Download the April 14 Sunday School lesson.
Spring Quarter: Examining Our Faith
Unit 2: The Measure of Faith
Lesson 7: Week of April 14, 2024
By Dr. Hal Brady
Lesson Scripture: Luke 7:1-10
Key Verse: Luke 7:7
Lesson Aims
- Identify the reason for Jesus’ amazement.
- Explain the role of the town of Capernaum in Jesus’ ministry.
- Brainstorm ways to exhibit faith as analogous to that of the centurion.
Introduction
“I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel” (Luke 7:9). These words of Jesus make all of us sit up and take notice. For there is not anyone of us who does not long for a greater faith.
Lesson Context
The physical context of today’s lesson is the village of Capernaum (see also the parallel account in Matthew 8:5-13). It was located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake in northern Palestine. Bible students are accustomed to thinking of Jesus as being from Bethlehem (John 7:42; etc.) or from Nazareth (Matthew 2:23; etc.). But a case can also be made for the claim that he was from Capernaum because the village becomes something of a headquarters or base of operations for his preaching teaching tours of Galilee (Mark 2:1; notice that Matthew 9:1 refers to Capernaum as Jesus’ “own town.”)
The importance of Capernaum is seen in the fact that it is mentioned 16 times in the New Testament, in one instance quite negatively (Matthew 11:23 and parallel Luke 10:15). Five of Jesus’ twelve disciples were residents of Capernaum when Jesus called them to follow him: four fishermen (James, John, Peter, and Andrew; see Matthew 4:18-22) and one tax collector (Matthew, also known as Levi, see Mark 2:14). Although Capernaum probably did not have more than a few hundred residents, it was a thriving regional hub for at least three reasons.
First, the fishing industry provided steady income for many families. The lake was productive, with one account telling of a haul of 153 large fish (John 21:11). Fishing businesses like that of the Zebedee family would have caught more fish than could be sold locally. Some fish were preserved with salt and sent to larger cities such as Jerusalem.
Second, Capernaum was situated on the main road from Damascus into the region. This location made it a good place for the Romans to set up points for tax collectors to assess tolls on goods passing into the area. Matthew worked for the Romans this way, maintaining a tax-collecting booth on this road (Luke 5:27). Jewish tax collectors from Jerusalem also operated out of Capernaum to collect the annual temple tax from the Jews of Galilee (Matthew 17:24).
Third, Capernaum was important enough to have had some Roman soldiers stationed there, as today’s lesson reveals (compare Acts 10:1). The need to safeguard the tax money collected may have been the reason. It is possible they were under the authority of Herod Antipas, the Roman client “tetrarch” of the Galilee region from 4 BC to AD 39 (Luke 3:1).
Capernaum has been the rite of some remarkable archaeological discoveries over the last hundred years. A lavish synagogue dating from the fourth century AD likely sat on a foundation floor from the time of Jesus. This plan could be the location of the synagogue of Capernaum where Jesus taught (Mark 1:21). Also, uncovered nearby is a large house that has become a Christian pilgrimage site. Evidence suggests this was the actual house of Simon Peter, a place where Jesus resided while in town (Luke 4:38).
Desperate Need
(Luke 7:1-5)
As we are informed, we reach a transition point in the narrative. The teaching (“saying all this”) and healing actions of the previous section (Luke 6:17-49) were concluded, so Jesus moved from one place to another. For Jesus to have “entered Capernaum” was probably not a long walk, given his record of moments around that area at the time.
A centurion was a soldier who commanded a unit known as a “century in” a legion of a Roman army. A Roman legion ideally consisted of 59 centuries organized in 10 cohorts. The record through the tenth cohorts consisted of 6 centurions, each century having 80 men. A legion’s first cohort was an exception. That cohort had only five centuries, but each of these, also commanded by a centurion, was at double strength. The math of all this adds up to 59 centurions in a legion of approximately 5,000 troops. Thus, the centurion in today’s lesson was likely the most important and senior Roman officer around Capernaum. One other notation, a centurion was the equivalent of a company Sergeant Major and like our present-day Sergeant Major, he was the backbone of the Roman army.
The centurion in our narrative has at least one “servant” in his household. This servant in all probability was not a hired hand but an enslaved person named by the centurion. Roman military campaigns often resulted in those people on the losing side being taken into bondage. Also common during this period were children born into slavery as the offering of women who were themselves enslaved. Legally, Roman slavery laws allowed the owner to use another man “like a piece of property or a domestic animal” (historian Dio Chrysostom; lived AD 40-120). But not all master/slave relationships were brutal or exploitive.
