"'''Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am also a man under authority—authority'''" <small>
:Matthew 8:8b-9a
:The reasoning presented by the centurion here is puzzling to many readers of the Bible, who ask why his being a man under military authority has any possible relevance to his request for a healing of his servant. It is because they do not understand military discipline, and obedience to authority.
:Because of the centurion's military duty to immediately obey without question those in command over him, he is saying that he recognizes the powerfully effective nature of genuine, true authority, and that he recognizes the legitimate, powerful authority of Christ also as a commander and lord, to command even nature in matters of sickness and health; and thus he is expressing his understanding of the effective legitimacy of the power of the Anointed One, and his belief in his authority, because of the [[analogy]] of the parallel military reality of his own obligation to obey those in authority over him, and of the duty of those under him to obey his own commands without hesitation. He is fully persuaded that whatever Jesus commands will be immediately obeyed, because Jesus has full authority to command obedience to his word. And just as by analogy a lowly-ranking private in military service would feel overwhelmed and unworthy of a visit by the Chief Commanding General of the Armed Forces of the United States of America in response to his petition for help, this Roman centurion declares that he is not worthy to receive Jesus under his roof. Jesus responds that he has not found in Israel this kind of ready acknowledgement of the obligation of obedience to the will of God and of himself as the One sent by God. As a man himself, being fully human, and especially as a Jew, Jesus is amazed at the Roman pagan's unquestioning belief in his authority as one sent from the God of Israel.
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:*[https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1572-authority-of-jesus-christ-the '''The Authority of Jesus Christ''', Wayne Jackson, Christian Courier (christiancourier.com)]
:*[https://www.thoughtco.com/miracles-of-jesus-700158 '''37 Miracles of Jesus: New Testament Miracles of Jesus in Chronological Order''' - ThoughtCo. (thoughtco.com)]
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"'''When Jesus heard it, he ''marveled'''''" <small>
:Matthew 8:10
:"'''''marveled'' έθαύμασε''' ''ethaumase''"—not in the sense of astonished or surprised at the man's faith, as if this "caught Him off guard", as if Jesus was totally unaware of the faith in the man's heart before that moment, but Jesus "'''admired'''" his "'''marvelous'''" expression of faith in Him as "''highly commendable''", an "admirable example" to others, as an instructive practical expression of "praiseworthy confidence", to be heeded and learned from, and, in fact, an act of faith most pleasing to Himself as Lord.<br>"''e'''thauma'''se''"—See [https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=nkjv&strongs=g2296 Strong's number ''2296'' '''θαυμάζω''' ''thaumazō''].
:None of the whole nation of Israel had manifested such ready acceptance of the obvious evidence of Jesus' authority being from God as did the Roman centurion. This included even Jesus' own disciples and apostles personally drawn by Him from among the Jews. Even Nathanael was hesitant when first told about Jesus. And Thomas refused to believe what he was told without evidence he could see and touch. Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+12%3A1-51&version=RSVCE Acts 10:1–11:18] where even Peter and the other apostles and the brethren, believing Jews, had not readily believed, but afterward did believe; while Cornelius and his friends and his whole household had immediately accepted Peter's words about Jesus as Lord and Savior.
:Conservative Christian believers reject every interpretation of scripture which is [[Specious reasoning|speciously]] adduced as demonstrating that Jesus was not aware with divine knowledge. <br>See for example [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6%3A5-6&version=RSVCE John 6:5-6]; also [https://biblehub.com/multi/john/2-25.htm John 2:25]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/john/1-47.htm 1:47]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/john/6-61.htm 6:61], [https://biblehub.com/multi/john/6-64.htm 64]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/mark/2-8.htm 13:11]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/mark/2-8.htm Mark 2:8]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/9-4.htm Matthew 9:4]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/12-25.htm 12:25]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/luke/5-22.htm Luke 5:22]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/luke/6-8.htm 6:8]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/luke/9-47.htm 9:47]; [https://biblehub.com/multi/luke/11-17.htm 11:17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A13-14&version=RSVCE Hebrews 4:13-14].
:Translators who seek to defend the doctrine of Jesus' divinity read the Greek text according to the technical meanings of the actual vocabulary, syntax, grammar of the Greek language and what is termed the "semantical field" (the ''lexical'' context) of the relevant words by choosing allowable readings (translation) of them in favor of this truth (see [[Dynamic equivalence]]) and consistent with the whole context of the Bible and the Christian faith, claiming to be bound by the meaning of the text.
:Translators who disagree and prefer interpretive readings permitted by the technical meanings of particular Greek words according to the Greek [[Lexicon|lexicon (dictionary)]], by choosing allowable definitions that would strongly imply to their readers that Jesus had no divine knowledge of what is in the heart of people, who [[Prejudice|prejudicially]] reject allowed interpretive lexical meanings that support divine knowledge, are not seeking to defend Him or defend the Christian faith, claiming that they are bound by the meaning of the text. 2 Peter 3:17-18.
:See [https://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/8-10.htm multiple versions of Matthew 8:10].
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