Have you ever stood across a room from someone you love and known you couldn’t fix them — but you believed someone else could? The centurion story scratches a tender and anxious place in us: the ache to control outcomes for others, and the humbling relief of trusting another’s authority to bring healing. This scene matters because it forces us to ask whether we trust Jesus enough to let his word do the work, even at a distance.
In both Matthew 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10 a Roman centurion seeks Jesus because his servant (or in Luke, “his beloved servant”) is sick. In Matthew the centurion speaks directly to Jesus, saying he is not worthy to have Jesus under his roof and that Jesus need only say the word for the healing. Jesus marvels and says he has not found such faith in Israel; the servant is healed that hour. Luke gives more social color — the centurion sends Jewish elders first and later friends; the elders plead his worthiness, and Jesus praises the centurion’s faith. Note: this episode appears in Matthew and Luke but not in Mark or John.
This passage reveals Jesus’ sovereign authority — not just over distance but over the barriers we erect: ethnic, social, even distance. The centurion, a Gentile and an occupier, recognizes hierarchy and authority, and he maps that understanding onto Jesus: if he can command soldiers, Jesus can command illness. That insight both challenges and comforts. It challenges us to stop treating Jesus as merely a religious consultant and to see him as Lord whose spoken word is effectual. It comforts us because Jesus honors unexpected faith and extends the kingdom beyond insiders — grace reaches outsiders.
So today, practice the “say the word” kind of faith. If you’re anxious for someone else — a sick friend, a struggling child, a difficult relationship — bring them to Jesus through prayer and then resist the urge to fix everything yourself. Say a short prayer asking Jesus to speak healing or peace, tell God plainly you trust his word, and then act where you should (make the call, show up, or rest). Remember: courage to trust, humility to intercede, and patience to let Jesus’ word do the work are marks of discipleship.
In both Matthew 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10 a Roman centurion seeks Jesus because his servant (or in Luke, “his beloved servant”) is sick. In Matthew the centurion speaks directly to Jesus, saying he is not worthy to have Jesus under his roof and that Jesus need only say the word for the healing. Jesus marvels and says he has not found such faith in Israel; the servant is healed that hour. Luke gives more social color — the centurion sends Jewish elders first and later friends; the elders plead his worthiness, and Jesus praises the centurion’s faith. Note: this episode appears in Matthew and Luke but not in Mark or John.
This passage reveals Jesus’ sovereign authority — not just over distance but over the barriers we erect: ethnic, social, even distance. The centurion, a Gentile and an occupier, recognizes hierarchy and authority, and he maps that understanding onto Jesus: if he can command soldiers, Jesus can command illness. That insight both challenges and comforts. It challenges us to stop treating Jesus as merely a religious consultant and to see him as Lord whose spoken word is effectual. It comforts us because Jesus honors unexpected faith and extends the kingdom beyond insiders — grace reaches outsiders.
So today, practice the “say the word” kind of faith. If you’re anxious for someone else — a sick friend, a struggling child, a difficult relationship — bring them to Jesus through prayer and then resist the urge to fix everything yourself. Say a short prayer asking Jesus to speak healing or peace, tell God plainly you trust his word, and then act where you should (make the call, show up, or rest). Remember: courage to trust, humility to intercede, and patience to let Jesus’ word do the work are marks of discipleship.
Matthew: 8:5-13
A Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant, and Jesus marvels at the man's great faith—declaring that he has not found such faith in Israel—and heals the servant from a distance, then warns that many Gentiles will enter God’s kingdom while some who expect to be included will be excluded.
Open VerseLuke: 7:1-10
In Capernaum a Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his dying servant, and when Jewish elders plead his case Jesus goes with them; the centurion then sends friends saying he is unworthy to have Jesus come and believes Jesus only needs to speak the word for the servant to be healed. Jesus marvels at the centurion’s faith, and the servant is found well when the messengers return.
Open Verse