The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
John Calvin
Lord, I do not deserve, etc Matthew’s narrative is more concise ... Luke explains more fully ... this was a message sent by his friends ... the meaning ... is the same. There are two leading points ... The centurion, sparing Christ by way of honouring him, requests that Christ will not trouble himself, because he reckons himself unworthy to receive a visit from him ... next ... he ascribes to Christ such power as to believe, that by the mere expression of his will, and by a word, his servant may recover and live. There was astonishing humility in exalting so highly above himself a man who belonged to a conquered and enslaved nation. It is possible, too, that he had become accustomed to the haughty pretensions of the Jews, and, being ... modest ... did not take it ill to be reckoned a heathen, and therefore feared that he would dishonour a Prophet of God, if he pressed him to enter the house of a polluted Gentile. However ... it is certain that he speaks sincerely, and entertains such reverence for Christ, that he does not venture to invite him to his house ....
But ... what moved him to speak of Christ in such lofty terms? The difficulty is ... increased by ... that ... only say the word, etc ... for if he had not acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, to transfer the glory of God to a man would have been superstition. It is difficult to believe ... that he was properly informed about Christ’s divinity ... Yet Christ finds no fault with his words, but declares that they proceeded from faith ... this ... has forced many ... to conclude that the centurion bestows on Christ the title of the true and only God. I rather think that the good man, ... informed about the uncommon and truly divine works of Christ, simply acknowledged in him the power of God ... too, he had undoubtedly heard about the promised Redeemer. Though he does not distinctly understand that Christ is God manifested in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16) yet he is convinced that the power of God is manifested in him, and that he has received a commission to display the presence of God by miracles. He is not therefore chargeable with superstition ... but, looking at the commission which God had given to Christ, he believes that by a word alone he can heal ....
Is it objected, that nothing belongs more peculiarly to God than to accomplish by a word whatever he pleases, and that this supreme authority cannot without sacrilege be yielded to a mortal man? The reply is again easy. Though the centurion did not enter into those nice distinctions, he ascribed this power to the word, not of a mortal man, but of God, whose minister he fully believed Christ to be: on that point he entertained no doubt. The grace of healing having been committed to Christ, he acknowledges that this is a heavenly power, and does not look upon it as inseparable from the bodily presence, but is satisfied with the word, from which he believes such a power to proceed.
Matthew Henry
Christ's humility, in being willing to come, gave an example to him, and occasioned his humility, in owning himself unworthy to have him come. Note, Christ's gracious condescensions to us, should make us the more humble and self-abasing before him.
