Responding to Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.
And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.
So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.
And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving,
“for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”
Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.
Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.
Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.
And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.”
And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
One interesting pattern that is unique to Luke is that he likes to include pairs of stories, in this case one about a man and a second about a woman, and these stories both will have very similar points. The two miracles we are going to talk about today are examples of this pattern. Both of them focus on the response to the miracle. Remember that the primary point of Jesus’ miracles was to prove he was who he claimed to be. Of course, Jesus also wanted to help people, but this was secondary to the primary goal of being able to demonstrate that he was truly from God. Thus, each miracle Jesus did came with an implicit call to believe. To understand what the Scripture wants us to know from these stories, we’ve got to focus on the response to the miracle.
In both cases we will find that neither of the people have complete understanding of Jesus’ identity, however, we do find two responses that both exemplify some kind of faith in who Jesus is. The first case is an example of remarkable faith; the second example is also a believing response, even if it doesn’t go that far.
I. The Faith of the Centurion.
I. The Faith of the Centurion.
The setting of the miracle is quite simple. The Centurion had a servant who was ill and at the point of death. But we’ve got to talk about the elephant in the room. This “servant” was his slave. He owned him as property. Now as a Roman, the centurion would have had the power of life and death over the slave. He’s got no ulterior motive other than he actually cares deeply about him.
Slavery? Really?
Slavery? Really?
We often view slavery from the dark history of our own nation, the enslavement of africans. However, slavery was a feature of all cultures up until relatively recently. The Law did not outlaw slavery; rather, it outlawed the abuse of slaves. For example, run-away slaves were not to be returned to their owners (Deut 23:15). This is in direct contradiction to our own history; and imagine if this was actually enforced. Owners would be well aware that if they mistreated their slaves, they would lose their investment and would be prevented by the community from getting them back. Furthermore, if the slave-owner caused permanent bodily harm, he was supposed to lose his slave. Thus, again, if Israel followed the law, then the worst human-rights abuses would not happen, and those who did abuse their slaves would be punished (Exod 21:26-27). These weren’t the only provision in the law regarding slaves, but you get the idea. God had a much friendlier solution that, if our own country had not worked up the pro-slavery/anti-slavery factions into an emotional froth, could have ended the worst aspects of slavery without fighting a war that cost the lives of 610,000 men.
“You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you.
“If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye.
And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
This same idea was carried over into the New Testament. God did not outlaw slavery in the church, either. However, obeying the Lord would result in the master treating his slaves well (Eph 6:9).
And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Well it would seem that this Centurion was already doing this. He really cared about his slave and was anxious about him the way you would be about your sick child.
Deserving or Worthy?
Deserving or Worthy?
The difference between the first and second delegation is important. The first delegation of elders try to convince Jesus that he ought to help the centurion. What’s most interesting isn’t that Jesus went with them. Jesus never failed to help everyone who asked him. What’s interesting is why they think Jesus ought to help. Their primary reason is that this Centurion is very pro-Israel - and their evidence? He built a synagogue for them. Now Centurions were well paid, so he was a man of some means, but he wasn’t uber-wealthy. In other words, he was rich enough to pay for the construction of an entire building; but not so rich he wouldn’t notice the expense.
But think about it. Why should this be the primary reason to help him? Sure, that’s nice that he loves Israel, but isn’t your love for God more important. It’s almost certain that this man was what we call a godfearer. That is, he wasn’t a Jew, but he worshipped the God of Israel. Cornelius was another centurion who was a godfearer; you may be more familiar with him. Anyway, it’s interesting that they assume Jesus only is interested in what gentiles can do for Israel, and not their relationship with God. Now during Jesus’ lifetime it is true that he was only sent to Israel (Matt 15:24). But this isn’t the same as saying that he only cares about Israel’s prosperity to the exclusion of spiritual things. Jesus, when he cast out the moneychangers, stated that the reason he had a problem with it was that the Scripture wanted the temple to be a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11:17).
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
At any rate, what’s clear is that the elders think that the Centurion is morally deserving. Their evaluation, even if it’s a bit ethnocentric, is not about his status, but his deservedness. When the second delegation comes, they relay the Centurion’s own opinion, and he says that he is not worthy. At first blush these things don’t agree. Is he deserving or not? But what tipped me off that something deeper was going on is that the Centurion uses a different Greek word. The elders uses the word ἀξιος while the Centurion says he is not ἰκανος. the NKJV has tried to communicate the slight difference in meaning by translating the first as “deserving” and the second as “worthy.” That’s quite a subtle difference, so let me explain. The elders are talking about his moral deserts; what he ought to have because he’s a good person. The Centurion isn’t talking about morality but status. that is, he considers Jesus too exalted a person and he is too lowly. He would react much the same way to the Emperor coming to town. the Emperor was a high status individual, much too high for a humble Centurion.
