If you are one of the 4.3 people who read my blog, then you know the last two kicked off a series of blogs about some very important folks in Scripture whose names are not given. I love this idea and I’m excited to be trying to follow up with a second character for you to consider. My first blog, posted on March 5th, 2025, was merely an introduction of what was to come. Some were kind enough to offer a little feedback which really did encourage me to keep writing. Last week, I posted my first official blog in the series. I wrote about the slave girl mentioned in Acts 16. I posted that blog on March 9th. If you’ve not read it, I would suggest you start there. Regardless, you’re here now. Please know I appreciate it.

Our second character to consider is a nameless centurion found in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. Jesus had just entered Capernaum when this centurion comes to him. In the Roman world, a centurion was a soldier who held rank over 100 men. Matthew and Luke’s account vary from one another, but are not contradictory. Matthew says the centurion comes to Jesus out of concern for his servant who is at his home, lying paralyzed, and is suffering terribly. Luke’s account says the centurion sent some “elders to the Jews” to Jesus to relay the message of the sick servant on behalf of the centurion and they say the servant is nearly to the point of death. They also state the centurion is a worthy man who loves the Jewish people…and had even built their synagogue! Conservative scholars account for the variation in the story very simply. They suggest Matthew’s intent is merely to tell you the “gist” of what happened…whereas Luke is giving us a big picture of the full story. If the scholars are right, the centurion sending people in his place, would simply add an additional layer of the centurion’s great humility. Obviously, this centurion is something special. He is a Gentile, not a Jew. He is asking for help from Jesus…not for himself…but for someone else. In addition, Luke makes it very clear the centurion is in good standing with the Jewish people…at least those in and around his home. It’s as though you can tell there is something a little different going on at this point.

In both accounts, Jesus agrees to come heal the servant and starts on the way. Once they get near the house, Jesus is stopped by the centurion in Matthew and is stopped by the group of Jews the centurion sent in Luke. In Matthew, the centurion says he is not worthy to have Jesus come under his roof. He tells Jesus if He will just say the word, that will be enough…and his servant will be healed. He explains his actions by citing his duties as a centurion. As a man in Rome’s army, under authority himself, with soldiers under him, he knows he can tell one to go…and that soldier will go. He can tell another to come…and he will come. Finally, he can tell one to go and do…and that soldier will do as requested…merely because the word has been given. In Luke’s account, the same type of actions and words are given, except they are given by those the centurion sent to Jesus.

If I might paraphrase for just a moment…the centurion sends or gives the word to Jesus of his own unworthiness to have Jesus enter his home. And because of his position as a centurion and a member of the Roman army, he knows what it means when a word is given from someone in authority. So not only does he believe in Jesus’ authority…he also respects it. As wonderful as that is, there’s even more. He truly believes Jesus can heal his servant–obviously a servant he cares deeply about–and he believes Jesus can heal him just by giving the word…without coming to the house. Jesus making the trek to his house would be totally unnecessary.

Without question, this centurion is a rarity in Scripture. Not only is he a humble man, but by most accounts, a good man. He loves his servant. He built a synagogue for some local Jews. He has genuine humility and is respected by many. But he also has something incredible and most unlikely in such a setting as Capernaum—faith. And not only faith…but great faith. In fact, he has such a faith that Jesus makes one of his most amazing comments in the entire New Testament. Matthew 8:10 says, “When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.'” Luke also contains the same verse.

Jesus marveled at this man’s faith. No one in all of Israel appears to have had the faith Jesus saw in this centurion. Surely Jesus should have saved that kind of compliment for one of Israel’s finest. But He doesn’t. Instead, He gives it to a Gentile–which was bad enough…but also to a member of Rome’s mighty army…the same army that was lording over Israel. Unthinkable! It’s a little difficult for us to think of Jesus being amazed or marveled at anything. As fully human and fully divine, He knows all things. But by both Gospel accounts, Jesus marveled at this man’s faith. Jesus doesn’t stop there. Matthew 8:10 continues with Jesus saying, “Truly, I tell you, I tell you with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” If we take Jesus’ words literally…and I do…then this centurion really is a big deal. I should note at this point this is not the only time we read of Jesus being depicted as “marveled.” In Mark 6, the Bible tells us Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth where, on the Sabbath, He began to teach in the synagogue. This should have been a happy occasion. However, it turned out not to be the case. He is recognized as the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon. In summary, the Bible reads as though the whole town took offense of Mary’s son trying to teach them. It is here we read in Mark 6:4, where Jesus says, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” As Jesus leaves Nazareth, Mark tells us that Jesus could do no mighty works there except laying His hand on a few sick folks and healing them. The “Stinger” comes in verse 6. Mark writes, “And He (Jesus) marveled because of their unbelief.”

Jesus’ hometown, filled primarily with Jews, rejected him. Their unbelief caused Jesus to marvel. While Mark includes they were astonished…he also says they were offended. Their cold hard hearts stole the show. Meanwhile, this nameless Gentile centurion had been kind to his Jewish community and was a man with great faith in Christ…so much so that he caused Jesus to marvel. On paper, the two stories should technically swap places. Nazareth should have welcomed Jesus and the centurion should have hated Him. But this is not the case.

Once again, we find an amazing person in Jesus’ world who receives one the kindest sentences Jesus ever spoke to one of the most-unlikely of people in the world at that time. Much like the slave girl in Acts 16, there’s a million things we do not know about this man. Married? Children? Siblings? Where and when did he first hear the news of Jesus?

What we do know is that as a Roman centurion, his entire existence was dedicated to the good of Rome. That was his purpose and reason for existence. Everything else was a distant second to that purpose. This was not only true for a member of the Roman army…but was also true from all of her citizens. Your identity began and ended there. Who you were and what you thought were irrelevant. All that truly mattered was a person’s faithful, unwavering allegiance to Rome. A person’s value was found in fulfilling such a commitment.

A final thought about this nameless centurion must be mentioned. Reaching out to Jesus and being kind to the Jewish community near his home took courage…immense courage. His allegiance was divided…and for a centurion, this was risking nearly everything. As Christians, we can’t help but admire this man. I firmly believe he is our brother in Christ. Perhaps he had a birth name that truly meant courage…it would certainly fit. For now, we do not know. One day if our faith is resting fully in Christ, we will find our answers. I appreciate Matthew and Luke’s account of this amazing story. But wouldn’t it be great to hear his version of it? I guarantee you the story will forever be fresh on his mind and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sharing it with us in eternity. But before he begins, I might just have to ask him for his name. 🙂

Appreciate you guys,

Pastor Mark