Faith of a centurion

Luke 7:1-10

Of the four Gospels, Luke seems the most interested in reassuring the Romans that the followers of Jesus are no threat. While Christians followed a path whose authority and practice were clearly an alternative to that of the empire, Luke pictures a movement that had little in the way of political ambition.

The Gospel of Luke was likely written in the 80s, after the tumultuous years of persecution experienced under the rule of emperor Nero (54-68 A.D.). It also appears that Luke’s audience was mostly Gentile.

It would not do for Christians to be thought of as revolutionaries whose purpose was to undermine Roman authority. To protect the church from persecution, Luke wanted Christians to be seen as good citizens and respectable members of society. Casting Romans in a negative light might increase unwanted tension between Rome and Jews or Christians.

Luke tells this story of a good centurion who “loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us” (v. 5). This centurion recognized the power and compassion of Jesus, so he sent some elders of the Jews to ask Jesus for help in the care of his sick slave.

As Jesus was on his way, the Roman soldier sent a message to him that stated, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore, I do not presume to come to you. But only speak the word and let my servant be healed” (vv. 6-7). The Roman soldier was respectful of Jesus; in fact, he was deferential. The centurion’s faith amazed Jesus, who made this surprising statement, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith” (v. 9).

Luke implies that at least some Romans could be friends to Jews. It is no coincidence that at the cross it was a centurion who pronounced Jesus as innocent (Luke 23:47). Jesus’ words were consistent with other texts from Luke that picture Gentiles as full recipients of God’s favor. In Jesus’ inaugural address at Nazareth, he identified the widow at Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian as examples of people to whom God showed compassion even while Israelites were suffering (1 Kings 17:8-15, 2 Kings 5:8-14). That almost got Jesus killed by his own community.

The problem of slavery in scripture

Both Testaments in the Bible are littered with references to slavery. Today’s text is one of them. This fact creates dismay for those of us living in the modern world.

Several points are important to remember. It is historically accurate to recognize that slavery existed in the ancient, and not so ancient, world. For the most part, references to slavery in the Bible neither condemn nor approve of the practice. Slavery was simply part of the landscape of the world in which the authors of the Bible lived.

However, knowing the historical context does not excuse the practice. Understanding ancient culture does not suggest approval. It also should be noted that the foundational story of Israel is about a God who frees people from oppression. The passage from Luke 7 may trigger reflection and conversation about racism and all expressions of oppression, but those issues do not appear to be central to the author.

The centurion, Jesus, and authority

We all see reality through the lens of our own experiences and values. This was as true for the centurion as it is for us. He was a soldier. In fact, he was a soldier of significant rank. He had authority over 60 to 100 men. He knew how to take orders and give them. He lived in a particular historical context where the social, political, and spiritual order was almost always hierarchical.

The centurion may have assumed that Jesus’ power to heal the sick showed him to be a respected healer. All Jesus needed to do was to say the word for the servant to be healed. The exercise of such power was like being a Roman officer. Give an order and the order will be followed. Receive an order and the task will be accomplished. The centurion may have assumed that he and Jesus shared this understanding of how the world worked.

Jesus was more than kind in his response. While it is clear in the rest of Luke’s Gospel that Jesus did not advocate a hierarchical view of life, he praised the faith of the centurion, comparing him favorably with the faith he had observed in Israel.

Let your yes be yes and no be no?

We are frequently faced with the choice between expediency and principle. We know what it is to decide to err on the side of safety rather than risk complete honesty. Will we remain silent and keep the peace, or speak up and risk a showdown?

Most of us can identify this dilemma in the world of politics, but it can be a problem much closer to home. Among the people with whom we live or work there will always be disagreements, sometimes contentious ones. Is it better to avoid those conversations or to speak honestly and bring the conflicting points of view into the open? Can we speak our minds without appearing arrogant or superior? What if our point of view is ill-informed? Do we risk embarrassing ourselves or appearing stupid or timid?

The Gospel of Luke seems to live in this tension. On one hand, Luke has made clear that Jesus was the antithesis of the Roman emperor. The empire brought peace by the power of the sword; Jesus brought peace by the power of love. The empire sought obedience through the threat of violence; Jesus sought obedience through the practice of compassion. The contrast was unavoidable.

Many places in Luke reflect a commitment to loving the enemy—and the most obvious example of an enemy was Rome. We discover a Gospel writer who sought the wellbeing and safety of the ones he served and avoided things that could lead them into danger. Gentiles were capable of following Jesus, and some Romans could be friends. A Roman soldier could respect, admire, and even have faith in Jesus without fully understanding Jesus’ methods or message. One who could not imagine any organizing principle other than hierarchy could be welcomed by one who led by serving and whose power was made perfect in weakness.

Making moral choices is simply not easy. Sometimes one cannot choose both safety and integrity. We are all in the same boat on that, and Luke is with us. Jesus calls us to live by gospel principles, while also instructing us to practice uncompromising compassion. Ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the human family has had to make decisions about what is good and what is not.