Faith of the Centurion Study Guide
Jesus comes to Capernaum. It is important to note that this is where Jesus lived (Matthew 4:13). A Centurion comes to him, asking for help. This is significant because a Centurion is a Roman soldier. Rome is the oppressor of Israel during this time frame, so he is an enemy of the Jewish people. He is also a Gentile. Why is this important? Because the centurion is coming to Christ for an unselfish reason. A Gentile is coming for help from a Jewish teacher. We can see that this Centurion has a kind heart, for he is coming to Christ on the behalf of a sick servant. In this time, frame a slave was merely property and the slave owner even had the rite to kill a slave without stepping outside the law. The request is not made in a casual way, but a pleading way.