by W. Brockmeier
A Canaanite Woman and a Certain Centurion
In His public ministry, the Lord Jesus twice commended individuals for having "great faith." These acknowledgments were not directed to His own disciples, but to a Canaanite woman and a Roman centurion. Their personal faith shines even more brilliantly when we contrast it with the dark and widespread unbelief of the Jews.
To His beloved but often fearful disciples, the blessed Lord was constrained to attribute "little faith" with regards to their concern about material necessities (Matt. 6:30), their fear of perishing in a storm (Matt. 14:31), and for reasoning about His words instead of being instructed by them (Matt. 16:8).
The names of the two individuals whom God has singled out as having great faith are not mentioned, for it is their faith to which God would direct our thoughts. Their faith, which so delighted the heart of Christ, should be of special interest to us and prompt us to inquire as to what constitutes great faith. May the consideration of these two individuals encourage the hearts of those of us who are more characterized by having little faith.
A Canaanite Woman
"Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tire and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me. But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." Matt. 15:21-28.
This Canaanite woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation (Mark 7:26). Her readiness to accept whatever the Lord said to her and of her is a beautiful example of great faith.
As with each of us, it was her felt need that moved her to beseech the Lord for mercy. In so doing, she addressed Him as Son of David. That was true enough, but it was not suitable for a Gentile to approach the Jews' Messiah on that ground nor in those terms. It was not to the Gentiles that the Christ was sent. Her desperate plea for her afflicted daughter was met by silence from the Lord and earnest pleas from His disciples for Him to send her away.
The disciples may have known prohibitions of the law, but had not yet learned the grace and truth that come by Jesus Christ.
While the Lord's silence gave opportunity for the sad state of the disciples' hearts to be manifested, it also served to further the exercise in this woman's soul. When the Lord stated His mission of being sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, she dropped His title as Son of David and addressed Him alone as Lord. Her simple prayer is sublime in its directness: "Lord, help me." She did not waste words.
For this woman's great faith to be clearly witnessed, the Lord again seemingly rebuffed her. Well she knew what He meant by the children (the Jews) and the dogs (the Gentiles). Their bread was not hers. With unhesitating acceptance she owns His judgment as true, and in profound boldness claims the uneaten crumbs of bread for herself. It was in this same spirit that Ruth, the Moabitess, claimed redemption from Boaz. Compare Ruth chapter 2, verse 10, with chapter 3, verse 9.
How the Lord delights in faith that will not be turned aside from receiving blessing at His hand. To take our true place unreservedly before Him as those who are unworthy and who have no claim upon Him, and still to insist upon His blessing from having learned His character, is great faith indeed.
Faith is connected with grace, as works are with law. All blessing must be on the principle of grace. When the heart is established in grace, boldness of faith is realized.
A Certain Centurion
"Now when He had ended all His sayings in the audience of the people, He entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him the elders of the Jews, beseeching Him that He would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought Him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom He should do this: for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when He was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying unto Him, Lord, trouble not Thyself; for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick." Luke 7:1-10.
The centurion, unlike the Syrophenician woman, made no attempt to approach the Lord as Son of David. His request was channeled through the Jewish elders. As they carried this message to Jesus, they also gave this admirable man a remarkable commendation. "He loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue." True love for God's people transcends human sentiment, is governed by the Word of God, and is exhibited in intensely practical ways. (Matt. 25:35-40; Heb. 6:10; 1 John 3:18; 5:2.)
According to the Jews' estimation, this centurion was proclaimed worthy, but in his own eyes he judged himself unworthy. (Prov. 27:2.) Faith differs from presumption in that faith is marked by humility and confidence in God. Presumption attempts to exalt the one who boasts about himself.
Besides being marked by humility and love for the people of God, the centurion recognized that the Lord Jesus was a Man set under authority. Additionally, he recognized that his own authority over the soldiers, commanding them to obedience, was the result of his place of subjection to a higher authority. It was to the authority he represented that the soldiers ultimately rendered compliance.
By faith the centurion saw that the Lord Jesus in perfect manhood had taken a place of subjection to God. He knew the Lord Jesus need only say a word and his servant would be healed, for with Him was all the power of God and authority even over sickness.
How precious it is to contemplate the Lord Jesus in this setting. Truly He is the everlasting Word, the Mighty God, the Prince of the kings of the earth and Head over all things, yet how blessed to think of Him as a Man set under authority. Is not the place of subjection elevated before us, as we view the One who willingly took that place in lowly grace?
As we consider the Lord Jesus as a Man set under authority, we may well challenge our own hearts as to what measure we have practically demonstrated that we, too, are persons set under authority. Do we "go," "come" and "do" as He bids us?
Christendom boasts of numbers, talent, political influence, grandiose buildings and outward show, only to grieve the Lord's heart and give evidence how far she has fallen. In happy contrast, here was a man who could say of himself, as well as of Jesus, that he was a man set under authority. It was this declaration accompanied with the expressed confidence in the Lord's ability to heal that brought from the Lord's lips those memorable words, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." To appreciate the Lord Jesus as a Man set under authority and to accept that place for ourselves is another testimony of great faith.
Never is the believer exhorted to disobey any subordinate authority, but rather always to obey God, the supreme authority. When one must go contrary to the demands of a subordinate authority, it is only in order to render obedience to the highest authority. Disobedience is never countenanced in Scripture. If there is true subjection to God and Christ, who has been exalted to the preeminent place in Manhood while never relinquishing His Deity, there will be manifest and consistent subjection to all other authority established by God.
The government, employers, assembly, parents and husbands are each invested with authority from God. Our subjection to Him will be readily discerned if we honor and submit to these delegated authorities. For one to claim obedience and subjection to God while manifestly flaunting, taunting, and otherwise despising God's established authority is mockery and rebellion. Compare 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude 8, 9.
Those who occupy positions of authority are to be prayed for, honored and obeyed, not resisted, spoken evil of, or railed against. (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 6:1-8; Col. 3:18-25; 1 Tim. 2:1, 2; 1 Peter 2:17,18.) The manner in which they use or abuse that authority is a matter for which they must give account to God.
As God found immeasurable delight in His Son who in obedience fulfilled all His will, so, too, He will find pleasure in us as we bow to His faithful Word and give evidence that we are persons set under authority.
Features of great faith are:
1. Accepting Christ's Word to us and of us.
2. Taking the place of meriting no blessing because of what we are, yet claiming it because of who He is.
3. Loving and humbly serving the people of God.
4. Valuing the place of subjection the Lord Jesus assumed.
5. Following in the same path as the Lord Jesus.
Such may appear to be weakness by the world's standards, but it is, in fact, the fruit of great faith in which God finds delight.