Lent Day 25 [4.2.2025] / The Marvel of Faith Pt. 1

Scripture: Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10 /  마태복음 8:5-13, 누가복음 7:1-10

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Overview:

The two accounts of Jesus’ interaction with the Centurion vary in detail. The account in Matthew reveals a direct encounter between Jesus and the Centurion, while the account in Luke presents this conversation through the Jewish elders of Capernaum; however, the two accounts of the story do not contradict one another, but rather present a greater understanding and complexity when overlayed together. When Jesus had entered the town of Capernaum, a group of Jewish elders came to him to earnestly seek his presence and help. Upon listening to their request, we come to know that they were sent by a Centurion who was asking Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus would go with them but at a distance from the home, the Centurion would send his friends to Jesus and say:

“Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” – (Luke 7:6b-8)

At this Jesus exclaimed that He has not encountered such great faith even in Israel and when the friends had returned to the home of the Centurion, they found that the servant was healed. The account in Matthew portrays the interaction as direct, but the account in Luke was indirect. There is no mention of an emissary sent by the Centurion in Matthew which explicitly states that the Centurion himself came to speak with Jesus. What would attest to this difference?

The apostle Matthew, who wrote the gospel of Matthew, was a Levite tax collector: a Jew that many other Jews did not look kindly upon since the job of a tax collector was to collect tributes for the Roman Empire. According to the cultural presentation of the gospel of Matthew, we know that the author had intended it to be read by a Jewish/Jewish-Christian audience. Most of the Jews, especially the Jewish leaders, believed they were a saved and Godly people simply because they were descendants of David and Jewish by blood; however, we see in all compassion Jesus would exclaim that they too needed to be saved by believing in Him (John 8:42-47). Therefore, Matthew would have firstly omitted the detail of Jewish leaders acting as emissaries for the Centurion because it would have been an extraneous detail regarding his intention. In fact, this detail would have brought his audience to praise the Jewish emissaries and miss the intention of Matthew, which was to show Jesus’ marvel of the Centurion’s faith over that of all of Israel. By omitting this detail, Matthew could clearly portray the faith of a Gentile (non-Jew) that had moved Jesus and provided for a miracle. It was not because of the Jewish emissaries that Jesus was pleased or that the servant was healed, but rather the faith of a Gentile, whom the Jews detested and looked down upon as unclean, as the source of astonishment, favor, and healing.

Secondly, Matthew would have assumed the use of a proxy and his audience would have understood the same truth. In John 19:1, the bible tells us that Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea responsible for Jesus’ trial, “took Jesus and had him flogged.” We would correctly assume that it was not Pilate himself who dragged Jesus by the arms, took up a whip, and began to flog Jesus himself, but rather soldiers under the order of Pilate. In much the same way, Matthew presents a direct dialogue between Jesus and the Centurion because the emissaries were under the orders and request of the Centurion.

Moreover, according to Jewish culture, it would have been ceremonially unclean for Jesus who was also a Jew to enter the home of a Gentile. A Jewish audience would have been more alarmed about the Centurion approaching Jesus directly than our difficulty in reconciling these two accounts. Of course, Jesus had been known to break cultural barriers and ritual traditions, but the Centurion would have been denounced for such an action. Yet, the bible clearly states that the Centurion was not unwise, discourteous, or irreverent. He was a well-respected, righteous, and generous man who was well known in the town of Capernaum. Matthew would implement the assumption of a proxy, but Luke would have intentionally included the Jewish emissaries to show that the Centurion was not just respected amongst the Romans and the Gentiles, but even amongst the Jews who had traditionally considered gentiles unclean. The account in Matthew would show the radical faith of the Centurion in comparison to the Jews:

“I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 8:11-12

The apostle Matthew is reminding us to never take our faith for granted. So often we live without the marvel and awe for Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. We live pridefully and rashly, but in light of Jesus’ grace and love, how does our motivations and purposes change? The Centurion lived his life reflecting the heart of Christ without yet knowing Christ; however, upon hearing and meeting Jesus, his faithful living immediately recognized Jesus in His authority, actions, and heart: the Centurion loved his servant dearly, built a synagogue for the Jews to worship, and humbled Himself before God. He lived in absolute gratitude and reverence for God and for His people. He had not met Jesus yet, but was ready to in his faith. This is the kind of faith that astonished Jesus and the kind of faith-living we ought to have.

Reflection:

1. In what ways do we often take our faith for granted?

2. How can I live in gratitude and reverence of my faith that has been given to me by Jesus Christ?

   
   

Prayer:

1. God, thank you for teaching me that your grace extends to all the world and is not limited by culture, race, age, or location.

2. Jesus, help me to understand and live in faith like the Centurion who allowed faith to lead him to love those around him deeply.

3. Holy Spirit, give me the strength to live a life that reflects and recognizes you in all of your humility and love.

   
   

개요:

예수님과 백부장의 만남에 대한 두 가지 기록은 세부 사항에서 차이가 있습니다. 마태복음의 기록은 예수님과 백부장이 직접 대면한 것으로 나타나지만, 누가복음의 기록은 가버나움 유대 장로들을 통해 대화가 이루어진 것으로 묘사됩니다. 그러나 이 두 이야기는 서로 모순되지 않으며, 오히려 함께 조합하여 볼 때 더 깊은 이해와 복잡성을 제공합니다.

