The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
At the Galilean Sea
- Chapter 97 -
Occasion with the centurion of Capernaum. Healing of the sick servant in response to his master's request in faith. 'He who believes and has love - whether heathen or Jew, shall be blessed.' Diversity of signs at Capernaum.
We quietly proceed the remaining hundred paces or so and entering the city precincts, the centurion steps up to Me, beseeching Me, 'Lord! My servant lies at home sick with palsy, grievously tormented, unable to do a thing.' (Matt. 8:6)
2
Say I to the centurion, 'I will come and heal him' (Matt. 8:7)
3
But the centurion replies, 'Lord! I am not worthy of Your coming under my roof, but say only a word and my servant shall be well! (Matt. 8:8) For behold, I am a mere human, subject like many to higher authority, notwithstanding that I have many soldiers under me who obey me. If I say to the one, do thus, he does it, or if I tell him to go, he goes; and I tell another to come and he comes. And if I tell my servant to do this or that, he does it immediately! (Matt. 8:9).
4
But to Yourself all spirits are subject and You are a Lord in all fullness over all in heaven, on and in the earth; You have therefore only to intimate it to Your powers, invisible to us humans and they carry out Your will instantly!'
5
The reason for this centurion's so trustful request on behalf of his servant is his having convinced himself, both through the quick healing of the noble official's son, as well as the chief commanders many a tale of how I could just through the word heal from afar; and this led him to approach Me in the manner of the noble official, when hearing of My nearing his town.
6
Hearing such trustful talk from the centurion, I marvelled aloud - not for Myself of course but the disciples, saying not so much to the centurion as to those who were with Me, 'Verily, I have not found so great a faith in Israel yet. But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven [i.e. those possessing the glory of the father]. But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:10).
7
Many were startled by this prelude, saying; 'Lord, are You going to actually cast out the children and put the heathen in their place?'
8
And I said, 'Neither the children, nor the heathen! He who believes and has the love in him, whether Jew, Greek or Roman, shall be accepted!'
9
Thereafter I turn to the centurion and say, 'Go your way, be it done to you in accordance with your faith!'
10
The centurion thanks Me from the fullness of his heart, betaking himself to his house, finding fulfilment there of everything he had asked in faith, the which was undoubting before, as well as afterwards; because his servant was made whole in the same hour I said to the centurion, be it done to you in accordance with your faith (Matt. 8:13).
11
This sign in Capernaum itself, together with the former with the noble official, who was a councillor of Capernaum, aroused great sensation in this town, mostly among the Romans and Greeks who were domiciled there; but among the Jews and the priests and scribes placed there by Jerusalem so to speak, permanently, it only provoked annoyance, wrath and rage!