At the risk of over simplifying, the term ‘pericope’ is used by New Testament scholars to reference the separate individual stories recorded in the Gospel writings. But they cannot be defined by our traditional term ‘story’ which has an aspersion of fiction. The pericope must be understood as historical which makes them ‘living’ encounters in the life and ministry of Jesus. One of the most vital chapters in New Testament, for me, is the 3rd chapter of Mark’s Gospel. Several pericope are combined in this chapter that clearly span an undesignated period of time. It is the task of the New Testament Literary Scholar to define the scope of each pericope and make each one available for it’s own historical interpretation.
‘The Centurion’s Servant’ is a double tradition; recorded by both Matthew and Luke. Matthew’s account of the ‘Centurion’s Servant’ places us at the New Testament’s first use of both ‘logos/word’ and ‘pistis/faith’. Word AS Faith. Word IS Faith. This revelation is not abstract. It is not common, neither is it ordinary.
First, Jesus saw the humility of the Centurion. While Luke records that the Centurion sent elders to Jesus, (who took liberty to tell Jesus of the Centurion’s worthiness— of his love for the national life, of his building of synagogue), Matthew begins with the Centurion’s personal encounter with Jesus and both record the Centurion’s self evaluation, “I am not worthy!”
A man of position and resolve; defender of nation; owner of property to include one (or more) slaves; builder of the house of worship— one can only imagine the substance of his own home. Yet, as a DOUBLE TRADITION, the Centurion goes out to meet Jesus and says, “I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.” “Speak a Word…” Right here! Right now! Jesus saw the Centurion’s FAITH and Jesus spoke a WORD!
“Not even in Israel have I seen such faith!” There was something about this centurion— his attitude? His disposition? His spirit, maybe? His outlook? His humility? His heart, maybe? (I have been told on numerous occasions across the years after proclaiming The Word of God ‘that I had touched their heart!’ It is so easy for me to tell when ‘your heart ain’t in it!’ I know that it is true— what comes from the heart, reaches the heart!.) Perhaps Jesus saw this centurion’s heart? But, something about this centurion places him first in the New Testament’s model for faith.
“Not even in Israel…”. Jesus boldly compares this centurion’s faith to the lineage of such a great nation, and so that no mistake is made here, the founding fathers, the patriarchs are named! What is this faith that Jesus saw in just this small encounter with this centurion that he had not seen “even in Israel”?
Key, for me, in this faith event is the fact that so many of the persons of the centurion station’s thoughts, words and deeds towards the personhood of Jesus was to destroy him. Jesus had no money. He had no property. He had no concern for or pursuit of food, shelter or clothing! He had no participation in the national life. He built no house(s) of worship! His ‘homelessness’ was by design! All Jesus had was ‘His Word’ which as he spoke it to persons of sufferance, they began to follow him around. And yet, he never used the means of those who followed him to alter his ‘homeless existence’; which, I think, is a very vital part of the power of ‘His Word’! He never took anything from his followers! To be sure, he charged his disciples to “take nothing…”
Jesus had already begun to identify in his ‘Word’ to the disciples that those of the extreme opposite (the centurion kind) would— (and to be sure did) come to take his life.
Enter a centurion who came taking thought for the wellness of his slave. (Suspect in my small modern mind of course, as a descendent of slaves— he needed him well to continue the servitude.) But Jesus saw something else! “Not even in Israel have I seen such faith!”
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