neha