One can look back on those “statements” in Infos AR, AS and AT. His closing “statement” was “Everyone coming to me and hearing my words and doing them, I will make it known to you what he is like: he is like a person house-building a house, who dug and excavated and laid down a foundation upon the rock. In fact, a flood having come to be, the torrent broke against that same house and was not able to shake it, because it was well house-built. In fact, the one hearing and not doing is like a person house-building a house on the earth without a foundation against which the torrent broke - and immediately it fell in - and the ruin of that same house came to be great.”
We are at the beginning of a new chapter in Jesus’ life on earth. “He came into Capernaum” having delivered to the people his keynote address.
In fact, a slave of a certain centurion (who was precious to him), enduring wretchedness, was about to die. Hearing about Jesus, he sent out to him elders of the Jews, sothat, coming, he might save his slave. In fact, the ones coming to be near Jesus encouraged him earnestly, stating that, “He is deserving that you will provide this to him because he loves our nation, and he himself built the synagogue for us.”
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“A slave of a certain centurion … was precious to him.” Later the centurion refers to the slave as “the boy of mine.” It seems that neither the near-death slave nor the centurion was known to Jesus.
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The centurion had sent out to him certain earnest worthies (Jewish like Jesus) who could commend him to Jesus and ask him to “save his slave.” The delegation said that he “is deserving that you will provide this to him”. it seems that they were convinced that Jesus would react well on hearing of those good deeds. But was he deserving in Jesus’ eyes - this commanding officer-soldier, active in the service of the Roman occupying forces? Also, from other incidents in Luke’s research report, one gathers that synagogues in general were far from what they should have been – see for example Info AM.
In fact, Jesus moved with them and, he himself already not far distant from the house, the centurion dispatched friends, stating to him, “Lord, do not be troubled! Because I am not an acceptable person that you may come under my roof. In fact, I did not deem myself worthy to come to you. Instead say the word! And be cured the boy of mine! Because I myself also am a person placed under authority, having soldiers under me and I state to one, ‘Move!’ and he moves, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
“The centurion”, hearing that Jesus is intending to come near to him, reacts quickly to resolve the serious problem which that causes him. He knows that he lacks merit – indeed that he has unacceptable de-merit – in Jesus’ presence. Rather like us when asked to go to church. So, in command as usual, he dispatches “friends” to intervene. Through them he gives instructions to Jesus instructions, expecting obedience. “Lord, do not be troubled!” “Instead say the word!” “And be cured the boy of mine!” What will Jesus do?
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In fact, Jesus, hearing these things, marveled at him and, being turned towards the crowd following him, said, “I state to you, not even in Israel have I found so great faith.”
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Jesus identifies one surpassing thing – surpassing everything else there in Capernaum, surpassing any lack of merit in the centurion. Being “deserving” didn’t count. What mattered was “so great faith” in Jesus.
And the dispatched ones, returning into the house, found the slave healthy.
The “dispatched ones” no doubt included “the Jews” as well as the “friends”, probably non-Jews. Every one of these “heard Jesus’ words”. So did the now-living “slave”. Were any of them “deserving”? Could any of them have turned to him? Would any now start “doing [his] words”?
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