The Life of Christ

Lk. 7:4-5 And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5 for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.”

It is highly unusual that a Gentile military man would fund a Jewish synagogue.

• This must have had some impact on Jesus.

• Obviously, this Gentile had great respect for the Jewish religion and may have even had the beginnings of faith in the Hebrew God.

• He may have even believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promised Messiah.

This also wasn’t just any synagogue that he helped finance .

• Archaeologists declare it the largest and most splendid of those yet exhumed in all of Galilee.

• In addition to its great size, it was the place where Jesus had done a considerable amount of ministry.

• The first exorcism ever, occurred within this synagogue; many were healed, and hours of divine instruction were given.

• Jesus made such an impact on people at that synagogue, that Jairus, the ruler of this synagogue will become a believer, later asking Jesus to heal his daughter.

• As this story unfolds, a final tribute to this synagogue is that it was financed by a Gentile who is about to have the Messiah raise the synagogue ruler’s daughter from the dead!

The reason why it’s noted that this man contributed to the synagogue is to show us that our works for the kingdom have some relationship to God’s healing power being activated.

• When we pray for someone to be healed, it is helpful to remind the Father of what this person has previously done toward His name!

When Hezekiah was on his death bed, he pleaded with God to remember how he had served him.

• Is. 38:3 reads, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. • Isa. 43:25-26 adds, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.”

• This is legal language that God uses. “Tell me why I should acquit your sins?”

• These Jewish elders are “stating the Centurion’s case” as to why his servant should receive healing.

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