Luke 7:6

when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him Here the narrative of St Luke is much more detailed, and therefore probably more exact, than that of St Matthew, who represents the conversation as taking place between our Lord and the centurion himself. We see from St Luke that he had been prevented from coming in person by deep humility, and the belief that the elders would be more likely to win the boon for him. Meanwhile, he probably stayed by the bedside of his dying slave. St Matthew's narrative is framed on the simple and common principle, qui facit per alium facit per se.

Lord The word in itself may mean no more than "Sir," as in John 4:19; John 12:21 ;Acts 16:30, &c. It was, in fact, like the Latin dominus,an ordinary mode of address to persons whose names were unknown (Sen., Ephesians 3); but the centurion's entire conduct shews that on his lips the word would have a more exalted significance. In a special sense Κύριος is a name for God (Adonai) and Jehovah (1 Thessalonians 5:2, &c.).

trouble not thyself The word skullo(Matthew 9:30) would in classical Greek be a slang word. -Bother not," or -worry not thyself." But in Hellenistic Greek, both slang words [hupopiazo,Luke 18:5; katanarkao, 2 Corinthians 12:13) and purely poetic words (see Luke 2:35) had become current in ordinary senses.

under my roof The emphasis is on the my, as is shewn by its position in the Greek. "I am not worthy" Dicendo se indignum praestitit dignum non in cujus parietes sed in cujus cor Christus in-traret.Aug..