But that’s a remarkable statement. Most Jews thought of Jesus as a teacher, a Rabbi. They didn’t think of him as a particularly high status individual. In the earthly realm at the time, Jesus simply wasn’t that politically powerful. But this is clearly not what the Centurion thinks of Jesus; a teacher was important in Israel, but not that important. The Centurion’s statement on authority later shows that he considers Jesus a man with divine authority to command nature. that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Centurion has figured out that Jesus is the Creator God. After all, the Centurion doesn’t have a whole lot to go on. All he knows is filtered by what the Jews around him are saying about Jesus, so he really doesn’t have a whole lot of knowledge. But what it does mean is that on very little information the Centurion has recognized that Jesus is a man of divine authority, because that’s the only logical conclusion about how Jesus is able to do what he does.
Having said that, it’s quite clear that Jesus himself does not agree that he is too important to go to the Centurion, since he actually does go with the first delegation. Jesus himself does claim to have the highest authority possible (Matthew 28:18), so the reason he disagrees with the Centurion’s claim that he isn’t of sufficient status isn’t because the centurion is wrong about the difference in status; it’s because Jesus doesn’t think that having that high status would prevent him from associating with men of more humble standing (Mark 10:42-45; Rom 12:16).
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Great Faith, Not Even in Israel
Great Faith, Not Even in Israel
What made the Centurion’s faith great was that (1) he didn’t have a lot of information to go on, yet came to the highest possible conclusions he could come to with what he’d been told. And (2) he recognized that Jesus was a person of great authority, an authority that came from God. As a man of authority himself the Centurion was used to giving orders - orders at his job; orders at him to his servants. He only needed to command for something to happen. So he is prepared to assume that Jesus can simple speak and it will happen. He doesn’t need to see Jesus or wait to see the healing. He believes from the evidence that Jesus can do this, so he doesn’t need the confirmation of seeing and speaking with Jesus himself. None of the Israelites Jesus had been ministering to were prepared to trust Jesus’ authority that much. They all wanted to see Jesus and have him there so they could see that it really happened. And we all know that sight and faith are mutually opposed. You can only trust someone to do something before they actually do it. This is indeed remarkable faith.
It’s obvious the reason Luke has included this story is that he wants us to similarly have great faith in Jesus. While the Centurion may not have had much information, the readers of this gospel have a lot of information. Luke wants us to believe (Acts 2:36). Luke wants us to believe all “the things you have been taught” from the Word of God.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
I. A Great Prophet has Risen up.
I. A Great Prophet has Risen up.
The setting here is a heartbreaking one. A Widow had lost her only son, and they were carrying him out to bury him. So in addition to all of the enormous pain of losing an only child, this poor widow was also now without any means of support. The turnout for this funeral was large, as doubtless the townspeople also felt quite sorry for her. Of course, the townsfolk couldn’t really do a whole lot for her, other than make sure she was taken care of, but at least they can show their compassion by going to the funeral.
Compassion = to be moved to action by pity
Compassion = to be moved to action by pity
Jesus also has compassion for her, but unlike the crowds, he can actually do something. Now here’s where we need to evaluate what it means to have compassion. It doesn’t just mean to feel sorry for someone; it means to be moved to action through pity. For example, Jesus had compassion on the 5,000, and fed them (Mark 8:2). Jesus taught others to have compassion on others, for example, the good Samaritan helped the Jew in his story because he had compassion on him (Luke 10:33). Jesus, therefore, is our example (Col 3:12; 1 Pet 3:8).
“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
Jesus performed the miracle simply without any fanfare. He touched the coffin - not something normally done as it normally made people unclean - and simply said “Young man, I say to you, get up.” And, of course, the dead man came to life and began talking.
The response of the crowds is good as far as it goes, even though they don’t quite reach the right conclusion. Jesus is, of course a great prophet. When they say “God visited his people” they mean that God has begun to do something great for his people, which is, of course, true.
Was the response of the crowds adequate?
Was the response of the crowds adequate?
However, we know very well that Jesus is more than a prophet (Luke 9:18-20). He is God’s Messiah; indeed, he is God Incarnate. Having said that, I think we should give the crowds a pass here. It doesn’t look like Jesus has yet had an opportunity to preach here, so they haven’t necessarily heard Jesus’ teaching. If they haven’t heard Jesus’ claims to be God, they can be excused for not knowing that; however, if they really believe that Jesus is a great prophet, then by definition what he says is from God; thus, they ought to follow his teaching. Following Jesus’ teaching will always lead to the conclusion that he is God. I don’t know how many of the crowd went from “wow he must be a Great Prophet” to “I’d better pay attention to what he says and obey it” to “He claims to be God. So that’s what he is.” I would bet that a fair few of them never made it that far. Instead, they were momentarily amazed by the miracle, then just went back to their normal life. And that’s where I can’t give them a pass. They may not have all the facts yet, but if they properly respond to what they do know, they’ll get the facts. Thus, they are responsible to act with faith on what they do know, and they can be held responsible if they don’t act.
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