Luke 7:1-10 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

When he had ended all his sayings Namely, those contained in the preceding chapter; in the audience of the people For though his discourse was immediately addressed to his disciples, he delivered it in the hearing of the people who stood round him in the plain; he entered into Capernaum Near which town the plain was in which he had preached. And a certain centurion's servant was sick See some of the circumstances of the miracle explained on Matthew 8:5-10. And when he heard of Jesus Of his miracles and of his arrival at Capernaum; he sent unto him the elders of the Jews “Magistratus oppidi, aut præpositos synagogæ, either the magistrates of the town, or the rulers of the synagogue.” Grotius. For, as it was anciently the custom of the Jews to intrust the management of public affairs to persons advanced in years, as having most wisdom and experience, they called all who discharged those offices elders, even when, in later times, they were admitted to them without any regard to their age at all. It is plain, from the more circumstantial account here given of this miracle by Luke, than that given by Matthew, that when the latter says, There came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, &c., he is not to be understood as signifying that the centurion came in person, but only by his messengers. Indeed, it is usual in all languages, especially in the Hebrew, to ascribe to a person himself the things which are done, and the words which are spoken, by his order. Accordingly, Matthew relates as said by the centurion himself, what others said by order from him. An instance of the same kind we have in the case of Zebedee's children: from Matthew 20:20, we learn it was their mother that spoke those words which, Mark 10:35-37, they themselves are said to speak; because she was only their mouth. In John 4:1, Jesus is said to baptize, when he baptized by his disciples. And John 19:1, Pilate is said to take and scourge Jesus, when he did it only by his soldiers. Thus, in the following Jewish proverbs, adduced by Le Clerc on this passage, “The messenger of any man is as, or equal to, the man himself. The ambassador of a king is as, or equal to the king.” And nothing is more frequent, even at this day, in our courts of law, than to say that a person comes into the court, and asks a thing, which he asks perhaps only at the third hand, by the counsel, whom his solicitor has employed in his cause. They besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy This centurion seems to have been what they called a proselyte of righteousness; for he was a lover of the Jewish nation, on account of their religion, and therefore had built them a synagogue: which attachment to them, and uncommon generosity, had made him greatly beloved in that country. Hence these elders of Capernaum, where he now resided, heartily espoused his cause on this occasion, presented his petition to Jesus, and urged it also from the consideration of his character. Then Jesus went with them As he constantly embraced every opportunity of doing good, whether to the bodies or souls of men; so he did not decline this that was now offered him, but cheerfully went with the elders as they desired, in order to heal the centurion's servant. And when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him In the way, some of the centurion's friends, whom he had sent, met Jesus with a message from him, in which he expressed the highest opinion of our Lord's power, and desired him not to take the trouble of coming, but to order the cure, which he knew he could easily do. When Jesus heard these things he marvelled at him Admired him, on account of his great humility, and the strength of his faith. See on Matthew 8:5. And turned him about, and said unto the people With great solemnity; I say unto you What it is of great importance that you should consider and lay to heart; I have not found so great faith As now appears in this stranger; no, not in Israel In all my journeys through the country, and converse with its inhabitants. Observe, reader, Christ will have those that follow him to observe and consider the great examples of faith that are sometimes set before them; especially when any such are found among those who do not profess to follow Christ so closely as they do; in order that, by considering the strength of the faith of such, they may be ashamed of the weakness and wavering of their own. And they, returning, found the servant whole The cure was immediately and perfectly wrought. Observe also, 1st, The kindness of this centurion to his servant, and the anxiety he showed to get him cured, were suitable to the character of a humane master, and exhibit an excellent pattern of duty, very fit to be imitated by Christian masters, with whom it is but too common to treat their servants and dependants as if they were not creatures of the same rank with themselves, but of an inferior order. 2d, Christ will take cognizance of the distressed case of poor servants, and be ready to relieve them; for there is no respect of persons with him. Nor are the Gentiles excluded from the benefit of his grace. Nay, this was a specimen of that much greater faith which would be found among the Gentiles, when the gospel should be preached to them, than among the Jews.