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Matthew 8 · a question people ask

Did the centurion come to Jesus himself, or send others?

In the text

Matthew and Luke tell it differently, and these notes set the two side by side. Matthew says, "a centurion came to him, asking him for help" (8:5); "The centurion answered" (8:8); and "Jesus said to the centurion" (8:13). Luke says, "When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant" (Luke 7:3), and then "the centurion sent friends to him" (Luke 7:6), with the words, "Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Luke 7:7). At the end, "Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well" (Luke 7:10). Both give the centurion's words about authority (8:9; Luke 7:8), and both say that Jesus marveled (8:10; Luke 7:9). Each is quoted from its own verses. These notes don't join the two tellings, or say how they fit.

From Favor's study of Matthew 8

Matthew 8: Just say the word

The only time Matthew says Jesus marveled (8:10) is when he heard a centurion who told him, "Just say the word" (8:8); and when evening came Jesus "cast out the spirits with a word" (8:16), the same Greek word. And Matthew's first "Son of Man" is in Jesus's own words: "the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" (8:20).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions