What we observe here is not a contradiction but a common writing method used by Matthew to abbreviate certain events. Matthew 8:5-6 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him…” 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. Luke 7:1-4 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Matthew describes the Centurion coming to Jesus personally with a request Luke speaks of the leader of the Jews being sent on behalf of the Centurion, to ask for help from Jesus. Luke’s account of this event appears to some critics of the Bible, contradictory to Matthew’s account. Here is a Roman officer who has greater insight and clarity into the word of God than all the leaders of Israel. Here is a Gentile who displays such incredible faith, he must surely be the object of Isaiah’s prophecy. Of this Messiah, Isaiah predicts that the Gentiles shall seek Him. The Root of Jesse is a reference to the fact that the Messiah would be descended from David’s lineage. Jesus was a descendant of David who was the son of Jesse. Isaiah 11:1 … And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people For the Gentiles shall seek Him… This Gentile, who happened to be a Roman Centurion, is a shining example of what Isaiah wrote concerning the coming of the Messiah.
The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof.” Although he has great authority, he humbly submits himself before Jesus as Lord. He acknowledges that this is a Jewish custom, and he submits himself to its demands, though he may not have believed it himself. This humble man does not disdain this tradition nor debate it. When Jesus offers to come and heal his servant, the Centurion refuses, not wanting to bring any disrepute upon Jesus.
The Centurion shows that he is sensitive to the traditions of the Jewish culture, who believed that a Jew who entered the house of a Gentile, would become defiled. Finding faith in the God of the Hebrews while being a Gentile and a leader amongst the soldiers of Rome was a truly amazing event. Perhaps he had compared Jesus’ words and actions with the Hebrew scriptures and came to the conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah who was promised. It is certainly possible the he had a few Jewish friends who had told him about the prophecies of the coming Messiah. Where did he learn about the Messiah? Who taught Him? What was it that brought his heart to this place of preparation? It may be that he had studied Jesus and the works that He had done, for some time. This Roman citizen, who had grown up in a culture which worshipped a multitude of gods, believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah of the Hebrew scriptures. This particular officer addresses Jesus as “Lord,” while the leaders of Israel do not.
The Centurion was a Roman officer who had authority over 80-100 men. The testimony of Matthew is that Jesus marveled at him and said: Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! It has always amazed me, the faith that the Centurion displayed before Jesus. The Centurion and Jesus: Great Faith or Evidence of Contradiction?īy Robert Clifton Robinson on Septem Home › The Existence of God › Atheists, Agnostics and Skeptics › Common errors of Atheists › The Centurion and Jesus: Great Faith or Evidence of Contradiction?
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