March 21 Matthew 8:10
“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.’”
Comment:
This verse comes in the context of the Roman centurion who approaches Jesus to heal his servant. Rather than asking Jesus to come physically, the centurion expresses confidence that a mere word from Jesus would be enough to bring healing. What astonishes Jesus is not just the man’s faith, but its clarity and depth—especially coming from a Gentile, not a member of the covenant people of Israel.
This moment highlights several truths:
• Faith is not limited by religious background or ethnicity.
The centurion’s faith stands in contrast to the doubt Jesus often encounters among the people of Israel.
• True faith recognizes authority.
The centurion’s military experience gives him a keen understanding of command, and he applies that insight to Jesus’ spiritual authority.
• Jesus ‘marvels.’
It’s rare to read of Jesus being amazed—this underlines the exceptional nature of the centurion’s faith and invites us to consider what kind of faith might move the heart of Christ today.
Faith today, like the centurion’s in Matthew 8:10, still has the power to amaze Jesus—especially when it’s marked by humility, confidence in His authority, and a willingness to trust without needing visible proof.
In a time when so much of our world runs on evidence, control, and immediate results, the centurion’s kind of faith challenges us to believe in Jesus’ power without always understanding how He will act. Many of us want to see before we believe, but this man believed before he saw—and Jesus marveled.
Today, faith like that might look like:
• Trusting God’s Word when circumstances suggest otherwise.
• Praying boldly for healing or change, even when we’ve been disappointed before
• Believing Jesus is present and working even when we don’t feel Him.
Jesus’ response also reminds us that He sees and values faith wherever it’s found. It isn’t reserved for religious professionals or those with a perfect church record. Sometimes, the most profound faith comes from those on the margins—just like that Roman centurion.
Here’s a reflective question to consider:
What would it look like in your life to trust Jesus’ authority so completely that you don’t need Him to “come to your house”—just speak the word?
Click here for more posts.