Matthew 8:5
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
Original Language Analysis
τῷ
G3588
τῷ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 11
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦ
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦ
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
4 of 11
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
εἰς
into
G1519
εἰς
into
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
5 of 11
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
Καπερναούμ,
Capernaum
G2584
Καπερναούμ,
Capernaum
Strong's:
G2584
Word #:
6 of 11
capernaum (i.e., caphanachum), a place in palestine
προσῆλθεν
there came
G4334
προσῆλθεν
there came
Strong's:
G4334
Word #:
7 of 11
to approach, i.e., (literally) come near, visit, or (figuratively) worship, assent to
αὐτὸν
him
G846
αὐτὸν
him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
8 of 11
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Cross References
Matthew 27:54Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.Acts 27:43But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:Acts 27:31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.Acts 23:17Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.Matthew 4:13And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:Acts 27:13And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.Acts 23:23And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;Acts 22:25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?Mark 15:39And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.Mark 2:1And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
Historical Context
Centurions commanded 100 Roman soldiers and were the backbone of Roman military. Most Jews despised Romans as oppressors and Gentile unbelievers. This centurion built the Capernaum synagogue (Luke 7:5), showing unusual respect for Jewish faith. Palsy (paralysis) was incurable.
Questions for Reflection
- What barriers of pride or prejudice must you overcome to come to Jesus?
- How does the centurion's concern for his servant challenge your compassion?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The centurion's approach demonstrates remarkable faith from an unexpected source—a Roman officer occupying Israel. His words 'Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented' show concern for a servant (possibly slave) rare among Romans. His coming to Jesus despite being a Gentile and military commander shows humility and desperation overcoming pride and prejudice.