Who are you, really?
I was raised in Cortland, Ohio U.S.; therefore you might call me: Roger of Cortland. Yet is that really who I am? No, of course not. I now live somewhere else and who I am or what I do is not related to where I live.
We often make a mistake in looking back on the Person of the Son of God, the Messiah, simply as Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was known by that because of where Joseph and Mary raised Him after they fled from Bethlehem of Judea under the threat of Herod before they returned to Galilee after Herod’s death. In fact, the Gospels reveal that Jesus of Nazareth had resettled in Capernaum.
Capernaum, by the sea of Galilee is about a nine hour walk from Nazareth. {I encourage you to look at a satellite map of the area behind this link.}
Think in terms of Capernaum and Galilee as part of the occupied area of the Roman Empire with no identity as Israel. This context of daily life of Jesus in Capernaum and surrounding areas would be more accurate of the secular Roman culture than to see only through the lens of a few Bible verses and traditional maps in your Bible. (Is our own 21st c. culture really so different?)
The Synagogue in Capernaum was important to Jews, but the town and area are ruled by Rome (as was Jerusalem).
During the Israelite/Iron period (1200-587BC) there was a break in the population, which was restored in the 5th C BC (the period of the returns of the exiles to Zion). It was designed according to that period’s urban design of straight lines, which was built in parallel to the main Roman imperial highway, that crossed the village on the northern side. Capernaum grew larger at the time of Jesus (early Roman period, 1st C AD), and a synagogue was built in the center of the village. [source: Capernaum history]
Jesus of Capernaum, the Son of Man, taught in the towns nearby like Chorazin and Bethsaida-Julius where Scribes and Pharisees studied the Law and the Prophets. Jesus of Nazareth, as He was known, also taught on the hillsides near Capernaum. Most of these places where the teachings of Jesus were heard and miracles witnessed were near Capernaum. We can be certain that Roman officials tracked every move of this popular leader of the crowds. Certainly Centurions would listen to every word for the first sign of another insurrection against Rome.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Matthew 8
When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Word of miracles gets around quickly. Crowds followed Christ Jesus because of the miracles and His teaching . Jesus taught everybody with ears to hear: Judeans, Galileans, Samaritans, Jews, Gentiles… and even Roman occupiers who traveled with the crowds to keep things under control.
Now a Roman officer asks Jesus for a miracle! (What an interruption to what Jews thought the Messiah would do only for Israel.)
5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
7 “I will come and heal him.”
8 “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 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.”
10 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. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 And to the centurion Jesus said,
“Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.”
And the servant was healed at that very moment.
You may not be a Jew. You may not even be a Christian (one of those who follow Christ Jesus, such as those to whom our Lord turned to note the faith of this Centurion.) Like the Roman soldier you probably live in far-away places from Capernaum (like Cortland or L.A., London, Rio, Addis Ababa, Beijing or Delhi).
- Do you have the faith to interrupt the Son of God, Incarnate in the Person of Jesus, with your plea to heal a loved one of yours?
- Do you have the humility of the Roman Centurion to tell Christ Jesus, “I will take you at your word and trust that by your Authority that You will do what you say?”
- Will you recognize that this lowly, first century Son of Man was sent to a cross to be sacrificed for your sins and for mine?
- Do you, dear foreign friend, have the faith of a Roman Centurion?
Ask Christ Jesus, though the Holy Spirit of God, to come into your eternal life with the healing of your sin.