Slavery was not necessarily a lifetime situation among the Romans (compare 1 Corinthians 7:21). Ancient sources indicate that many were freed by age 30, thusly becoming “Freedmen” (compare Acts 6:9).
In depicting the deathly ill servant as “valued highly” to the centurion, Luke uses a word that expresses value and respect (compare the same word’s translation as “precious” in 1 Peter 2:4,6). Luke, a physician, does not give us the servant’s specific diagnosis of affliction but only that “he was sick” and “about to die.” Matthew adds more information by noting that the servant was paralyzed, suffering terribly (Matthew 8:6). Though people in that time had a very limited understanding of disease and its causes, they could recognize the signs of unlikely recovery and impending death.
In verse 3, we are told that the centurion had “heard” of Jesus. This is probably true in two senses: through general word of mouth (Luke 4:14, 37) and specifically of his return to Capernaum. Perhaps the fact that the centurion and his healing request by the “elders of the Jews” reflect an intentional strategy. The centurion apparently assumes that a recommendation from Jewish leaders is necessary for a Jewish healer to consider the case of a Gentile at all. This 3rd verse paints a picture of an intelligent man who recognized and understood the cultural issue of Gentiles interacting with Jews (Acts 10:28; 11:1-3). Rather than risk being spurned in a public, face-to-face meeting with Jesus, the Centurion turned to Jewish leaders with whom he had become a friend in the community.
So, the centurion sends a delegation of Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his servant. These are probably Jewish civil leaders, not synagogue leaders. The emissaries not only bring the centurion’s request but they also lobby for him, arguing that he is worthy of aid. He has contributed to the building of the local synagogue. Such acts of generosity are not without ancient precedent. He loves Israel, which may mean he has shown respect for the nation. The question raised here is signified at two levels. Will Jesus minister to someone from outside of Israel, and will he minister to a wealthy man?
Here's an important notation! The need for synagogues as gathering places for worship and instruction in Scripture arose during the Babylonian exile that began in 586 BC. With the temple in Jerusalem destroyed and Jews far from their homeland, the people needed places to congregate; the word “synagogues” is a Greek word that means “places of assembly.” The return from exile probably modified the function of synagogues to being primarily places of Scripture teaching rather than worship. This transition was because worship in its fullest sense was to take place in the temple which had been rebuilt.
Some students believe that the centurion was a Gentile in the category of “one that feared God” (compare Acts 10:2, 22; 13:16,26). Such Gentiles were not proselytes (converts) to Judaism but were devout, nonetheless. Therefore, the centurion’s contribution to the synagogue was more than a public works project designed to curry favor. Instead, it was rooted in his deep respect for Judaism and its God.
Question! How can your congregation partner with other congregations in acting as a go-between in connecting resources to those in need?
Unmatched Faith
(Luke 7:6-10)
Capernaum was not a large city. Crossing from one end to the other would not have taken more than 15 minutes. Therefore, the time between when the elders spoke to Jesus and when the “friends” did so must have been very short.
Since the group was “not far from the house of the centurion,” the man may have seen Jesus and his entourage approach before he dispatched delegation number two. These friends may have been either Gentile, Jewish, or both.
As the centurion (through his friends) addressed Jesus as “Lord” in verse 7, we should not automatically presume that the centurion acknowledged Jesus as the Lord God. The Greek word translated “Lord” occurs more than 700 times in the New Testament, and it is often used as simply a polite address of respect. In such cases, it is equivalent to our modern word “sir” (examples: Matthew 24:63; John 4:11).
The centurion’s friends brought Jesus the unexpected message we see in the verses before us. Two things should be considered. First, there is the centurion’s humility. He admitted his unworthiness. Second, some Bible students propose that in addition to admitting personal unworthiness, the centurion was demonstrating sensitivity in avoiding a potentially awkward cross-cultural meeting under the “roof” of a Gentile (compare John 4:9; 18:28; Acts 10:28; 11:3).
Question! How will you show humility as you come before God in prayer?
The English author Thomas Hardy in his later years was greatly admired. An adoring public eagerly awaited his every word. But, to the very end, whenever he sent a piece to the London Times, he would include a stamped, self-addressed envelope in the chance that they might reject it. That’s humility, akin to the humility of the centurion.
