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In this chapter we have, I. Christ confirming the doctrine he had preached in the former chapter, with two glorious miracles - the curing of one at a distance, and that was the centurion's servant (Luk 7:1-10), and the raising of one to life that was dead, the widow's son at Nain (Luk 7:11-18). II. Christ confirming the faith of John who was now in prison, and of some of his disciples, by sending him a short account of the miracles he wrought, in answer to a question he received from him (Luk 7:19-23), to which he adds an honourable testimony concerning John, and a just reproof to the men of that generation for the contempt they put upon him and his doctrine (Luk 7:24-35). III. Christ comforting a poor penitent that applied herself to him, all in tears of godly sorrow for sin, assuring her that her sins were pardoned, and justifying himself in the favour he showed her against the cavils of a proud Pharisee (Luk 7:36-50).

Now when he had ended all his sayings,.... That is, when Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it, had finished all the above sayings, doctrines, and instructions; not all that he had to say, for he said many things after this: in the audience of the people; of the common people, the multitude besides the disciples; and that openly, and publicly, and with a loud and clear voice, that all might hear: he entered into Capernaum; Jesus entered, as the Syriac version reads, into his own city, and where he had been before, and wrought miracles.

Then Jesus went with them,.... The elders of the Jews, towards the centurion's house, after hearing their request, and their reasons for it; and that without any reluctancy, he at once complied, made no hesitation, or difficulty about it, but went with them very freely: and when he was now not far from the house; of the centurion, where his servant lay sick; he having some notice of his coming, and of his being near his house, in his great humility, and being conscious to himself of his unworthiness to have such a person under his roof, sent messengers to prevent him: the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself; or do not fatigue thyself by coming to the house, stop, go no further; for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: he might know full well the law of the Jews, that it was not lawful for a Jew to go into the house of an uncircumcised Gentile; and though he might be a proselyte of righteousness, and so his house was free of entrance; yet considering his own meanness, and the greatness of Christ, who was become so famous for his doctrines and miracles, he thought it too great a stoop for Christ to come into his house, and too high a favour for him to enjoy.

And the elders of the Jews indeed demand favours for a small sum spent in the service of the synagogue, but the Lord not for this, but a higher reason, manifested Himself, wishing in truth to beget a belief in all men by His own power, as it follows, Then Jesus went with them.

“I am not worthy that you should enter my house. I am not capable of receiving the Sun of Righteousness in its entirety; a little radiance from it is sufficient for me to remove sickness, as it does for the darkness.” When our Lord heard this, he marveled at him. God marveled at a human being. He said to those who were near him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in anyone among the house of Israel have I found this kind of faith.” … The centurion had brought them, and he came so that they would be advocates on his behalf. He rebuked them because they did not possess his faith. To show that the centurion’s faith was the first of the faith of the Gentiles, he said, “Do not imagine that this faith can be limited to the centurion.” For he saw and believed. “Many will believe who have not seen.” “Many will come from the east and from the west and will sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, etc.”

Which certainly He did not do, because He was unable to heal when absent, but that He might set them an example of imitating His humility. He would not go to the son of the nobleman, lest He should seem thereby to have respected his riches; He went immediately here, that He might not seem to have despised the low estate of a centurion's servant. But the centurion laying aside his military pride puts on humility, being both willing to believe and eager to honour; as it follows, And when he was not far off, he sent unto him, saying, Trouble not, thyself: for I am not worthy, &c. For by the power not of man, but of God, he supposed that health was given to man. The Jews indeed alleged his worthiness; but he confessed himself unworthy not only of the benefit, but even of receiving the Lord under his roof, For I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.

But the centurion wished not to trouble Jesus, for Whom the Jewish people crucified, the Gentiles desire to keep inviolate from injury, and (as touching a mystery) he saw that Christ was not yet able to pierce the hearts of the Gentiles.

(ubi sup.) For as soon as he was freed from the annoyance of the Jews, he then sends, saying, Think not that it was from negligence I came not unto Thee, but I counted myself unworthy to receive Thee in my house.

Do not imagine that someone cannot please God while he is engaged in military service. Take as an example holy David to whom the Lord gave such high testimony. Many just men of that time were soldiers. The centurion was the soldier who said to the Lord, "I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed."

See how the devout centurion becomes worthier to receive health as he confesses that he is unworthy. In considering his dwelling unacceptable, he has made it the more honorable and acceptable.… The Lord does not go to his house, but the Lord’s healing goes. The Savior does not visit the sick man, but the Savior’s health visits him.

