Roman Centurion a leader of soldiers

Luke 7:1-10. The Centurion’s servant was healed at a distance because of the Centurion’s faith. Jesus said “I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”

The Romans were seen as a foreign occupying force. The headquarters for the Roman army was at Caesarea, a seaport.

This Roman Centurion was stationed at Capernaum, a town on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. He had built for the local Jews a place of worship, called a synagogue.

A centurion was in charge of 100 soldiers.

Background Reading:

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant because of The Faith of the Centurion

7:1 After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were there listening, he went to Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom he valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and save his servant’s life. 4 So they went to Jesus and begged him repeatedly, “He deserves to have this done for him, 5 because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us.”

6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, “Sir, stop troubling yourself, because I’m not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 That’s why I didn’t presume to come to you. But just say the word, and let my servant be healed, 8 because I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one ‘Go’ and he goes, to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant in perfect health.
Luke 7:1-10
See also Matthew 8:5-13; John 4:43-54.


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