“But say the word and my servant will be healed,” said the centurion. Just say the word! The power was in the word Jesus spoke. Nothing more was needed. It is important to note here that this centurion never actually came in contact with Jesus. Consequently, this centurion anticipated all of us who have not seen Jesus but who have believed his word as containing the power of His presence.
Stating it another way, we are not second-class disciples simply because we were born in another time and place. We do not have to see Jesus. The power is in the word Jesus spoke.
In verse 8, the centurion understands Jesus’ authority and knows that if he just issues the order, the healing will occur. To drive the point home, he illustrates his understanding by appealing to his own role as a man in authority. All he needs to do is issue an order and it is obeyed.
Thus, the centurion has authority over his soldiers. However, Jesus has unlimited authority over the world. Regardless of how we perceive the centurion’s words, they emphasize Jesus’ authority over all things—even sickness.
Now, the four Gospels do not often speak of Jesus himself being “amazed” at something or someone. Almost always, it’s the other way around: people were amazed because of Jesus or something he did. The two exceptions are the “faith” of the Gentile centurion (today’s text plus parallel in Matthew 8:10) and the lack of faith of the people of Nazareth (Mark 6:6).
As I mentioned, the centurion’s remarks amaze Jesus, insofar as a Gentile has such faith. In fact, this Gentile has faith that is more perceptive and sensitive than anything Jesus had seen in Israel. What impresses Jesus is both the centurion’s humility and his understanding of Jesus’ power (the ability to heal from a distance). One can argue that the essence of faith is humility; the recognition of the uniqueness of God’s power and our own unworthiness before it while trusting in God’s care. As the text states, the healing takes place just as the centurion has anticipated. The power of Jesus and the presence of faith form a powerful combination.
We are informed that Jesus’ healing miracles in the Gospel have been categorized in various ways. These include healing by touch (example: Matthew 8:15), command (example: Luke 5:24), and prayer (example: John 11:41-42). One other interesting way of healing, not often considered, is miracle healing from a distance. There are three such examples: the ones including (1) the Gentile centurion’s servant in today’s text and Matthew 8:5-13, (2) the Gentile woman’s daughter in Matthew 15:21-28, and (3) the nobleman and his son in John 4:46-54. In all three cases, faith was vindicated.
Conclusion
When we offer up intercessory prayer for the healing of a family member or friend, are we exercising the faith of the centurion? Without doubt, any forthcoming healing will be a “remote healing,” since Jesus is not here in the flesh, so that is not the issue.
The issue, instead, is one of believing in Jesus’ authority. That’s the issue of what we might call “Centurion Faith.” Our intercessory prayer must have more than a “maybe” or “hope so” tone. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we demonstrate “Centurion Faith” that God will answer our prayers. When we are distracted from him and wring our hands in despair, nothing good happens (Matthew 14:25-31). Jesus taught, “if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22).
Further thoughts on a Great Faith
As you know, the centurion had some distinguishable characteristics:
There is some knowledge of Jesus!
There is some compassion for others!
There is some involvement with the synagogue (church)!
There’s some sense of humility and unworthiness!
In an article I read, it said that people who are searching for faith may come to the church. Notice the article said they may come to the church. If they do come to the church, they’re going to want to know from us if we know God. And they are not going to arrive at that by what we say. They are going to arrive at that by how we live. In conclusion, Great Faith is exercising the faith we have, recognizing the power of the Word and being characterized by certain distinguishable characteristics (those of the centurion). Jesus said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel” (verse 9).
Action Plan
- How can you use the position of leadership in which God has placed you to worship and serve him?
- How can you demonstrate “great faith” in your neighborhood? Your community? Your country?
- How will you have “Centurion Faith” in situations when it seems that God doesn’t answer your prayers in a preferred or expected way?
Resources For This Lesson
- “2023-2024 NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, International Sunday School Lessons,” pages 281-288.
- “The NIV Application Commentary Luke” by Darrell L. Bock, pages 201-204.
- “Interpretations (Luke)” by Fred Craddock, pages 94-95.
- “Abingdon New Testament Commentaries Luke” by Robert C. Tannehill, pages 123-126.
- “The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume IX Luke/John,” pages 154-156.
Dr. Hal Brady is a retired pastor who continues to present the Good News of Jesus Christ and offer encouragement in a fresh and vital way though Hal Brady Ministries (halbradyministries.com).
