When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him. As Bengel hints, Jesus marveled at only two things-faith (as here) and unbelief (Mark 6:6): at the one, considering the general blindness in spiritual things; at the other, considering the light that shone around all who were privileged to hear Him and behold His works. But the unprecedented faith of this pagan convert could not fail to fill His soul with special admiration.
And turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him (Jews, no doubt), I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel - among the chosen people; this Gentile outstripping all the children of the covenant. A most important addition to this statement is given by Matthew (Matthew 8:11-12), who wrote specially for the Jews: "And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west" - from all parts of the pagan world - "and shall sit down" х anaklitheesontai (G347)] - 'shall recline,' as at a feast, "with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob" - the fathers of the ancient covenant: Luke, reporting a solemn repetition of these words on a later occasion (Luke 13:28-30), adds, "and all the prophets;" "in the kingdom of heaven:" "but the children of the kingdom" - born to its privileges, but void of faith, "shall be cast out into outer darkness," the darkness outside the banqueting-house; "there (or in this outside-region) shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" - the one expressive of anguish, the other of despair.