The faithful Centurion is one of those biblical stories where the Sunday school picture is often the officer in uniform kneeling at the feet of Jesus begging for this servants’ life, an act not shown in the scripture. Unlike St Matthew’s retelling, in St Luke’s gospel, which this retelling is based on, the Centurion and Jesus don’t even meet. What plays out instead in a series of messengers running between the two. For the faith of a man to warrant praise from divine lips without being seen is quite remarkable in the gospel accounts. It’s also something totally relate-able to us as modern Christians, who can’t simply walk over to a nearby town and bump into the messiah.
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
Main Passage : Luke 7: 1-10
Additional passages: Matthew 8 and John 4
Besides a sick man, a centurion sat on a small stool, his face a picture of sadness. Desperate, he called for his cape and rushed out the door. Capernaum was nearby, and the Jewish teacher Jesus of Nazareth was supposed to be there often. Jesus held the ability to heal. The centurion had heard all this from his favourite servant, his friend, the man who now lay dying.
His friend had helped him understand the Jews, the people he lived among, and why they acted the way they did. Alongside his servant, the Centurion helped to build a new synagogue. Still, it worried the Centurion now that he was not Jewish. Jesus was a Jewish teacher, would he even listen to a gentile’s plea for help? The small town came in sight, and he spotted a group of Jewish elders sitting at the town gate. He would send them. They were Jewish. The men agreed, and the centurion rushed home, hoping he wasn’t too late. Meanwhile, the Jewish elders found Jesus by the other gate, they pleaded with him to come and help their friend who had supported the synagogue.
The centurion heard a shout ring out around the house when Jesus’ crowd were spotted coming near. The centurion didn’t want to make Jesus unclean by asking him inside his house. But then, he knew how power worked. When he commanded his men, he said what would happen, and it did. He didn’t even need to be there. He received orders the same way, orders by messenger from those who were more powerful than him. The Centurion grabbed another Jewish servant and quickly told him to run to the party with a message. “Lord, do not trouble yourself to enter my house, I am not good enough to have you here or to even meet with you, but just say the word and I know my Servant will be well. I know how authority and power work, I command, or am told, and it is done.”
Jesus listened, his face amazed at the words he was hearing. The centurion didn’t think himself good enough, but his faith in Jesus was stronger than any of the people Jesus had met so far. He saw Jesus as powerful, not just a teacher or a prophet or a healer. Jesus sent the messenger home and turned to walk away. Those with him could hear the shouts of celebration beginning already.
After hugging his servant, the centurion ran upstairs to find an upper window. He scanned the crowd still walking away but could not tell which man was Jesus of Nazareth. At first, he was sad, but then he recognised that even if he hadn’t seen the shape of Jesus’ face or the colour of his robe, he had recognised the more important things, the ability to heal, to teach, to use power and authority. Perhaps now his servant was healed he would learn more about the Jewish faith and this man Jesus.
