to Jesus, they
besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he
should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a
synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far
from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him,
Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest
enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to
come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers,
and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus
heard these things he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and
said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not
found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

There is something puzzling in this speech of the centurion's. One
must think twice, and more than twice, to understand clearly what he
had in his mind. _I_, indeed, am not quite sure that I altogether
understand it. But I may, perhaps, help you to understand it, by
telling you what this centurion was.

He was not a Jew. He was a Roman, and a heathen; a man of our race,
very likely. And he was a centurion, a captain in the army; and
one, mind, who had risen from the ranks, by good conduct, and good
service. Before he got his vine-stock, which was the mark of his
authority over a hundred men, he had, no doubt, marched many a weary
mile under a heavy load, and fought, probably, many a bloody battle
in foreign parts. That had been his education, his training,
namely, discipline, and hard work. And because he had learned to
obey, he was fit to rule. He was helping now to keep in order those
treacherous, unruly Jews, and their worthless puppet-kings, like
Herod; much as our soldiers in India are keeping in order the
Hindoos, and their worthless puppet-kings.

Whether the Romans had any _right_ to conquer and keep down the Jews
as they did, is no concern of ours just now. But we have proof that
what this centurion did, he did wisely and kindly. The elders of
the Jews said of him, that he loved the Jews, and had built them a
synagogue, a church. I suppose that what he had heard from them
about a one living God, who had made all things in heaven and earth,
and given them a law, which cannot be broken, so that all things
obey him to this day--I suppose, I say, that this ple