예수님께서 가버나움에 들어가셨을 때, 한 무리의 유대 장로들이 그분께 와서 진심으로 그분의 도움을 구했습니다. 그들의 요청을 들으면서 우리는 그들이 백부장의 명을 받아 예수님께 나아왔음을 알게 됩니다. 예수님께서 그들과 함께 가셨으나 집에서 어느 정도 떨어진 곳에서 백부장은 친구들을 보내어 이렇게 말했습니다:

“주여, 수고하지 마옵소서. 내 집에 들어오심을 나는 감당하지 못하겠나이다. 그러므로 내가 주께 나아가기도 감당하지 못할 줄을 알았나이다. 다만 말씀만 하옵소서. 그러면 내 하인이 낫겠나이다. 나도 남의 수하에 있는 사람이요, 내 아래에도 군사가 있으니, 이더러 가라 하면 가고, 저더러 오라 하면 오고, 내 종더러 이것을 하라 하면 하나이다.”– (누가복음 7:6b-8)

이에 예수님께서는 이스라엘 중에서도 이와 같은 큰 믿음을 본 적이 없다고 감탄하셨고, 친구들이 백부장의 집에 돌아갔을 때, 그 하인이 이미 나음을 입은 것을 발견했습니다. 마태복음은 직접 대면으로 이 사건을 묘사하지만, 누가복음은 간접적으로 제시하고 있습니다. 마태복음에서는 백부장이 사신을 보냈다는 언급이 없으며, 예수님과 직접 대화한 것으로 명시되어 있습니다. 이러한 차이는 어떻게 설명될 수 있을까요?

사도 마태는 마태복음을 기록한 세리였으며, 로마 제국을 위해 공물을 거두는 유대인이었습니다. 마태복음의 문화적 배경을 보면, 이 복음서는 유대인 또는 유대 기독교인 청중을 염두에 두고 작성되었음을 알 수 있습니다. 많은 유대인들, 특히 유대 지도자들은 자신들이 다윗의 자손으로서 혈통 때문에 구원받은 거룩한 백성이라고 믿었습니다. 그러나 예수님께서는 그들도 자신을 믿음으로써 구원을 받아야 한다고 자비롭게 선언하셨습니다(요한복음 8:42-47).

따라서 마태는 유대 지도자들이 백부장의 사신 역할을 했다는 세부 사항을 생략했을 가능성이 큽니다. 이는 그의 의도에 비추어 볼 때 불필요한 세부 사항이었기 때문입니다. 오히려 이 세부 사항은 유대 사신들을 칭찬하는 방향으로 해석될 수 있었으며, 마태는 예수님께서 이스라엘의 모든 사람들보다도 이방인 백부장의 믿음에 감탄하셨음을 강조하고자 했습니다. 이로 인해 기적이 일어난 이유가 유대 사신들이 아닌, 유대인들이 경멸하고 부정하다고 여겼던 이방인의 믿음이었다는 점을 분명히 하고자 했습니다.

또한, 마태는 대리인을 사용하는 관행을 암묵적으로 이해하고 그의 청중도 같은 진리를 이해할 것이라고 가정했을 가능성이 큽니다. 요한복음 19:1에서 "이에 빌라도가 예수를 데려다가 채찍질하니라"라고 말할 때, 빌라도 자신이 직접 채찍을 든 것이 아니라 병사들이 그의 명령을 수행했음을 우리는 이해합니다. 마찬가지로 마태는 예수님과 백부장의 직접 대화를 제시하면서도 대리인의 사용을 암묵적으로 전제했을 것입니다.

또한, 유대 문화에 따르면, 유대인이었던 예수님이 이방인의 집에 들어가는 것은 의식적으로 부정한 행위로 여겨졌습니다. 유대 청중은 백부장이 예수님께 직접 나아가는 것에 대해 더 큰 충격을 받았을 것입니다. 물론 예수님은 문화적 장벽과 전통을 종종 허물기도 하셨지만, 백부장은 지혜롭고 공손하며 경건한 사람이었습니다. 누가복음은 백부장이 로마인과 이방인뿐 아니라 유대인들에게도 존경받았음을 강조하기 위해 유대 사신들을 언급합니다.

마태복음은 백부장의 급진적인 믿음을 강조하며 누가복음에 없는 예수님의 말씀을 다음과 같이 기록합니다:“또 너희에게 이르노니 동서로부터 많은 사람이 이르러 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱과 함께 천국에 앉으려니와 그 나라의 본 자손들은 바깥 어두운 데 쫓겨나 거기서 울며 이를 갈리라.”– 마태복음 8:11-12

사도 마태는 우리의 믿음을 당연하게 여기지 말 것을 상기시킵니다. 우리는 종종 예수 그리스도와 그분이 우리를 위해 행하신 일을 경이롭게 여기지 않고 살아갑니다. 교만하고 경솔하게 살지만, 예수님의 은혜와 사랑을 생각할 때 우리의 동기와 목적은 어떻게 변합니까? 백부장은 그리스도를 알지 못하면서도 그분의 마음을 반영하는 삶을 살았습니다. 그러나 예수님을 듣고 만난 후, 그의 믿음은 예수님의 권위와 행동, 마음을 즉시 알아보았습니다. 결국 백부장은 믿음으로 예수님을 만날 준비된 사람이었습니다.

묵상 질문:

1. 우리는 어떤 방식으로 우리의 믿음을 당연시하고 있습니까?

2. 예수 그리스도께서 주신 믿음에 대해 감사와 경외함으로 어떻게 살아갈 수 있습니까?

   
   

기도:

1. 하나님, 당신의 은혜가 문화, 인종, 나이, 장소에 구애받지 않고 온 세상에 미친다는 것을 가르쳐 주셔서 감사합니다.

2. 예수님, 백부장처럼 믿음이 이끌어 주변 사람들을 깊이 사랑하는 삶을 살 수 있도록 도와주옵소서.

3. 성령님, 겸손과 사랑으로 당신을 인정하며 반영하는 삶을 살 수 있는 힘을 주옵소서.