The city bustled with the activity of a vibrant population, positioned at the intersection of major trade routes that saw caravans journeying from Damascus to Jerusalem, south to Egypt, and towards Phoenicia, reaching the shores of the Mediterranean and the ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon. Here, steadfast keepers of ancestral traditions - Jews, earnest Galileans, educated Hellenists, valiant Romans, and various eastern tribes converged for trade. Christ the Savior, the Comfort of Israel, chose this fortunate town as His residence, drawn by its very name. He devoted a significant portion of His public ministry to Capernaum; it was home to the Apostle Peter and perhaps other fishermen apostles, and it became the venue for His teachings of divine truth and numerous miracles. This is why the evangelist refers to it as His city. From the Mount of Beatitudes, following His magnificent sermon, He made His way here. During this period, the region was under Roman rule, and a detachment of soldiers was stationed in Capernaum, commanded by a centurion. Though a Gentile by birth, this officer possessed an honest, kind, and sincere heart that recognized the futility of paganism and embraced the Jewish faith as the one true belief; he selflessly built a synagogue for the Jewish community.
At the time when Jesus arrived in Capernaum, the beloved servant of the centurion was gravely ill. The elders therefore approached Jesus, as recorded by St. Luke (Luke 7:4-5), urgently petitioning Him, “He is worthy that You should do this for him, for he loves our people and has built us a synagogue.” St. John Chrysostom notes that their request was filled with affection and praise for the centurion. The Heart Bearer perceived his profound faith, humility, and concern, and immediately agreed to visit him: “Jesus went with them. And when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him to say to Him, ‘Do not labour, Lord, for I am not worthy that You should come under my roof’” (Luke 7:6-7). The centurion clarified that his absence was not due to laziness, but rather because he felt unworthy to have the Lord in his home: “Therefore I did not consider myself worthy to come to You; but say the word, and my servant shall recover…” Eventually, as the servant's condition deteriorated and he approached death, the centurion himself went out to meet the Healer. St. Matthew recounts, “WHEN JESUS WENT INTO CAPERNAUM, a centurion came to Him and begged Him: ‘LORD! MY SERVANT LIES AT HOME PARALYZED, TERRIBLY TORMENTED.’”
How many of us Christians exhibit such compassion towards those beneath us during their times of need and illness? St. Chrysostom observes that those in authority often remain proud, failing to humble themselves even in dire circumstances. For instance, the nobleman mentioned in John (John 4:49) pleaded with Jesus to come into his home because his son was near death. In contrast, the centurion of Capernaum demonstrated even greater humility by not insisting on Christ entering his home. Despite his sorrowful situation, he was less focused on the boy’s healing than on maintaining proper respect in his actions, regarding himself as unworthy, not merely of the Lord’s favor, but even of receiving Him in his dwelling. Therefore, when he said, “My servant lies at home,” he added no further embellishments.
THEOSIS