The Centurion’s Faith and Jesus’ Mercy: Luke 7:1-10

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St. Luke positions this story immediately after Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount”, in which the main emphasis is upon disciples showing kindness and mercy even upon the most unworthy. It is no accident, therefore, that we see that theme illustrated most vividly in the behavior of the centurion, the Jewish elders (who only appear in Luke’s version, not in Matthew or John), and Jesus himself.

We must always remember, when reading the gospels, that the presence of Roman occupation troops in Galilee and Judea was an offense to the locals and a constant reminder that they lived under the domination of Rome. These soldiers were sometimes domineering and brutal, but also occasionally gentle and kind men, who had to suffer the local population’s reaction to them as a group. Because we see individuals of the second group approaching Jesus and receiving the benefit of his miracles should not mislead us into thinking that—perhaps like the rest of the local population—Jesus only rose to the level of appreciating the difference. That second attitude is surely illustrated in this story by the words of the Jewish elders who approach Jesus on the centurion’s behalf.

The fact that the centurion sent Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his servant not only shows that he feared Jesus might refuse to heed his own request, but it dramatically expresses the words that the centurion later uses to Jesus: “I am unworthy”. In this regard, the words of the Jewish elders to Jesus form a stark contrast. They appeal to the fact that the Roman centurion “loves our people, and even built our synagogue for us” (v. 5). Jesus could have replied to these elders in the words he had used in the Sermon on the Mount,

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that? Even [Gentile] sinners love those who love them!” (6:32).

Jesus does not rebuke the elders for this selfish attitude, but Luke wants us to notice this contrast, since he has just recorded Jesus’ words I quoted above. Jesus would have responded to the man’s need and faith in him, even if he had never lifted a finger to help the Jewish people. But of course, the man’s actions did show a heart prepared to receive the Savior’s forgiveness.

Here many scholars fail to see the point that Jesus (and Luke) is trying to make. The centurion’s benefactions to the Jews do show a kind and tender heart. And they do indicate that he was virtually in the position of a Jewish proselyte, needing only to become circumcised and undertake to keep all the dietary and purity laws in order to become a full-fledged Jew. But that alone would have been insufficient to show that he had totally responded to Jesus. What would have been lacking is precisely what we see in the statement I quoted above: “I am unworthy”.

Any person wishing to find forgiveness for his or her sins and to become a real disciple of Jesus—and this is surely our desire—must become convinced that nothing he has done—no matter how apparently generous and kind—makes him anything but “unworthy” to receive that forgiveness from Jesus or to be allowed to become his disciple.