And Jesus said unto the centurion,
Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto
you.
And his servant was healed in the same hour.
Read Chapter 8
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Super Gen. c. Man. i. 8: But who was He that had created this faith in him, but only He who now marvelled at it? But even had it come from any other, how should He marvel who know all things future? When the Lords marvels, it is only to teach us what we ought to wonder at; for all these emotions in Him are not signs of passion, but examples of a teacher.
cont. Faust. xxii, 74: He praises his faith, but gives no command to quit his profession of a soldier.
Serm., 62, 4: He says, not ‘all,’ but many; yet these from the east and west; for by these two quarters the whole world is intended.Haymo: Or; From the east shall come they, who pass into the kingdom as soon as they are enlightened; from the west they who have suffered persecution for the faith even unto death. Or, he comes from the east who has served God from a child; he from the west who in decrepit age has turned to God.
As we see Christians called to the heavenly feast, where is the bread of righteousness, the drink of wisdom; so...
There is no coercion with God. He has a good will toward us continually. He gives reliable counsel to humans and angels (who also are rational beings), to whom he has given the power of choice. Those who yield obedience therefore possess what is good freely and justly. It is given by God but preserved by themselves. … The human spirit is possessed of free will from the beginning, and God is possessed of free will, in whose likeness humanity was created. Humanity is advised to hold fast to the good and thereby be responsive to God. This refers not only to works but faith as well. God preserved the human will free and under his own selfcontrol … as is shown in Jesus’ word to the centurion: “Go. Be it done for you as you have believed.” , .
This He speaks of the present generation, not of all the Patriarchs and Prophets of past ages.
Or perhaps in the person of the centurion the faith of the Gentiles is preferred to that of Israel; whence He proceeds, “But I say unto you, Many shall come from the east and from the west.”.
Because the God of Abraham, the Maker of heaven, is the Father of Christ, therefore also is Abraham in the kingdom of heaven, and with him will sit down the nations who have believed in Christ the Son of the Creator.
Or the Jews may be called “the children of the kingdom,” because God reigned among them heretofore.
It is called, “outer darkness,” because he whom the Lord casts out leaves thelight.Haymo: What they should suffer there, Heshews when He adds, “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Thus in metaphor He describes the sufferings of the tormented limbs; the eyes shed tears when filled with smoke, and the teeth chatter together from cold. This hews that the wicked in hell shall endure bot...
As what the leper had affirmed concerning Christ’s power, “If thou will, thoucanst cleanse me,” was confirmed by the mouth of Christ, saying, “I will, bethou clean;” so here He did not blame the centurion for bearing testimony to Christ's authority, but even commended him. Nay more; it is something greater than commendation that the Evangelist signifies in the words, “But Jesus hearing marvelled.”.
Andrew believed, but it was after John had said, “Behold the Lamb of God;” Peter believed, but it was by reading the Scriptures; and Nathanael first received a proof of His Divinity, and then spoke forth his confession of faith.
Or, if we would suppose that his faith was greater than even that of the Apostles, Christ’s testimony to it must be understood as though every good in a man should be commended relatively to his character; as it were a great thing in a countryman to speak with wisdom, but in aphilosopher the same would be nothing wonderful. In this way it may be said of the centurion...
And straightway the work followed, bearing witness to his character. nothing; for the question is, whether each of them has set before us the zealousness of the man, and his having had the right opinion concerning Christ. But it is likely, that after sending his friends, he himself also came and said these things. And if Luke did not speak of the one, no more did Matthew of the other; and this is not the part of men disagreeing among themselves, but rather of those that are filling up the things omitted by one another. But see by another thing also how Luke has proclaimed his faith, saying that his servant was ready to die. Luke 7:2 Nevertheless, not even this cast him into despondency, neither did it cause him to give up: but even so he trusted that he should prevail. And if Matthew affirm Christ to have said, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel, and hereby to show clearly that he was not an Israelite; while Luke says, He built our synagogue; neither is this a contradic...
Or; The gnashing of teeth expresses the passion of remorse; repentance coming too late and self-accusation that he had sinned with such obstinate wickedness.
As though He had said, According to the measure of thy faith, so be thy grace. For the merit of the Lord may be communicated even to servants not only through the merit of their faith, but through their obedience to rule. It follows, “And his servant was healed in the self-same hour.”
Otherwise; By “other darkness,” He means foreign nations; for these words of the Lord are a historical prediction of the destruction of the Jews, that they were to be led into captivity for their unbelief, and to be scattered over the earth; for tears are usually caused by heat, gnashing of teeth by cold. "Weeping” then is ascribed to those who should be dispersed into the warmer climates of India and Ethiopia, “gnashing of teeth” to those who should dwellin the colder regions, as Hyrcania and Scythia.
