Matthew 8:5-13

We have here another of CHRIST'S. miracles. Capernaum was a city of Galilee, not far from Nazareth. A centurion was an officer among the Romans. This man had a servant sick, of the palsy.

Luke, in his account of this case, said that the servant was dear unto his master. Luke 7:2 etc. Be that as it may, it appears that the centurion, though a Gentile, had such views of CHRIST, as none but the LORD could have given him. Reader! what a precious thought it is to us poor Gentiles; that in CHRIST JESUS there is neither Jew nor Greek; bond nor free; for we are all one. And if we be Christ's, then are we Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:28. If I detain the Reader a moment longer in the contemplation of this miracle of JESUS, it shall be to observe two or three of the striking features in this man's faith. Such was his apprehension of CHRIST'S power, that he said it was unnecessary for JESUS to come to see the patient; for his word only would heal. What could Manifest his belief of the GODHEAD of CHRIST more than this? And his sense of his own unworthiness, became another testimony what views he had of JESUS. There is a great beauty, as well as strong reasoning, the centurion made use of, respecting the exertion of CHRIST'S power. As the soldiers under his command must go or come at his pleasure; so the whole army of diseases, he knew, were under the control of CHRIST. Think, Reader! what faith there must have been in this Gentile? Do not overlook Matthew 8:11 in this passage! But if such was the faith of the centurion, what grace doth the whole manifest of the person of JESUS, the great Author, and Giver of faith, from whom every portion of it the centurion had received? Oh! thou dear LORD, do thou increase our faith!