The Power Of GOD

"When JESUS had finished teaching the people, HE went to Capernaum.

A Roman military officer lived there, whose servant was very sick and near to death, a man very dear to him.  So when he heard about JESUS, he sent some elders of the Jews to persuade HIM to come and save his servant's life.  The elders came to JESUS and begged HIM earnestly, saying, 'He deserves this of YOU, for he loves our people and even built a synagogue for us.'

JESUS went with them.  HE was not far from the house, when the Roman officer sent friends to give this message, 'SIR, do not trouble YOURSELF, for I am not worthy to welcome YOU under my roof.  YOU see, I didn't approach YOU myself.  Just give the order, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers, and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to the other, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this!' and he does it.'

On hearing these words, JESUS was filled with admiration.  HE turned and said to the people with HIM, 'I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.'  The people, sent by the captain, went back to his house; there they found that the servant was well." - Luke 7:1-10 

(This captain of a foreign army earned the esteem of the Jews.  The amazing thing was not that he should have contributed to the building of the synagogue, but rather that the Jews should have accepted it from him.  He must have been a good man.  He knew the Jews' prejudices too well to have dared to personally approach this JESUS of whom they spoke.  Indeed, up to what point did JESUS share HIS compatriots' pride?  Would HE respond to the petition of a Roman official?  That was why he sent his Jewish friends to JESUS.

The man is really troubled: will JESUS consent to go to a pagan's house and "become impure'?  [John 18:28].  The captain goes one step further: JESUS does not have to come to his house.  While other sick people seek to be touched by the Master thinking that JESUS possesses some healing power, this man, has instead grasped that JESUS has the very power of GOD and does not need to go to the sick servant: it would not be any more difficult to give a command from a distance to a life that was slipping away.)

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