The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 198

of it, be fillecl continually with a. eenae of it. For tt,P-y who a.re (consciously) forcriven much will lovo much; nncl they who love much will 1,e much beloved of God (John xiv. :l3). 2. 'fliat we should be ready to receive (fhrist'8 correcting word. Simon was wholly wrong in his estimate of men and of things; but he was not unwilling to hear Christ's correcting word. "Master, say on," he replied, when the great Teacher said, "I have somewhat to say unto thee." Let us see to it that this is our atlitude. Our Lord may have something very seriou~ to say to us, as he had to those seven Churches in Asia Minor, which he addressed from his heavenly throne (Rev. ii., iii.). When, through bis Word, bis mini~try, his providence, he does thlL~ correct 11~, calling WI to a renewed humility, faith, love, zeal, consecration, are we ready to receive hie message, to bow our head, to open our heart, and say, "Sp~ak, Lorcl; thy servants hear I Master, say on" ?-0, Vers.1-17.-The Saviour of siclc and dead. On returning to Capernaum after the sermon on ·the mount, the Saviour is confronted with a deputation from a centurion about his sick servant. To the miracle of healing in vers. 2-10 we turn first; and then we shall consider the miracle of resurrection (vers. 11-17), by which it is followed. I. 'l.'1rn SAVIOUR OF THF: BICK. (Vers. 1-10.) 1. Let us observe the self-abasement of the centurion. And in this connection we must notice the devotedness he had shown to the Jewish religion. As a. proselyte, he had not only espoused Juda.ism, but built e. synagogue to accommodate his fellow-worshippers. Hence he had an excellent reputation with the ecclesiastical authorities. But all this did not lead to any boasting on his part or exaltation of spirit. He remains the humble man before God after all his liberality. Hence he organizes no less than two deputations to Jesus Christ rather than obtrude himself upon him. And (1) he sends e. deputation of Jewi:ih elders, to ask from Jesus the cure of his sick servant. He esteems these ecclesiastical rulers as better than himself; he values them as highly almost as they do themselves I In reality he was spiritually far ahead of them ; but he was unconscious of this, and conscious only of his great personal unworthiness. The elders come, and in their self- righteous spirit speak of his worthiness to Jesus. He was worthy, they declared, and had proved his worthiness by building the synagogue. They thought more of the centurion, and more of themselves, than the centurion did. Yet Jesus recognizes the humility which dictated the sending of the deputation, and responds to their entreaty by going with them towards the centurion's house. (2) He sends a second deput.ation of friends to entreat Jesus not to give himself so much trouble in the mal!'ter, seeing he was utterly unworthy of a vbit from Jesus. His idea. was that, as Christ could heal his servant without the trouble of coming to see him, could heal at any distance, then he ought to take things as easy as he could. So strong is his conviction on this subject, that he gives a military illustration in proof of it. "Evidently," says Robert- son, "he looked upon this universe with a. soldier's eye; he could not look otherwise. '£0 him this world was a mighty camp of living forceR, in which authority was para- mount. '!'rained in obedience to military law, accustomed to render prompt submission to those above him, and to exact it from those below him, he read law everywhere; and law to him meant nothing unless it meant the expression of a personal will. It was this training through which faith took its form." 1 Christ was, therefore, to the soldier's eye, the centurion of all diseases, and they obeyed him, so that he might have sent the disease of the servant :tway by a simple word of command, and so have saved hirnselr all the trouble. Now, it is important to remember that our Lord did not take the easiest way always. He preferred to show his sympathy and thorough devoted- ness by taking sometimes the most irksome way. Bis idea was not to save himself trouble; "he spa.red not himself." He will not use his power to save himself trouble. 2. Let us notice Christ's admiration of tlie centurion's faith. We have seen how great humility is accompanied by groat faith. 'l'he graces grow proportionally. Thora are no monstrosities in the spiritual world. And we have to notice what an eye Jesus has for faith. It is the most lovely product in this vale of tears. Hence he is wrapt in admiration of it. He recoguizes it as greater in this Geutile than it has yet been in any Jew. The house of Israel bad given him as yet no such believer as he h11d now 1 • SormollS,' second series, p. 132.  )11(1 TilE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [on. vn. 1-00.