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What is Faith?
When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
And he said to him,
“I will come and heal him.”
But the centurion replied,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof,
but only say the word,
and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes,
and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes,
and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
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.
I tell you, many will come from east and west
and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven,
(Matthew 8:5-11 ESV)
We talk about and hear about faith all the time as Christians. But what is it really? Where does it come from? How does it act? And why does it act that way? These are the questions that are in play in this story. You see, Israel also thought and spoke much about faith but this Gentile soldier seemed to understand something that others had somehow overlooked.
Identity and Authority
What was it that this soldier understood that so many in Israel had missed? It seems from the story that what this soldier recognized was that Jesus had authority. He had legitimate authority that flowed from a higher authority than humanity. He had the authority of God and as such had the power to speak things into being.
This soldier understood human authority, because he exercised this kind of authority himself. But in Jesus he saw another level of authority. He recognized that if as a soldier he could say a word and others would make it happen, Jesus having God’s authority could certainly speak a word and make things happen. We see that his faith in the authority of Jesus flowed from his understanding of the identity of Jesus. The primary question that separates Christians from everyone else on earth down to this day is this, “Who is Jesus?”.
We see this question woven throughout the gospels in various ways.
For example:
"Who do people say that I am?”
And they told him,
“John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered him,
“You are the Christ.”
(Mark 8:27-29 ESV)
Or consider this disturbing example where even the demons clearly understood the true identity of Jesus:
And behold, they cried out,
“What have you to do with us, O Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying,
“If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”
And he said to them,
“Go.”
(Matthew 8:29-32 ESV)
But some who really should have realized who Jesus was never understood. Look how bluntly Jesus stated the truth of his identity to the high priest:
Again the high priest asked him,
“Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
And Jesus said,
“I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
And the high priest tore his garments and said,
“What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy.
(Mark 14:61-64 ESV)
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe
In these passages we see a Gentile soldier that “gets it” while the bulk of Israel does not. We see the disciples finally come to understand. We see demons that understand immediately, and ironically, we see a high priest that never understands even when he is directly told.
Those that understand and accept that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, or “the Son of Man” also understand his authority. They have faith in His authority because they understand the source of His authority. The source of His authority is God himself.
The God that spoke creation into existence can speak healing to a servant and the centurion knew it. And the centurion knew that Jesus was legitimately the Son of God and therefore could legitimately speak with the full authority of God.
Faith and evidence
Faith is not a blind leap, although many for various reasons try to describe it as such. In reality everyone on earth has faith in any number of things. They believe things because they have reasons to believe things. Blind leaping inspires little or no true faith. How much can anyone really trust an unsupported, blind assertion.
No, we have the most faith in things that we have evidence for. This centurion had been watching, he had amassed enough evidence to be convinced that Jesus had the full authority of God backing him up. He understood Jesus’ rank so to speak, so he knew that all Jesus needed to do was say the word.
Some might counter by saying, “what about when Jesus said, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’”. Well, in the very next verse John says this, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”. It seems Jesus was pronouncing a blessing on all those that would never physically see Jesus. Thomas was especially blessed being able to physically see and touch Jesus. I think this blessing is best understood as a blessing to all those that would never experience such physical contact.
John in the very next verse was explicitly giving evidence sufficient to build faith in all those that would read his book. So faith is and always has been based in evidence. All the way back in Psalm 38 we read “taste and see that the Lord is good”. We are invited to gather evidence and believe in the goodness of God.
Our centurion friend seems to have done exactly that even though he was not a Jew, and did not have a natural inclination to hope for a messiah. He did however watch with an open mind, and see evidence that many of the Jews either overlooked or refused to see. What people see is sadly often warped and obscured by their presuppositions and prejudices. Who do we see when we look at Jesus? Do we behave as though he has the full authority of God? Do we believe He is both able and willing to help? This Gentile soldier did.
Do we have this kind of faith?
So how do we walk out this kind of faith today? How will the knowledge that Jesus has authority to speak into my life and the lives of others change my decisions? Jesus has authority over this world, am I giving him the honor and worship His position demands? Do I pray as if Jesus actually has the power and authority of God? Do I pray as if God’s authority is greater than human authority? Do I pray as if His authority is greater than the tyranny of our circumstances?
This week, let’s take our inspiration from this Gentile soldier who understood from afar that Jesus has the authority of God. He has no need to come to our house physically, he only needs to say the word. This week let’s walk in this centurion’s faith.
Have a great week!
