Now we are in a part of Matthew’s Gospel where he is displaying the almighty power of Jesus Christ. You have to understand how truly dramatic the whole scene was. In the time of Jesus, disease was rampant throughout the world. The world was literally filled with sickness, and medical science was virtually nonexistent. Diseases could not be properly dealt with, so you had to let them run their course. This meant the sick and dying were a perpetual presence in society. There was a tremendous fear of disease, along with the pain, suffering, and anguish that came with it. There were no pain-relieving drugs to alleviate it.
Imagine a world where there is no doctor, no medical shop, and no medicines. Once you got a disease, that was it; the case was over. There were plagues that wiped out cities and countries and were greatly feared. There were far more incurable diseases than we have now. People did not live very long; it was not unusual to die in your 20s from disease. I believe there were a thousand times more diseases then than there are today because we can now prevent so many with vaccinations and medicines. Many viruses and infections could not be treated. It is very difficult for us to imagine a world without painkillers, medicines for everything we have, or vaccinations. Yet, that was the reality, with a thousand times more diseases.
In this scene, Jesus enters, and he could have chosen to show his power like some mythological god—lifting a mountain or flying through the sky. But in his compassion, he chose to touch human life at its point of greatest pain, the point of disease, and revealed his almighty power. Through his ministry, Jesus literally wiped out disease in Palestine, and the monumental nature of such an expression is beyond description. We can’t fully understand it because we live in a society that can handle disease, with so many medical advancements. For almost any disease, people are already on medication and a path to healing, and false prophets often take credit for this. But no one would even dare to pretend to perform miracles like these in those days.
Jesus swept through with his healing power and healed thousands upon thousands of people. It was a staggering revelation that he was God. That’s why he repeatedly said, “Believe me for the very works’ sake.” How could anyone deny this all-encompassing, widespread, massive healing that he had done?
In Matthew 12:15, it says, “And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.” In Matthew 14:14, it says the same thing: “And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them and healed their sick.” He healed all who came to him. He banished disease from Palestine.
This is nothing like what today’s so-called healers do. It’s important to note how different he is from them.
- He healed with a word or a touch. There were no gimmicks, no dramatic exercises, no fanfare; just a word and a touch.
- He healed instantaneously. The leprosy was immediately gone, the blind could see, and the paralyzed could walk immediately.
- He healed totally. There was never a slow recovery. Could you imagine being 35 years old and never having taken a step, then Jesus makes your legs whole and tells you to “get up and walk”? Even if your legs were whole, you wouldn’t know how to walk. There would need to be rehabilitation, but there was never any rehabilitation in any miracle Jesus ever performed. It was instantaneous.
- Jesus healed everyone. He didn’t have to screen out the difficult cases. He healed everybody. He didn’t send away long lines of disappointed people, like today’s so-called healers. Luke 4:40 says, “And while the sun was setting, all who had any sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on every one of them, He was healing them.”
- Jesus healed organic diseases. He healed real physical ailments: crippled legs, withered hands, blind eyes, paralysis, and leprosy that had consumed the whole body. These were the kinds of healings that left no doubt it was a miracle. He didn’t heal low back pain, shoulder pain, headaches, or some supposed functional disorder.
- Jesus raised the dead. This had never happened in the history of the world. What the Jewish people were witnessing with Christ’s miraculous work was something for which there could only be one divine explanation. That’s what makes the Pharisees’ unbelief so utterly unforgivable and amazing. It shows the depth of the sin in their hearts. They would not believe in the face of incredible, inexplicable evidence.
But we saw that out of thousands of miracles, Matthew picked only nine, and each one has a wonderful lesson that marvelously shows the foolishness of the Jews’ unbelief. We saw the first one: the leper, whom they considered to be defiled and rejected. Now, in the second miracle, as if to slap all the Jews and Pharisees for their unbelief, he highlights the faith of a Gentile, a Roman soldier, and a captain at that—a centurion. This is a man who amazed the Son of God, the Messiah.
Is it not a wonder that in the 33 years the Son of God lived and walked on this earth, there is no other report of Jesus being amazed? Jesus is not reported to have marveled at the gigantic architecture of the Temple, the wonderful discipline of the Roman army, or the profound knowledge of the rabbis. According to the record, he only marveled twice, and on both occasions, he marveled at faith—once at its absence and once at its presence. In this narrative, he marveled at the faith of the centurion.
See what Jesus puts in the spotlight and highlights. See where he puts the focus. This is what Jesus searches for when he comes looking to bless people. Not their prayers, not their works, not their talk, but their faith. This impresses him more than anything else. He notices it and directs everyone’s attention to it: “I see something greater than everything else. I see faith that has works.” What we wonder at is all vanity. If Jesus Christ wonders at something, it must be a real wonder. The seven wonders of the world are nothing compared to this wonder.
Verse 10: “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, ‘Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.'”
What was it about the centurion’s faith that was so remarkable that Christ marveled at it? I’ve been thinking about this and want to point out some practical insights. Today, let’s look at his faith again, learn some important lessons, and finish this section of the passage.
