Luke 7:8

7:8 the authority of my superior officers: The Roman army was renowned for its organization and discipline. The centurion recognized authority when he saw it in Jesus’ words and actions.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 7:8. Τασσόμενος) The present, with a reference to each particular order [being subject in each particular instance of authority exercised over me].

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 7:8 . καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ : here follows the great word’ of the centurion reported by Lk. much as in Mt. But it seems a word more suitable to be spoken in propria persona than by deputy. It certainly loses much of its force by being given second hand. Lk. seems here to forget for the moment that the centurion is not supposed to be present. Schanz conjectures that he did come after all, and speak this word himself. On its import vide at Mat 8:9 τασσόμενος : present, implying a constant state of subordination.

Comparing the two accounts of this incident, it may be noted that Lk.’s makes the action of the centurion consistent throughout, as inspired by diffident humility. In Mt. he has the courage to ask Jesus directly, yet he is too humble to let Jesus come to his house. In Lk. he uses intercessors, who show a geniality welcome to the irenic evangelist. Without suggesting intention, it may further be remarked that this story embodies the main features of the kindred incident of the Syrophenician woman, not reported by Lk. The excessive humility of the centurion = “we Gentile dogs ”. The intercession of the elders = that of the disciples. The friendliness of the elders is an admonition to Judaists = this is the attitude you ought to take up towards Gentiles. All the lessons of the “Syrophenician woman” are thus taught, while the one unwelcome feature of Christ’s refusal or unwillingness to help, which might seem to justify the Judaist, is eliminated. How far such considerations had an influence in moulding the tradition followed by Lk. it is impossible to say. Suffice it to point out that the narrative, as it stands, does double duty, and shows us:

1. Gentile humility and faith.

2. Jewish friendliness.

3. Christ’s prompt succour, and admiration of great faith.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. For I also] This assigns the reason why he made the request. He was but a subordinate himself, “under authority” of his Chiliarch and other officers, and yet he had soldiers under him as well as a servant, who at a word executed his orders. He inferred that Jesus, who had the power of healing at a distance, had at His command thousands of the “Heavenly Army” (Luk_2:13; Mat_26:53) who would

“at His bidding speed,

And post o’er land and ocean without rest.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

8 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.

Ver. 8. For I also] {See Trapp on "Mat 8:9"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. Set under authority—Under the Roman senate or emperor as a soldier; under a tribune as a centurion. And, therefore, both by receiving and giving absolute order, I know what absolute command is. How perfectly precise a thought of our Lord’s power the centurion had, is not clear. We promptly reject Lange’s notion, that he had a pagan imagination of trooping “genii,”

flitting forth at Jesus’s word. The builder of a synagogue, doubtless, knew enough of the synagogue teaching to realize that the beings of mythology were excluded from the Mosaic system. It certainly could not be unknown to a man of such faith, and so prominent in Capernaum, that Jesus claimed to work miracles as prophet of Jehovah, and son of the only true God. So pagan a faith as Lange concedes him would hardly have drawn forth the Lord’s deep surprise and high eulogy.

8. My servant—The singular does not indicate (as Lange) that he had but one servant. The one servant corresponds with the one and another of the soldiers, to whom order is individually given. For aught the text shows, he might have had as many servants as soldiers.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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. What the soldier really thought of Jesus is evident when we read between the lines of this saying of his: "If I, who am under many a superior the chiliarch of my thousand, the tribunes of my legion, my emperor who commands at Rome yet receive a ready and willing obedience from my soldiers, and have but to say to one, "Go," and he goeth, to another, "Come," and he cometh; how much more thou, who hast no one above thee, no superior, when thou commandest disease, one of thy ministers, will it not at once obey?" The same thought was in Archdeacon Farrar"s mind when he wrote how the centurion inferred that Jesus, who had the power of healing at a distance, had at his command thousands of the "heavenly army", (Luk_2:13 Mat_26:53) who would "At his bidding speed "And post o"er land and ocean without rest. (Milton.)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ. ‘For indeed I.’ This assigns the reason why he made the request. He was but a subordinate himself, “under authority” of his chiliarch and other officers, and yet he had soldiers under him as well as a servant, who at a word executed his orders. He inferred that Jesus, who had the power of healing at a distance, had at His command thousands of the “Heavenly Army” (Luk 2:13; Mat 26:53) who would

“at His bidding speed,

And post o’er land and ocean without rest.”

ἄνθρωπος. ‘A person.’ The humility of this centurion is very remarkable in a Gentile officer. He does not even call himself ἀνήρ. Ὑπὸ ἐξουσίας τασσόμενος means literally ‘who is being ranked under authority.’ The centurion was under the tribunus militum (χιλίαρχος, Act 21:32). The present τασσόμενος (which is not to be taken with εἰμί, but is a separate epithet) represents the constant, daily submission to duty, and is far more graphic than τεταγμένος would have been. That would have expressed the permanent position.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. ἐγὼ ἀνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν τασσόμενος . The εἰμι must not be united with τασσόμενος and made the equivalent of τάσσομαι : τασσόμενος is adjectival. Thus, “For I am a man who is habitually (pres. part.) placed under authority” But, “For I an an ordinary person (ἀνθρωπος) and a person in a dependent position” is rather an exaggeration of the Greek. Comp. ὐπὸ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ἐξουσίαν πεσεῖν (2 Mal 3:6). The καὶ γάρ shows the intimate connexion with what precedes, εἰπὲ λόγῳ καὶ ἱαθήτω: see on 6:32, “I know from personal experience What a word from one in authority can do. A word from my superiors secures my obedience, and a word from me secures the obedience of my subordinates. Thou, who art under no man, and hast authority over unseen powers, hast only to say a word and the sickness is healed.” Perhaps ἄνθρωπος hints that Jesus is superhuman. Evidently ὑπὸ ἐξουσιχαν τασσόμενος means that, if an inferior can give effective orders, much more can a superior do so. It is the awminty of the result without personal presence that is the point.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Also. See on Mt 8:9.

Set under authority [υπο εξουσιαν τασσομενος] . It is not easy to render the exact force of these words. The sense of the present participle with the verb eijmi, I am, is very subtle. The words set under are commonly understood to mean placed in a subordinate position; but this would be more accurately expressed by the perfect participle, tetagmenov. The present participle indicates something operating daily, and the centurion is describing not his appointed position so much as his daily course of life. The word set originally means arranged, drawn up in order; so that the words might be paraphrased thus : "I am a man whose daily course of life and duty is appointed and arranged by superior authority." The centurion speaks in a figure which is well explained by Alford : "I know how to obey, being myself under authority; and I know how others obey, having soldiers under me. If then I, in my subordinate station of command, am obeyed, how much more thou, who art over all, and whom diseases serve as their Master." Just what estimate of Jesus these words imply we cannot say. It seems evident, at least, that the centurion regarded him as more than man. If that be so, it is a question whether the word man [ανθρωπος] may not imply more than is commonly assigned to it. Taking the Greek words in their order they may read, " For I also, a man (as compared with thee), am set under authority, having soldiers under myself. See on Mt 8:9.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.