Luke 7:9

Marvelled. Gr. thaumazd, “to wonder,” or “to marvel.” The centurion’s faith that a word from Jesus would be sufficient was extraordinary in itself. The fact that the centurion had never seen or conversed with Jesus made that faith all the more remarkable, particularly in view of the slowness of the Jews and even of Christ’s own disciples to exercise faith (Matt. 6:30; 8:26; 16:8; see Mark 4:40; Luke 8:25; 12:28; 17:6). But the fact that the centurion was — officially, from the Jewish standpoint — a Gentile, made his faith seem great, almost beyond belief. A year later Jesus commended the Syrophoenician woman for her great faith (see Matt. 15:28), and she, too, was a Gentile (cf. Luke 4:24-27).

People that followed. In all probability this was the throng that had, perhaps that very day, listened to the Sermon on the Mount (see on Matt. 8:1; Luke 7:1). If so, this miracle would tend to confirm the words Jesus had spoken and to leave a vivid impression on the minds of the people.

So great faith. See on v. 8. The great faith of the centurion is the climax of the narrative. Christ’s commendation of the centurion may be taken as implying his complete conversion, either now or at a later time. The fact that Christ had “not found” faith of this magnitude implies prior ministry covering a considerable period of time (see on v. 1).

Not in Israel. Or, “not even in Israel.” Luke here omits Christ’s comment, recorded by Matthew in eh. 8:11, 12, concerning the great in gathering of the Gentiles into the kingdom of heaven, but records a similar statement on another occasion (Luke 13:28, 29). Paul later expressed the same truth in a similar way (see Rom. 9:7, 8; 11:15, 17, 25). It is worthy of note that in the two instances of healing performed at the request of Gentiles — the one here recorded and that of the Syrophoenician’s daughter (Matt. 15:21-28) — the healing occurred, not only as a reward of “great faith,” but at a distance. Hence there was little contact with the Gentiles. Perhaps this may have been a concession to the prejudices of the disciples. It was essential, in preparation for the work of the gospel in all the world, that Jesus demonstrate the eligibility of Gentiles to share in the benefits of the kingdom He had come to establish, but it was not essential that the Lord go out of His way unnecessarily to offend Jewish sensitiveness to social contact with the Gentiles. To have done other than He did would have been to arouse Jewish prejudice and hinder His mission. In his ministry for souls a minister, though himself free of prejudice, may often find it necessary to take into account the prejudices of others.