- The first point is that such faith was found in such a person. The Lord seemed to imply this when he said, “I have not found so great a faith, no, not in Israel.” He might have expected to find it in Israel, among an instructed people to whom the revelation of God’s Word had been committed. However, he couldn’t have expected to find it in a Gentile, a Roman, a soldier, someone who was an unlikely subject for spiritual influence. Here was a Gentile believing, and believing far better than one of the children of Israel! Roman soldiers in Judea were servants of tyrants, oppressing the liberties of the Jewish people and, of course, were highly obnoxious to the Jews. This believing man was not just a common soldier but one who held a position of responsibility, bringing him a significant degree of honor and respect. Sadly, the honors of this world are seldom helpful to belief. When a man receives honor from people, it is difficult to live for praise from God. Sometimes such people find it impossible to receive the Gospel as a little child. Yet, this man was not only a believer but an exceptionally great believer, to the point that Christ marveled at his faith.
He loved Israel. He built a synagogue for them. He didn’t even consider himself worthy to come before Christ but sent Jewish elders. He lets Jesus know the need, but he makes no request or demand, allowing Christ to decide what to do. When the Lord says, “I will come,” we see his great humility and his marvelous understanding of Christ’s authority. He says, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. I am a man under authority, and when I tell my servants what to do, there are results. But you have a supreme authority. Just say the word, and that’s enough.”
“I know the authority that comes from your mouth. Demons flee and diseases run away. I am a man of authority in this world, but I know the authority you have. Just say a word.” “You may look like an ordinary man to those who are naturally blind, but my eyes have been opened to see your authority. There are countless armies surrounding you. The whole universe is waiting to hear your command. You are the King of kings, Lord of lords, and omnipotent Master. Say a word for my servant. If you say, ‘Disease, fly away,’ all disease in the world will flee. Like when you called Lazarus, if you hadn’t said ‘Lazarus,’ all the dead would have come forth. With your voice, all the dead can rise. What am I, what is my servant, and what is his disease? You are so great, and you have so much authority. You can, at once, direct an angel to fly to my servant, or you can bid the disease to quit my dwelling, and the disease itself will be your servant and fly away at once at your command.”
This is an amazing understanding of Christ’s authority. And all this was for a sick slave. In the Roman world, slaves were not cared for; they were just tools. This centurion, who must have seen many battles and much suffering, and perhaps even killed many people, should have been hardened. But look at what grace did to this man: it made him so merciful. It made him so poor in spirit that he considered himself unworthy, even though he was a commander, a high official, and the Jews themselves said he was worthy.
This is what grace does in a person. No matter their background, they become poor in spirit, mourning for their sins, and thinking themselves unworthy of any of God’s mercy. This makes them meek and merciful. Examine yourself to see if you are a believer. This is what faith is. Do we have even a small percentage of this faith? Jesus stopped and told the crowd, “I have not seen such faith.” The Holy Spirit recorded this so that we can look at this man’s faith and learn.
When he was in a humble state, this man showed so much faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ is no longer here in the flesh, but he has risen from the dead. Does that mean the power he had in the centurion’s day is gone? No, he is clothed with even greater power. After his resurrection, he said, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.”
We don’t know when the Lord will come, but we all eagerly wait for it. However, this small narrative should urge us to believe in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, even if he does not come speedily in his second coming.
This Centurion Had Faith in the Power of the Word of God.
We need to believe in his Word now. We live in evil days, and our times are full of trouble. Churches are in a bad state. With the little we have, we are trying to be faithful to God’s calling, but there is no support for the true work of God. The church’s foundation faces external enmity and internal betrayal. With much suffering and sacrifice, we do the work of God without support. Sometimes, like Paul, we say, “No one is with me,” which can be discouraging. When you look at the church’s situation and see it getting worse, you might say, “Oh, we cannot make it better! What’s the point of going on preaching here?” This discourages us.
On the other hand, what about the blasphemies of the world? You read the newspaper and say, “I am weary and sick to death of all this evil.” It is full of wickedness, with daily stories of rape and political drama that are sickening. Yes, I feel that way too, but what then? You might answer, “We had better go to bed and wait until the Lord comes.”
It’s easy to say, “Well, the comfort is that the Lord Jesus Christ will come very soon. When our Lord comes, all these difficult problems will be solved, and all that grieves us will come to an end.” Yes, I fully believe that, and I look upon the second glorious coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as the brightest hope of his Church. But don’t you think that a more practical and God-honoring faith would say, without putting aside the blessed hope of the second coming, “Yet the Lord Jesus Christ can deal with the present evils of the Church and of the world without actually coming into our midst”? He can say a word while remaining in the highest heavens! He can speak a word there and so effect his purpose here.
Does not that truth flow naturally from the faith of this centurion? Our blessed Lord, there is no need for you to currently tear the heavens and come down in majesty! There is no need for you to literally touch the hills and make them smoke, and for the glory of your divine presence to consume your adversaries! If it pleases you, you can do your bidding from where you are, without disturbing this age, without even working a miracle, allowing things to take their usual course and yet accomplishing your supreme purposes!
