Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Jewish elders beseeched Jesus for help. 

They came to Him because a wealthy Roman centurion had asked them to intercede with Jesus for the centurion’s slave.

Isn’t that interesting?

Didn’t the Jewish elders hate Jesus and want Him dead? How could a Roman soldier be that wealthy? And why would a slave be so important to muster all of this attention?

But that’s what the passage says. 

The Roman soldier, whom they don’t say believed in God (Romans worshiped idols), wasn’t just wealthy, he had used his wealth to build the Jews a synagogue! 

And all of this somehow occurred in the seaside town of Capernaum. Matthew tells us this is where Jesus had moved (Matthew 4:13).

Here’s the passage about the slave:

“Now a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. When they came to Jesus, they strongly urged Him, saying, ‘He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue’” (Luke 7:3-5, NASB).

As I said, didn’t Jewish leaders want nothing to do with Jesus? But perhaps this story happened early on before Jesus had offended them. Let’s look and see. 

Luke quickly covers the Christmas story, Jesus as a boy, and Jesus’ baptism by John. 

By the end of chapter 4, Jesus has been tested in the wilderness, rejected at Nazareth, and His widespread healing ministry has begun at Capernaum. Here’s the passage:

“At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and…  He healed them…  The people…   tried to keep him from leaving them. But He said, ‘I must proclaim…  the kingdom of God to the other towns…  and He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea” (Luke 4:40-44, NASB).

So far so good. 

No trouble with any of the Pharisees. But here there’s a shift. Did you see it? 

“And He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Jerusalem was in Judea, which was far to the south of the town of Capernaum in the region of Galilee. So, Jesus went south to teach there.

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, there’s another noticeable change—the Pharisees and scribes are now following Him, even from far-away Judea and Jerusalem. Here’s the passage:

“...  Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem” (Luke 5:17, NASB).

Luke says this is where the trouble started. 

“Some men came carrying a paralyzed man…  because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him…  When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’

“The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ (Luke 5:18-21, NASB)

The onslaught of their criticism continued when Jesus left and ate with a tax collector. They complained that He had befriended sinners, that He did not fast, and that He violated the Law by picking grain and healing on the Sabbath (Luke 5:27-6:10, NASB).

It’s fair to say that by now Jewish leaders far and wide hated Jesus. And yet, then Luke tells us about these Jewish elders in Capernaum, pleading for His help with the dying slave. Moreover, the centurion had asked them to do it — obviously this prominent man thought they would have sway with Jesus and clearly didn’t see the Capernaum Jewish elders as Jesus’ enemies. 

As I said at the outset, isn’t all of that interesting?

To finish the centurion’s story, Jesus agreed and went with the elders. And you have another surprising shift. 

The centurion, a man never represented as believing in God, sends word to Jesus, saying, “Lord…  I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof…  but just say the word, and my servant shall be healed… ” (Luke 7:6-8, NASB).

Luke reports, “Now when Jesus heard this, He was amazed” (Luke 7:9, NASB).

How often do you see Jesus amazed?

A big moment!

Jesus said to the crowd around Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith” (Luke 7:9, NASB).

The passage ends when the slave is found healed, but perhaps this story isn’t about that miracle. Maybe all of these unusual moments tell something more — to read Scripture with your heart wide open.

You will see many things.

The Rev. Mathews (BA, MDiv, JD) is a faith columnist and the author of the Reaching to God series and Emerald Coast: The Vendetta. Contact her at Hello@RAMathews.com. 

Copyright © 2024 R.A. Mathews.  All rights reserved.