Luke 7:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This is further evidenced by the divine Psalmist, who states, at one point, ‘Thou hast inclined Thy ear to prepare their heart,’ and at another, ‘Their infirmities were many, and after that they went quickly.’ Indeed, many transgressions were attributed to them, which he tenderly classifies as infirmities: they strayed in ignorance and committed grievous sins, not just one, but numerous; yet they swiftly embraced faith, meaning they were quick to receive the commands of Christ and wholeheartedly accepted the Gospel. That they were to be ensnared by the net of Christ is indicated by the words of a holy prophet, ‘For this cause wait for Me, saith the Lord, until the day of My resurrection, to testify, because My judgement shall be upon the congregations of the Gentiles.’ For when Christ triumphed over death, He offered those who had strayed a judgement meant for their joy and salvation. He even instructed His holy disciples, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.’ Therefore, by the divine decree and righteous judgment of our shared Saviour Christ, the Gentiles have received honor, while Israel, it seems, has turned away from His love and compassion. What does the Chief Shepherd of all say to them through one of the holy prophets? ‘And I have declared, saith He, that I will not nourish you, and he that dies shall die, and he that faints shall faint, and those that remain shall devour every flesh of his neighbor.’ And again, ‘God rejected them because they would not listen to Him; and they shall be wanderers among the Gentiles.’ There is yet another message from the prophet Hezekiah, ‘Thus saith my Lord, the Lord, that I will drive them out among the Gentiles, and scatter them abroad in all the earth.’ Consider the factual basis for your conviction and faith in what has been stated. They are wanderers in every land and city, failing to uphold the pure worship mandated by the law, nor choosing to accept the glory of the excellence of the gospel life; in contrast, we who have embraced the faith are fellow citizens with the saints and are called children of the heavenly Jerusalem, by the grace of God that crowns us. We acknowledge Him as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets: we proclaim His glory; we marvel at His miracles; to Him, and with Him, may praise and dominion be ascribed to God the Father, alongside the Holy Ghost, forever and ever, Amen.

Eager to assist his servant but feeling powerless to do so through ordinary means, he found hope in the all-healing capability of Jesus. However, he deemed himself too unworthy to personally approach Him, a Gentile, to request such a favor. Lacking familiarity with his Lord, he judged Him by the actions of other Jews who shunned contact with Gentiles. In light of this, he resolved to seek assistance from the Jewish elders. The Lord had already begun to respond to this plea, but the centurion, feeling his unworthiness and placing his faith in the Lord’s power, requested through his friends that the Divine Healer not go to the trouble of visiting, as he believed that a single word from Him would suffice to heal the sick, just as a command is sufficient for him to direct his subordinates. Never before had anyone demonstrated such profound faith in the Lord's divine power—and this individual was a Gentile. The Lord granted the believer’s request and proclaimed to His apostles, “I have not found such great faith, even in Israel,” revealing to them that many would come from the East and the West and would recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the rightful heirs, the sons of the kingdom—the Jews—would be cast into outer darkness.

Then, demonstrating extraordinary faith and humility, particularly for a Gentile, the centurion sent his friends to convey a message to Jesus: “Do not trouble Yourself, Lord, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof... Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. The powerful command of Your authority will surely reach its intended target; for just as the soldiers I command obey my orders, so too will the grip of evil release my servant at Your word, O Prince of life and death.”

The depth of the centurion's faith astonished Jesus, who remarked that He had not found such great faith even in Israel. Furthermore, according to St. Matthew, Jesus prophesied that many Gentiles would demonstrate greater faith and would be welcomed into the kingdom of God, while the descendants of the old covenant would find themselves excluded from it. Following this, the Lord granted the centurion's request, and at that very moment, the servant was healed, so when the messengers returned, they found him already restored to health.

In the wild olive tree, He recognized what was absent in the cultivated olive tree, drawing a lesson that deeply unsettled the Jewish listeners: many of the current heirs of the kingdom would be cast out into the outer darkness, while individuals from the east and west would come and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. This assertion stood in stark contrast to the cherished expectations of self-denying Judaism. One rabbinic teaching asserts that God tells the Jews, "In the world to come, I will prepare a grand feast for you, which the Gentiles will witness and feel shame," yet this Galilean teacher proclaimed the rejection of the Jews and the welcoming of the Gentiles! The division between Christ and the traditional rabbinate became increasingly clear, as He challenged the narrow nationalism of the rabbis, declaring that the kingdom of the Messiah would not be limited to the Jews alone but would encompass all nations and all humanity. "Go," Christ instructed the centurion who had approached Him, "and as you have believed, let it be done for you." Upon returning home, the centurion discovered that the healing command had indeed taken effect, and his ailing servant had been restored to health.

As the Lord drew near, the centurion, acutely aware of his own unworthiness yet firmly trusting in His omnipotence, sent his friends with a request for Him not to inconvenience Himself but simply to utter a single potent word: Lord, do not come, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof; nonetheless, I cannot approach You, just speak the word, and my child will be healed; for I too am a man under authority, with soldiers beneath me; I command this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. By relying on a single word from the Lord for the healing of his servant, the centurion demonstrated immense faith in Christ's divine might. This faith, coupled with genuine humility before the heavenly Physician and a rare concern for his servant's wellbeing, illustrated that the centurion surpassed many Jews who depended solely on the law (Romans 2:17). Jesus was astonished by the faith of this Gentile and turned to those accompanying Him, declaring, ‘Amen I say to you, I have not found such faith in Israel.’ At this moment, He communicated a crucial truth, which would later be reaffirmed by the holy Apostles in their letters with strong conviction: ‘salvation is through faith, not by works of the law, and this gift shall be extended not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles, and significantly more so to the latter’ (St. John Chrysostom). Among the multitude surrounding the Lord were both Jews and Gentiles from Galilee and nearby regions; therefore, to avoid alienating the Jewish audience who believed themselves to be the sole heirs of the Messiah's kingdom, He spoke discreetly about the Gentiles, stating: I tell you, many will come from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the heirs of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Lord often depicted the Kingdom of Heaven through the imagery of a banquet, where participants recline at the table as per Eastern tradition (Mt. 22:2, 10; Lk. 13:28-29; 14:16). The outer darkness filled with weeping and gnashing of teeth signified the eternal torment of those excluded from the joy of the celebration within the radiant and warm sanctuary. The centurion, who sought healing for his servant, received – as described by St. John Chrysostom – ‘more than he had hoped for’ – first, the confirmation of his inclusion in Christ's Kingdom, and subsequently, the healing itself. Through the centurion's messengers, Christ the Redeemer told him, ‘Go, as you have believed, so let it be done to you.’ Upon their return home, the messengers found the afflicted servant restored at the very hour when the Lord spoke His mighty Word.