Tuesday 4 March 2025

Psalm 147

Background
In the story we read yesterday, in which Jesus healed the leper, it was our Lord's touch that healed the man regarded as 'untouchable'. In today’s story it was his word that healed the centurion’s servant.

In the Bible the word of God is truly powerful. The first chapter of Genesis tells how the creation of the universe was achieved by God's word: "God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light…" (Genesis 1:3ff).

The Roman centurion was a gentile (non-Jew). He was diffident about asking Jesus to heal his paralysed servant and was surprised that Jesus said (in most translations) "I will come and cure him." (v. 7) He knew that by entering a gentile house, Jesus would have made himself 'unclean' in terms of the Jewish purity laws.

A more accurate translation of Jesus’ words in verse 7 would be "Am I to come and heal him?" implying "Do you really want me, a Jew, to break the purity laws?"

He was expecting a shocked answer: "No, of course not!" But the centurion knew the power of words. His own word was law to the men under his command in the army. When he said "Do this..." - it was done. He was a man of authority and he recognised authority in the person of Jesus Christ and knew that Jesus' word alone would be enough to heal the servant.

This story has strong similarities to the story of Jesus healing the Canaanite woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:21-28). In each case the person healed is a gentile, they are not present when the healing takes place, and the request for healing is made on their behalf by a friend or relative who is also a gentile and believes that Jesus only has to speak the word, and they will be healed.

The gentile centurion was commended for his faith. Jesus said it exceeded that of the Jewish people, whose lack of faith would result in darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth (vs 10-12).

Lepers, gentiles, the outcasts of society: all were welcomed by Jesus who showed them love and healing.

To Ponder:

• Probably most churches describe themselves as ‘welcoming’. However, are there any ‘outcasts’ in modern society who might feel unwelcome in church today?
• "Only speak the word." Can you think of an occasion when just ‘a word’ from you might alleviate the loneliness of a contemporary outcast?

Prayer
Lord, let me not ignore the outcasts of society. Amen.

Bible notes author: Alan Sharp
Alan Sharp is a retired teacher. He lives in St Albans where he is a member of both his local Methodist church and his parish church. He has been a local preacher and a church organist and choirmaster for over 60 years and writes a monthly article on hymns for The Methodist Recorder.