A centurion came to the Lord saying: "Lord, my servant lies paralyzed in my house and is grievously tormented." To whom Jesus immediately responds: "I will come and heal him." What does it mean that the royal official asks him to come to his son, and yet he refuses to go bodily; but to the centurion's servant he is not invited, and yet he promises to go bodily? He does not deign to be present to the royal official's son through bodily presence, yet he does not disdain to go to meet the centurion's servant. What is this, except that our pride is rebuked, we who in men venerate not the nature by which they were made in the image of God, but honors and riches? And when we consider what surrounds them, we certainly fail to perceive their inner worth, while we consider what is despised in bodies, we neglect to weigh what they truly are. But our Redeemer, to show that what is lofty among men should be despised, and what is despised among men should not be despised by the saints, was unwilling to go to the royal official's son, but was ready to go to the centurion's servant.

Jesus, however, was going with them. Great is the loftiness of the Lord, who could heal by a word alone, but no less is the humility, who deigned to visit a sick servant. For as a powerful and kind one, he was going to save when asked, and in the midst of the journey, he saved by a word when requested, lest it be thought that he went bodily not due to a lack of power but as an example of humility. Elsewhere, he wished to come to heal the son of a royal official, lest he be seen honoring wealth. Here, lest it be thought he despised a servile condition, he agreed immediately to go to the centurion's servant.

And when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying: Lord, do not trouble yourself. For I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. Conscious of his Gentile life, he thought himself burdened more by the Lord's condescension than helped, and he felt he could not host Christ, who, though endowed with faith, was not yet instructed in the sacraments. But because what our weakness does not dare to presume, divine grace knows how to give; and another centurion, who, like him, prefigures a believing people from the Gentiles, received the gift of the Holy Spirit by the merit of great faith and justice before he was baptized. And this one, though not yet catechized, earned both the praise of his faith from the Lord and the salvation of his servant. About whom it is beautifully said through allegory that Jesus was not far from the house, even if he did not dare to invite him under his roof, because salvation is near to those who fear him. And whoever uses natural law rightly, whereby he performs the good he knows, thereby comes closer to him who is truly good. But those who added crimes to the errors of paganism could be applied to what the Lord said elsewhere to the crowds flocking to him: For some of them have come from afar.

But the centurion, whose faith is preferred to Israel, represents the elect from the Gentiles, who as it were attended by their hundred soldiers, are exalted by their perfection of spiritual virtues. For the number hundred, which is transferred from the left to the righta, is frequently put to signify the celestial life. These then must pray to the Lord for those who are still oppressed with fear, in the spirit of bondage. But we of the Gentiles who believe can not ourselves come to the Lord, whom we are unable to see in the flesh, but ought to approach by faith; we must send the elders of the Jews, that is, we must by our suppliant entreaties gain as patrons the greatest men of the Church, who have gone before us to the Lord, who bearing us witness that we have a care to build up the Church, may intercede for our sins. It is well said that Jesus was not far from the house, for his salvation is nigh unto them that fear him, and he who rightly uses the law of nature, in that he does the things which he knows to be good, approaches nigh unto Him who is good.

Or in another way. The centurion must be understood as one who stood foremost among many in wickedness, as long as he possesses many things in this life, i. e. is occupied with many affairs or concerns. But he has a servant, the irrational part of the soul, that is, the irascible and concupiscent part. And he speaks to Jesus, the Jews acting as mediators, that is, the thoughts and words of confession, and immediately he received his servant whole.

Christ heals the servant of a centurion, who is commended for his faith, Luk 7:1-10. Raises a widow's son to life at Nain, Luk 7:11-17. John Baptist hears of his fame, and sends two of his disciples to inquire whether he was the Christ, Luk 7:18-23. Christ's character of John, Luk 7:24-30. The obstinate blindness and capriciousness of the Jews, Luk 7:31-35. A Pharisee invites him to his house, where a woman anoints his head with oil, and washes his feet with her tears, Luk 7:36-38. The Pharisee is offended, Luk 7:39. Our Lord reproves him by a parable, and vindicates the woman, Luk 7:40-46; and pronounces her sins forgiven, Luk 7:47-50.

CENTURION'S SERVANT HEALED. (Luk 7:1-10) he was worthy--a testimony most precious, coming from those who probably were strangers to the principle from which he acted (Ecc 7:1).