Here is the 19th century painting by the French artist, Alexandre Bidi of Jesus with the Centurion who had a sick-to-death slave at home. It depicts St. Matthew's version. St. Luke tells it differently — that the centurion, in great humility, sent Jewish elders to speak to Jesus on his behalf. Click here to hear an audio reflection on St. Luke's telling of the story. Luke 7:1-10
Before we begin, notice off in the distance on the left there's some folks leaning over a parapet. They seem to know something is going on. And there's a couple of dogs and a horse on the left too. Even the animals are witnesses to this healing from afar. There are two shiny helmet-d soldiers accompanying the humble officer and some apostles listening in. I sure wish these painters had the insight to include some women in these all-male paintings. Women after all are Jesus' most reliable disciples.
After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death. 3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he built us our synagogue." And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; 7 therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I am a man set 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 slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.