I think we should believe this and pray that God can transform our age with his Gospel alone. His word can raise up a generation of true Gospel preachers. It is the prayer of faith that saves the sinful! That is our job. It is the prayer of faith that makes everything about Christ and takes him at his right valuation as being a master of every situation! That is what you should do—make Jesus Christ the master of the situation and plead with him in that capacity.
We don’t know when he is coming. The power is given to him in heaven and on earth now. Even now, the name of Jesus is “high over all.” He is now the great attraction to people, the great destroyer of Satan! Let us not begin, then, to think little of our absent Lord’s present power and to hang all our hopes on his literal presence among us! We need to believe his word has power today.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Believe in his unseen power. What is faith? I want you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ’s unseen servants. You look around, or you look abroad and try to find men who will proclaim the Gospel vigorously in the next 20 years. Where are the faithful preachers? Where are the men? You say you can’t see them. Neither can I. But think for a moment. When this centurion saw Jesus of Nazareth standing with his disciples, what did he see? He saw a lowly man who looked very much like other men, certainly not attended by any court or guarded by any soldiers. Yet, he believed that this man was surrounded by invisible armies who would, in a moment, do his bidding!
I want you to think this way about your Lord. Today, the Christ of God on earth is attended by all the servants he needs for his great cause. The scoffers say, “Where is the Church growing? Where is his work happening?” All we seem to see is the government growing and attacking churches. But we need to believe, just like Elijah, who, though he looked like a beggar, had unseen armies with him when the king wanted to attack him. The servant did not know it, but Elijah opened his eyes and said, “The mountain is full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” The ones with us were more than the ones with the king. Our eyes, enlightened by faith, can see a great multitude who will publish the same old truth of God until Christ comes! God will raise up hundreds of men to preach his truth. “Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere.” You cannot see them, but they are waiting for their Lord’s orders, and he can see them! He knows where he has placed them and when he will call them to himself and bid them do his work! Therefore, let us not be the least disheartened or discouraged because of what we see or what we do not see.
We must have faith in God’s Word and faith in the assurance of what is unseen. Let us rely on the invisible. Let us expect the unexpected. I mean to say, let us expect the unexpected. That which we cannot even dream of as possible or probable, let us nevertheless believe shall be done, for God must be true, and Christ cannot be defeated.
If God is to act according to his promise and bring the unseen among us, we need to have the right attitude, like the centurion. Learn from the centurion’s humility. Christ was wonderfully amazed and answered that man’s prayer and blessed him. We must have the right attitude.
The centurion’s humility is a profound lesson in how a person’s worth is viewed by God. While the Jewish elders considered him worthy, the centurion himself felt completely unworthy to be in Jesus’ presence. This contrast reveals a powerful truth: the worthiest people in the world are often the most humble, while the proudest are often the most unworthy. A person’s pride prevents them from recognizing their need for God, while humility opens the door to His grace.
Humility and the Heart of God
A sense of unworthiness is not a weakness but a desirable trait that aligns a person’s heart with God’s. The Bible states that God looks upon those who are “poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at [His] word” (Isaiah 66:2). In contrast, pride is a fruit of a sinful heart and is a major hindrance to receiving God’s grace. When a person truly recognizes their own depravity, they get closer to the truth about themselves and their need for a Savior.
A sense of unworthiness also makes a person kinder to others. Pride often leads to harshness and a lack of sympathy. A person who thinks highly of themselves will ride roughshod over others, seeing them as obstacles. In contrast, someone who understands their own unworthiness and dependence on God’s mercy will be gentle and tender towards their fellow sinners. They will have more capacity to care about the sorrows of others because they have seen their own desperate need for grace.
The Problem with Pride
Pride creates a dangerous mindset towards Jesus. It leads people to act as if they have a right to salvation, as if Jesus is a servant who must comply with their demands. This is why some people struggle with the concept of God’s sovereign choice in salvation; they believe that they are owed something. The centurion’s approach was a model of humility. He didn’t come with demands but as a condemned criminal begging for a pardon, recognizing that salvation is a free gift of grace, not a debt to be collected.
Pride also makes people resistant to God’s Word. They don’t want a simple gospel; they want a spiritual experience with finery and pomp. They seek miraculous experiences, dramatic ceremonies, and complex teachings that flatter their intellect. However, a humble soul is content with the simplicity of God’s Word, trusting that His power flows from it. They understand that a genuine relationship with Christ comes from believing in the simple truth of the gospel, not from special experiences or mystical feelings.
A Faith That Produces Humility
The centurion’s faith was so great because it produced such profound humility. It is this humble faith that God can bless. He will not conform to a person’s proud conditions; instead, a person must align themselves with Him through humility. The absence of this humility is why so many people’s lives remain unchanged despite hearing the gospel for years. They are unwilling to submit to God’s Word and their own hearts remain proud and resistant.
Jesus marveled at this centurion’s faith but also at the unbelief of His own people. This serves as a warning. Your own unbelief and pride might be causing Jesus to marvel at you, not in admiration but in sorrow. Don’t be like those who hear the truth but remain unchanged. A true, saving faith will manifest itself in humility, meekness, and mercy. It is this faith that brings a person into a right relationship with God and opens the way for His grace and blessings to flow.
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 