Pharisees and their many adherents would not believe. Our Lord made this the occasion of uttering the significant and striking prophecy that many heathens, all over the world, would believe in Him, becoming thereby the spiritual children of Abraham, and would possess the kingdom of heaven promised to him; whilst, on the other hand, the Israelites, the real descendants of Abraham, who were called into the kingdom of heaven before any one else, would not, as a body, believe and be saved, but would be lost by reason of their unbelief. This prophecy of the spread of His Church among the Gentiles has been completely fulfilled, and proves the Omniscience of our Lord.
The Goodness and Compassion of Jesus. Our Lord did not drive the leper from Him, but “had compassion on him” (Mark i, 41), and touched him who was counted as unclean. And now also, Jesus drives no sinner from Him, however foul and unclean he may be, if only he will believe and do penance. Our Lord was quite ready to go to visit and help the centurion’s sick servant; but in our case He condescends not merely to come into our house, but into our very hearts, in Holy Communion, so as to strengthen us, His feeble servants, and keep us in His grace.
The command of Jesus to submit to Gods priests. As Christ would not have cured the leper, if he had refused to show himself to the priest, so now no one obtains forgiveness of his sins, unless he reveals them to the priest in confession.
The virtues of the centurion:
1. Compassion. He had bought this slave with money, and had he died, he could easily have bought another, for he was very rich, or else he could not have built the Jews a synagogue. But he had a kind and compassionate heart, and he was full of pity for his slave, who was suffering such acute pain, and wished to do what he could to help him. His kindness of heart showed to great advantage beside the hardness of heart of the Scribes and Pharisees (Mat. 23, 23). “Blessed are the merciful.”
2. Faith. The centurion’s compassion was the means of his receiving the gift of faith. His compassion made him seek for help from Jesus. He had heard of the miracles which our Lord had already worked, and, by God’s grace, what he heard engendered in his heart a firm belief that Jesus was the Messias whom the Jews expected, and that He was able, without even entering his house, to save his servant from certain death.
3. Humility. Faith made the centurion humble. The Jewish ancients said about him: “He is worthy that Thou shouldst help him”, but he himself said to Jesus: “Lord, I am not worthy” &c. He felt his sinfulness and nothingness acutely in the Presence of Jesus, the Holy and Almighty One, even as Peter felt it at the time of the
