The Faith of the Centurion: Profound Lessons on Great Faith in God’s Word
When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Matthew 8:10 KJV).
The centurion’s faith amazed Jesus. His trust in God’s Word challenges us to reconsider what great faith truly is.In this devotional, we’ll explore the nature of great faith and examine what qualities enabled the centurion to walk in such faith, so we can emulate him and cultivate mountain-moving faith in our own lives.
In Matthew 8:5-13, a Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, who was gravely ill. He expressed deep faith by telling Jesus that His presence wasn’t needed—just a word would heal the servant. Jesus, moved by this faith, said He had not seen such faith in Israel, and the servant was healed instantly.
To understand Jesus’ statement, compare the centurion, a Gentile, to Jairus, a Jewish synagogue leader who sought healing for his daughter (Matthew 9:18-20). Jairus asked Jesus to come and lay His hands on her, believing physical presence and touch were needed. Jesus honored Jairus’ faith, but when the centurion requested only a word, Jesus marveled, noting the higher level of faith compared to what He had seen in Israel.
What set the centurion apart? Two key characteristics: his military background and Gentile roots. Interestingly, both instances where Jesus praised “great faith” involved Gentiles(Other: Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:28). This is surprising since we might expect such faith from Jews, God’s chosen people. The centurion’s Gentile background may have contributed to his faith. Unlike Jews, whose consciousness of the Law often hindered their faith by making them focus on their sins, weaknesses and possibly “a thousand reasons why God would not hear them”, Gentiles were free from such constraints, relying solely on God’s mercy and grace. This is similar to why Jesus asks us to have childlike faith—trusting simply in Him without overthinking or self-consciousness.
The centurion also understood the authority of Jesus’ Word, likely shaped by his military experience. He knew that just as he commanded soldiers, Jesus’ Word held authority to heal, without physical touch. While Jairus believed Jesus needed to be physically present, the centurion’s faith went further—he knew Jesus’ Word alone was enough.
We can learn two things: first, have childlike faith that focuses on God’s goodness, mercy and faithfulness, not on our limitations. Second, trust that God’s Word is sufficient—we already have His Word in the Bible, and it is powerful enough to accomplish what it declares!
Meditate
What are the two characteristics of the centurion mentioned above? How do they apply to your own walk of faith?
Apply the Word
How will your relationship with God change based on what you have learned from the centurion? Have you disqualified yourself from great faith because you don’t feel worthy? Is your focus on yourself or on Christ? Let the story of the centurion inspire you to walk in great faith today.
Pray
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk in great faith, taking God at His Word.
Recommended Read
- The Faith of the Canaanite Woman: Discover the Two Qualities That Made Her Faith Great
- O Woman, Great is Thy Faith
- Mary the Woman of Faith
- Move from Believing to Faith
- The Three-Tier Pyramid of Believing
- Watch Sermon: Understanding Great Faith for Greater Breakthroughs
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