Luke 7:8

8 For I also am a man placed under authority, who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another one, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does [it]."

Luke 7:8 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:8

For I also am a man set under authority
Of the Roman senate; "or belonging to the emperor", as the Arabic version renders it; and under the command of a tribune, as a centurion was: so that this is not an amplification, but a diminution of his office; and his sense is, that even he who was but an inferior officer, yet had such power as after related:

having under me soldiers;
an hundred, or more:

and I say unto one, go, and he goeth, and to another, come, and he
cometh, and to my servant, do this, and he doth it;
as this his servant used to do, and whom he may intend, who now lay sick, and therefore was dear unto him. His meaning is, that Christ could as easily command, and call off a distemper, add it would obey him, as he could command obedience from his soldiers and servant, and have it, and more so.

Luke 7:8 In-Context

6 So Jesus went with them. Now by this time he was not far away from the house, [and] the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof.

7 For this reason neither did I consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word and my slave must be healed.

8 For I also am a man placed under authority, who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another one, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does [it]."

9 And [when] Jesus heard these [things], he marveled at him, and turning around to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith!"

10 And [when they] returned to the house, those who had been sent found the slave healthy.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation