For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. ~Matthew 8:8-9
Many years ago, I swore an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United Staes against all enemies…” The proper means by which to carry out that oath was to follow the orders of those over me. At that time, a guy with a single stripe on his sleeve could command me to do his bidding. His words derived their authority from the Commander-in-Chief through an unbroken chain of command.
Every order received by a Roman centurion carried as much authority as if it was spoken by the emperor himself. Soldiers faced flogging and even death for the slightest infraction. The centurion knew the power of words spoken with authority. He felt their weight from above and dispensed that power in the course of his duty.
That he was in Capernaum, where many of Jesus' miracles took place says he heard of tales of miraculous healings. Roman centurions were not generally the type of men to give a lot of credence to wild rumors. That he addressed Jesus as Lord from the outset says to me that he had witnessed the power of His word on at least one occasion.
He recognized divine authority when he saw it. If Jesus was not Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the centurion had no doubt Jesus was invested with the authority of that office. A man who spoke with the authority of God was not bound to by distance nor under any obligation to obey the centurion’s orders.
The power in Jesus’ word alone was a humbling realization for a man who exercised authority in his own right. The centurion’s power to command physicians had likely failed. All the comfort measures he commanded of his household had failed. He needed to climb up the chain of command to a power that could save his servant from torment. He needed a man whose word could assume command over disease.
When he found one, he bowed to the greater authority. Accordingly, his servant was healed—and more. The centurion experienced the power of divine authority in his own life. Some years ago, I heard scientists announce that the universe is still expanding. They said it as if it was a surprise. As far as I know, God has not recalled His creative word. “Let there be light” and all that He spoke afterward has lost none of its power to accomplish what God sent it to do.
Maranatha
Comments