Articles
Worthy - Luke 7
Worthy - Luke 7
Notice in vs. 1-7 that the Jewish elders come to Jesus saying that this Gentile centurion was ‘worthy’ of help. Their appraisal was born from rather selfish ideas as he was worthy FOR/because he had helped them. When Jesus was on the way to this man’s house, the centurion had sent his servants proclaiming ‘I am not worthy’, at least not for Jesus to come into his house.
This man lived in Capernaum, now the home of Jesus and the city in which He had done many mighty works. Being a Gentile, he would have encountered the prejudice against them by the Jews, at least until he paid to build them a synagogue! And now, his faith in Jesus was that Jesus only had to ‘say a word’ and anything could come to pass. “Only say the word and my servant will be healed!” Notice Jesus’ appraisal was not of worthiness or unworthiness, but rather “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
The Jewish elders appraised his worth according TO THEM SELVES. The man appraised his unworthiness according to Jesus, the manifest Son of God. In the end, NONE of us are WORTHY of God’s blessings. Jesus later stated: "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" (Luke 17:10)
We are like the prodigal son of chapter 15, and can declare “I am no longer worthy to be called your son;” (Luke 15:19, 21). YET, our Father, as the father of the prodigal, acted towards us with love, mercy, kindness, and grace: Through Jesus He has forgiven, adopted, redeemed, and abundantly blessed us as His children. Are we worthy? No. How do we respond to such love? In thankful obedience and faithfulness. Are you living faithfully towards God? Are you doing what ought to be done?
Hugh DeLong
