Thursday, February 23, 2006
Marveled Only Twice
Matt. 8:10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.
Luke 7:9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith."
When Jesus heard the words of the centurion’s messengers, He marveled. In this passage we see Jesus in His condescension of becoming a man. Was this not the same Jesus that read the minds of those around Him? How could this be that He was taken back by the words of faith demonstrated in this man? Calvin translates marveled as “Jesus wondered.” He writes, “Wonder cannot apply to God, for it arises out of what is new and unexpected: but it might exist in Christ, for He had clothed Himself with our flesh, and with human affections.”
Upon hearing these words, Luke tells us that He turned and said to the multitude that was following Him. This was an opportunity to teach those following Him by the example of, not a Jew, but a Roman soldier as to the revelation of who He was. The Jews were anticipating the Coming One and He was before them, yet they were blind to the facts.
Jesus tells the multitude that was following Him along with the Jewish elders, “I say to you not even in Israel have I found such great faith." This was an indictment to God’s chosen race. Luke doesn’t elaborate because he is showing the Gentiles saving faith available to them that had come from the Jewish nation. Matthew on the other hand, continues this indictment toward his Jewish brethren. Before we continue, it is important to view the footnote that our authors have given us relating to this passage: Jesus’ dealings with a non-Jewish person such as this centurion were striking in view of His avowed purpose of limiting His ministry to the lost sheep of Israel (cf. Matt. 15:24). The immediate beneficiaries of His ministry, the Jews, would do well to learn from this Gentile.
Luke 7:9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith."
When Jesus heard the words of the centurion’s messengers, He marveled. In this passage we see Jesus in His condescension of becoming a man. Was this not the same Jesus that read the minds of those around Him? How could this be that He was taken back by the words of faith demonstrated in this man? Calvin translates marveled as “Jesus wondered.” He writes, “Wonder cannot apply to God, for it arises out of what is new and unexpected: but it might exist in Christ, for He had clothed Himself with our flesh, and with human affections.”
Upon hearing these words, Luke tells us that He turned and said to the multitude that was following Him. This was an opportunity to teach those following Him by the example of, not a Jew, but a Roman soldier as to the revelation of who He was. The Jews were anticipating the Coming One and He was before them, yet they were blind to the facts.
Jesus tells the multitude that was following Him along with the Jewish elders, “I say to you not even in Israel have I found such great faith." This was an indictment to God’s chosen race. Luke doesn’t elaborate because he is showing the Gentiles saving faith available to them that had come from the Jewish nation. Matthew on the other hand, continues this indictment toward his Jewish brethren. Before we continue, it is important to view the footnote that our authors have given us relating to this passage: Jesus’ dealings with a non-Jewish person such as this centurion were striking in view of His avowed purpose of limiting His ministry to the lost sheep of Israel (cf. Matt. 15:24). The immediate beneficiaries of His ministry, the Jews, would do well to learn from this Gentile.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Protocol
Matt. 8:7. And He said to him, "I will come and heal him."
In Matthew’s abbreviated account he has Jesus directly telling the centurion, "I will come and heal him."
8. But the centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Luke 6: 6. Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof;
7. for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Without a doubt this Roman centurion understands that Jesus has the power to heal his dying boy and is overwhelmed with his own unworthiness to even approach this Jesus, the emissary of the Jew’s God of creation. The Jewish elders have told Jesus that this Roman is worthy of His attention even in the light of the facts that a Jew was considered defiled if he was to enter a Gentile’s house. Acts 10:28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. John 18:28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. It appears that the centurion understood that his request could be granted without offense to the Jewish legal requirements because the God of creation, who ultimately would grant this request, would not compromise His own law. We plainly see this when Jesus was not far from his house, the centurion sent friends (not servants) to this group saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You.” What humility we observe from one who desires to please (without offending) the Jewish God by surreptitiously making his request known!
As God spoke the creation into existence, the Word of God, Jesus need come no closer but by the same creative power, speak the [salvation] word and my servant will be healed. The centurion understands protocol and the position demanded of the rank and file as he explains in the next passage we will see tomorrow.
In Matthew’s abbreviated account he has Jesus directly telling the centurion, "I will come and heal him."
8. But the centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Luke 6: 6. Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof;
7. for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Without a doubt this Roman centurion understands that Jesus has the power to heal his dying boy and is overwhelmed with his own unworthiness to even approach this Jesus, the emissary of the Jew’s God of creation. The Jewish elders have told Jesus that this Roman is worthy of His attention even in the light of the facts that a Jew was considered defiled if he was to enter a Gentile’s house. Acts 10:28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. John 18:28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. It appears that the centurion understood that his request could be granted without offense to the Jewish legal requirements because the God of creation, who ultimately would grant this request, would not compromise His own law. We plainly see this when Jesus was not far from his house, the centurion sent friends (not servants) to this group saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You.” What humility we observe from one who desires to please (without offending) the Jewish God by surreptitiously making his request known!
As God spoke the creation into existence, the Word of God, Jesus need come no closer but by the same creative power, speak the [salvation] word and my servant will be healed. The centurion understands protocol and the position demanded of the rank and file as he explains in the next passage we will see tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Strange Affiliation
Luke 6:
3. And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave4. And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5. for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue."
When we look into Luke’s account we find a strange affiliation between Jewish elders and a Roman official. It would seem uncanny for such fellowship to transpire at this day and age of foreign occupation. We gain insight into this relationship when the Jewish elders ask Him to come and save the life of the Roman centurion’s slave. The Jewish elders come up to Jesus and they earnestly entreated Him by saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this request to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.” Rome encouraged the building of these structures to keep the peace in the community. They referred to these Jewish buildings as the opiate of the Jews. But, there is more in this passage that leads us to the understanding of the religion of this centurion. The Jewish elders consider him worthy trading on Jesus’ own Jewish roots. Hendriksen brings up a good point in that we see in this a hint of human merit proclaimed by the Jewish elders.
This encounter transpires, not in Jerusalem but farther north in Galilee where we find the Roman and Jewish affiliation in harmony. The Jewish elders are pleading this centurion’s case before Jesus that He grants this request to save the life of his slave.
Much more than a simple construction project that this centurion financed is unfolded in these words. We see a strong bond as they plead, “For he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.” It is apparent that this Roman has forsaken his polytheism for the monotheism of the Jewish nation. He would have to understand that there would be no mixing of Jew and Gentile within these holy places once the construction was completed. He would have to be under the direction of the Jews to accurately construct such a place laid out by Levitical Law. It well could have been that he was enlightened through this project on the holiness of this Jewish God unlike anything he had ever encountered. Most of those sitting in churches today haven’t a clue as to who they are with respect to God’s holiness but this Roman centurion understands his position in the larger sense than a superior of men.
3. And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave4. And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5. for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue."
When we look into Luke’s account we find a strange affiliation between Jewish elders and a Roman official. It would seem uncanny for such fellowship to transpire at this day and age of foreign occupation. We gain insight into this relationship when the Jewish elders ask Him to come and save the life of the Roman centurion’s slave. The Jewish elders come up to Jesus and they earnestly entreated Him by saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this request to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.” Rome encouraged the building of these structures to keep the peace in the community. They referred to these Jewish buildings as the opiate of the Jews. But, there is more in this passage that leads us to the understanding of the religion of this centurion. The Jewish elders consider him worthy trading on Jesus’ own Jewish roots. Hendriksen brings up a good point in that we see in this a hint of human merit proclaimed by the Jewish elders.
This encounter transpires, not in Jerusalem but farther north in Galilee where we find the Roman and Jewish affiliation in harmony. The Jewish elders are pleading this centurion’s case before Jesus that He grants this request to save the life of his slave.
Much more than a simple construction project that this centurion financed is unfolded in these words. We see a strong bond as they plead, “For he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.” It is apparent that this Roman has forsaken his polytheism for the monotheism of the Jewish nation. He would have to understand that there would be no mixing of Jew and Gentile within these holy places once the construction was completed. He would have to be under the direction of the Jews to accurately construct such a place laid out by Levitical Law. It well could have been that he was enlightened through this project on the holiness of this Jewish God unlike anything he had ever encountered. Most of those sitting in churches today haven’t a clue as to who they are with respect to God’s holiness but this Roman centurion understands his position in the larger sense than a superior of men.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Contradiction?
Matt. 8:1, 5-6
1. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.
5. And when He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him,
6. and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering great pain."
Luke 7:1-2
1. When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.
2. And a certain centurion's slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die.
Barclay gives us some insight as to the Roman idea of the role that the slave/servant played out in society as relates, “Varro, the Roman writer on agriculture, has a grim passage in which he divides the instruments of agriculture into three classes – the articulate, the inarticulate, and the mute, the articulate comprising the slaves, the inarticulate comprising the cattle, and the mute comprising the vehicles. The only difference between a slave and a beast or a cart was that the slave could speak.” We see that this centurion considered this sick servant much more than an expendable tool. Luke tells us that he was highly regarded by him.
Luke 7:3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.
Herein lays the difficulty: Luke writes, “And when he [the centurion] heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.” Matthew says that a centurion came to Him. On the surface there appears to be contradiction. Augustine is accredited for the Latin saying, “What one does through others, one does himself.” Matthew reports an abbreviated event from the standpoint of the Jewish elders ultimate origin; the centurion. We compare another passage to gain greater clarity. We view Pilate as he is confronted by the Jewish mob in Matt. 27:24-26 (NKJV) When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.'' 25. And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children.'' 26. Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. In verse 26 we find “and when he had scourged Jesus;” it is highly unlikely that Pilate performed this task of scourging but commanded those who normally performed this task to do so. The centurion can, and should, be viewed in similar light. In fact the NASB phases this: after having Jesus scourged. There is no contradiction.
1. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.
5. And when He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him,
6. and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering great pain."
Luke 7:1-2
1. When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.
2. And a certain centurion's slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die.
Barclay gives us some insight as to the Roman idea of the role that the slave/servant played out in society as relates, “Varro, the Roman writer on agriculture, has a grim passage in which he divides the instruments of agriculture into three classes – the articulate, the inarticulate, and the mute, the articulate comprising the slaves, the inarticulate comprising the cattle, and the mute comprising the vehicles. The only difference between a slave and a beast or a cart was that the slave could speak.” We see that this centurion considered this sick servant much more than an expendable tool. Luke tells us that he was highly regarded by him.
Luke 7:3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.
Herein lays the difficulty: Luke writes, “And when he [the centurion] heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.” Matthew says that a centurion came to Him. On the surface there appears to be contradiction. Augustine is accredited for the Latin saying, “What one does through others, one does himself.” Matthew reports an abbreviated event from the standpoint of the Jewish elders ultimate origin; the centurion. We compare another passage to gain greater clarity. We view Pilate as he is confronted by the Jewish mob in Matt. 27:24-26 (NKJV) When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.'' 25. And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children.'' 26. Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. In verse 26 we find “and when he had scourged Jesus;” it is highly unlikely that Pilate performed this task of scourging but commanded those who normally performed this task to do so. The centurion can, and should, be viewed in similar light. In fact the NASB phases this: after having Jesus scourged. There is no contradiction.
