The authority of Jesus was certainly a hot topic as He preached and ministered to the people who intersected with His path. The Pharisees rejected His authority, even though they couldn’t deny His power. The ruling body of the Sanhedrin rejected His authority, seeing it as a threat to their own. The common people recognized His authority, commenting frequently that when Jesus preached and taught them He spoke as one with the authority of heaven. But their recognizing it and understanding it were often two different things. But there was a person who recognized the authority of Jesus in a remarkable way.
We don’t know his name, only that he was the centurion in charge in the area of Capernaum. We know that he had become a believer in the true God of heaven, having built the synagogue in Capernaum, paying for it with his own money. We read about him in Luke chapter 7.
This Centurian had a trusted servant, one who perhaps had even risen to the status of being his personal friend. This servant became ill, so much so that we are told in verse 2 that “he was about to die”. Jesus was in the area and the Centurian had heard of Him. He sent a few of the leading Jews from the synagogue to find Jesus and to ask Him on the Centurion’s behalf if Jesus would, “come and heal my servant”. Jesus agreed and headed to Capernaum. We read the following in Luke 7:6-8: He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
What remarkable faith! Clearly this man understands what it means to be in charge and to have people obey your commands. But His understanding of the authority of Jesus is so complete that he 1) Tells Jesus that he, the centurion in charge of Rome’s affairs in the area, is not worthy of having Jesus enter his home. 2) He asks that Jesus only “say the word” and His will is going to be done.
Jesus is amazed at the Centurion’s faith and of his understanding of His authority and power. We read Jesus’ reply: When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. Luke 7:9-10