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Tom PossinWhen he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
And he said to him,
“I will come and heal him.”
But the centurion replied,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof,
but only say the word,
and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes,
and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes,
and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
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.
I tell you, many will come from east and west
and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven,
(Matthew 8:5-11 ESV)
We talk about and hear about faith all the time as Christians. But what is it really? Where does it come from? How does it act? And why does it act that way? These are the questions that are in play in this story. You see, Israel also thought and spoke much about faith but this Gentile soldier seemed to understand something that others had somehow overlooked.
Identity and Authority
What was it that this soldier understood that so many in Israel had missed? It seems from the story that what this soldier recognized was that Jesus had authority. He had legitimate authority that flowed from a higher authority than humanity. He had the authority of God and as such had the power to speak things into being.
This soldier understood human authority, because he exercised this kind of authority himself. But in Jesus he saw another level of authority. He recognized that if as a soldier he could say a word and others would make it happen, Jesus having God’s authority could certainly speak a word and make things happen. We see that his faith in the authority of Jesus flowed from his understanding of the identity of Jesus. The primary question that separates Christians from everyone else on earth down to this day is this, “Who is Jesus?”.
We see this question woven throughout the gospels in various ways.
For example:
"Who do people say that I am?”
And they told him,
“John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered him,
“You are the Christ.”
(Mark 8:27-29 ESV)
Or consider this disturbing example where even the demons clearly understood the true identity of Jesus:
And behold, they cried out,
“What have you to do with us, O Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying,
“If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”
And he said to them,
“Go.”
(Matthew 8:29-32 ESV)
But some who really should have realized who Jesus was never understood. Look how bluntly Jesus stated the truth of his identity to the high priest:
Again the high priest asked him,
“Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
And Jesus said,
“I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
And the high priest tore his garments and said,
“What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy.
(Mark 14:61-64 ESV)
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe
In these passages we see a Gentile soldier that “gets it” while the bulk of Israel does not. We see the disciples finally come to understand. We see demons that understand immediately, and ironically, we see a high priest that never understands even when he is directly told.
Those that understand and accept that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, or “the Son of Man” also understand his authority. They have faith in His authority because they understand the source of His authority. The source of His authority is God himself.
The God that spoke creation into existence can speak healing to a servant and the centurion knew it. And the centurion knew that Jesus was legitimately the Son of God and therefore could legitimately speak with the full authority of God.
Faith and evidence
Faith is not a blind leap, although many for various reasons try to describe it as such. In reality everyone on earth has faith in any number of things. They believe things because they have reasons to believe things. Blind leaping inspires little or no true faith. How much can anyone really trust an unsupported, blind assertion.
No, we have the most faith in things that we have evidence for. This centurion had been watching, he had amassed enough evidence to be convinced that Jesus had the full authority of God backing him up. He understood Jesus’ rank so to speak, so he knew that all Jesus needed to do was say the word.
Some might counter by saying, “what about when Jesus said, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’”. Well, in the very next verse John says this, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”. It seems Jesus was pronouncing a blessing on all those that would never physically see Jesus. Thomas was especially blessed being able to physically see and touch Jesus. I think this blessing is best understood as a blessing to all those that would never experience such physical contact.
John in the very next verse was explicitly giving evidence sufficient to build faith in all those that would read his book. So faith is and always has been based in evidence. All the way back in Psalm 38 we read “taste and see that the Lord is good”. We are invited to gather evidence and believe in the goodness of God.
Our centurion friend seems to have done exactly that even though he was not a Jew, and did not have a natural inclination to hope for a messiah. He did however watch with an open mind, and see evidence that many of the Jews either overlooked or refused to see. What people see is sadly often warped and obscured by their presuppositions and prejudices. Who do we see when we look at Jesus? Do we behave as though he has the full authority of God? Do we believe He is both able and willing to help? This Gentile soldier did.
Do we have this kind of faith?
So how do we walk out this kind of faith today? How will the knowledge that Jesus has authority to speak into my life and the lives of others change my decisions? Jesus has authority over this world, am I giving him the honor and worship His position demands? Do I pray as if Jesus actually has the power and authority of God? Do I pray as if God’s authority is greater than human authority? Do I pray as if His authority is greater than the tyranny of our circumstances?
This week, let’s take our inspiration from this Gentile soldier who understood from afar that Jesus has the authority of God. He has no need to come to our house physically, he only needs to say the word. This week let’s walk in this centurion’s faith.
Have a great week!
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe