Matthew 8:5

A Roman Commander Has Faith

5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman commander came to him. He asked Jesus for help.

Matthew 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 8:5

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum
Was returned from his journey through Galilee, to the place where he before dwelt, and is called his own city, ( Matthew 9:1 )

there came unto him a centurion,
a Roman officer, (ham rv) , "a commander of an hundred men", as the Hebrew Gospel by Munster reads it: though the number of men under a "centurion" was more, according to some accounts.

``A band (it is said ^F7) made two centuries, each of which consisted of an hundred and twenty eight soldiers; for a doubled century made a band, whose governor was called an ordinary "centurion".''

Such an one was Cornelius, a centurion of a band, ( Acts 10:1 ) . The other person that was healed was a Jew. The next instance of Christ's power and goodness is the servant of a Gentile; he came to do good both to Jews and Gentiles;

beseeching him,
not in person, but by his messengers; see ( Luke 7:3 ) and the Jews ^F8 say, (wtwmk Mda lv wxwlvv) , "that a man's messenger is as himself".

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 6. c. 13.
F8 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 34. 2.

Matthew 8:5 In-Context

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing to do it," he said. "Be 'clean'!" Right away the man was healed of his skin disease.

4 Then Jesus said to him, "Don't tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the gift Moses commanded. It will be a witness to them."

5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman commander came to him. He asked Jesus for help.

6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home and can't move. He is suffering terribly."

7 Jesus said, "I will go and heal him."