What does Matthew 8:6 mean?
Jesus has returned to his adopted hometown of Capernaum and has been approached by a Roman centurion, a military officer in charge of as many as several hundred soldiers. This is a man who understands command, authority, and power. His message, delivered by Jewish elders who respected him (Luke 7:1–10), is simple. He has a servant in his home who is paralyzed and suffering. Luke's report reveals that this was a new condition, and the servant was near death.The centurion calls Jesus "Lord," meaning either that he recognized Jesus as the Messiah or indicating a respectful "sir." In either case, he is absolutely convinced that Jesus could heal his servant. Even more impressive is his recognition that Jesus' power to command the body to heal is just as potent as the centurion's power to command his own men (Matthew 8:8–9). It is this faith that Jesus will find so remarkable, especially coming from one who is not an Israelite.