Teks -- Matthew 8:9 (NET)

8:9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my slave ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

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Robertson: Mat 8:9 - For I also am a man under authority

For I also am a man under authority ( kai gar egō anthrōpos hupo exousian ).

"Also"is in the text, though the kai here may mean "even,"even I in my subordinate position have soldiers under me. As a military man he had learned obedience to his superiors and so expected obedience to his commands, instant obedience (aorist imperatives and aoristic present indicatives). Hence his faith in Christ’ s power over the illness of the boy even without coming. Jesus had only to speak with a word (Mat 8:8), say the word, and it would be done.

Vincent: Mat 8:9 - Also

Also ( καὶ )

Omitted in A. V., but very important. " I also am a man under authority," as well as thou. (Tynd., I also myself ) . The centurion compares the Lord's position with his own. Christ had authority over disease. The centurion also was in authority over soldiers. As the centurion had only to say to a soldier " Go!" and he went, so Christ had only to say to disease " Go!" and it would obey him.

Wesley: Mat 8:9 - For I am a man under authority

I am only an inferior officer: and what I command, is done even in my absence: how much more what thou commandest, who art Lord of all!

Clarke: Mat 8:9 - For I am a man under authority

For I am a man under authority - That is, under the authority of others. This verse has given considerable embarrassment to commentators and critics. I believe the paraphrase given above to be the true meaning of the evangelist. To make this matter more plain, let it be observed, that the Roman foot was divided into three grand parts, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. Each of these grand divisions was composed of thirty manipuli or companies; and every manipulus made two centuries or companies of one hundred men. Every manipulus had two centurions; but these were very far from being equal in rank and honor, though possessing the very same office. The Triarii and Principes were esteemed the most honorable, and had their centurions elected first; and these first elected centurions took precedency of the centurions of the Hastati, who were elected last. The centurion in the text was probably one of this last order; he was under the authority of either the Principes or Triarii, and had none under him but the hundred men whom he commanded, and who appear to have been in a state of the most loving subjection to him. The argument of the centurion seems to run thus. If I, who am a person subject to the control of others, yet have some so completely subject to myself, that I can say to one, Come, and he cometh, to another, Go, and he goeth, and to my slave ( τω δουλω μου ) Do this, and he doeth it; how much more then canst thou accomplish whatsoever thou willest, being under no control, and having all things under thy command: He makes a proper use of his authority, who, by it, raises his mind to the contemplation of the sovereign power of God, taking occasion from it to humble himself before Him who has all power in heaven and earth, and to expect all good from him

There are two beautiful passages in Arrian that tend much to illustrate this speech of the centurion

Καταταγεις Αγαμεμνων, λεγει μοι, πορευου προς τον Αχιλλεα, και αποσπασον την Βρισηιδα, πορευομαι. Ερχου, ερχομαι

"He who personates Agamemnon says to me, Go to Achilles, and bring hither Briseis: I go. He says, Come hither: I come.

Dissert. l. i. c. 25. p. 97

Οταν ο Θεος ειπῃ τοις φυτοις ανθειν , ανθει. Οταν ειπῃ βλαϚανειν, βλαϚανει. Οταν εκφερειν τον καρπον, εκφερει. Οταν πεπαινειν, πεπαινει. Οταν παλιν αποβαλλειν, και φυλλορροειν, και αυτα εις αυτα συνειλουμενα εφ ’ ησυχιας μενειν, και αναπαυεσθαι, μενει και αναπαυεται

"When God commands the plants to blossom, they bear blossoms

When he commands them to bear seed, they bear seed

When he commands them to bring forth fruit, they put forth their fruits

When he commands them to ripen, they grow ripe

When he commands them to fade, and shed their leaves, and remain inactive, involved in themselves, they thus remain, and are inactive.

Cap. 14. p. 62. See Raphelius

This mode of speech fully marks supreme and uncontrolled power, and that power put forth by a sovereign will to effect any purpose of justice or mercy. And God said, let there be light, and there was light, is a similar expression.

Calvin: Mat 8:9 - For I am a man subject to the power of another

Mat 8:9.For I am a man subject to the power of another This comparison does not imply equality between the two cases, but is taken from the less to the greater. He forms a higher conception of the divine power, which is manifested in Christ, than of the authority which was possessed by himself over servants and soldiers.

TSK: Mat 8:9 - Go // Do

Go : Job 38:34, Job 38:35; Psa 107:25-29, Psa 119:91, Psa 148:8; Jer 47:6, Jer 47:7; Eze 14:17-21; Mar 4:39-41; Luk 4:35, Luk 4:36, Luk 4:39, Luk 7:8

Do : Eph 6:5, Eph 6:6; Col 3:22; Tit 2:9

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Poole: Mat 8:5-10 - There came unto him a centurion // When Jesus heard it, he marvelled // and said to them that followed him, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel

Ver. 5-10. Many think that this story was in order before the other. It is related by Luk 7:1-9 , with some larger circumstances: there is only this difference between the two evangelists; Matthew seems to speak as if the centurion at first came in person to him; Luke saith, that he first sent the elders of the Jews to him, then some friends. But we are accounted ourselves to do that which we set others on work to do.

There came unto him a centurion there came some elders of the Jews first, then some particular friends of one that was a Roman captain, to him, to tell him that the captain had a servant at his house that lay grievously sick of and tormented with the palsy; that which we usually call the dead palsy, in which a fit of the apoplexy usually issueth, when it doth not presently kill. Our Lord promises to come and heal him, therein showing both his kindness, and how acceptable to him the humanity of this centurion to his servant was. The centurion by his friends, as Luke tells us, sends to him, desiring him not to trouble himself to that degree, telling him.

1. That it was a favour of which he was not worthy. The best men have always the meanest thoughts of themselves.

2. That it was needless, for if he would only

speak the word commanding out the distemper, that was enough to effect the cure. For he tells him, that he believed diseases were as much at Christ’ s command as his servants were at his command. That they came at God’ s command, wrought according to their commission from God, and went off when God commanded them off; so that if he, though at a distance, would command off his servant’ s disease, it would be as effectual as his presence.

Whether this captain were actually proselyted to the Jewish religion or not, is uncertain: it should seem by our Saviour’ s next words that he was not an Israelite; but it is most certain that he had a right notion of the power of the true God, and it looks very probable that he had a revelation of Christ, as the true Messiah and Son of God.

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled admiration agreed not to Christ as God, but as man it did;

and said to them that followed him, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel that is, in the generality of the Israelites, for if we speak of particular persons, both Joseph and Mary had showed a greater faith. This expression is enough to let us know, that the centurion was no native Israelite, and make it probable he was not of the Jewish church, which might be, though he was so kind to the Jewish nation as to build them a synagogue, upon which account, Luk 7:3 , &c., the elders of the Jews pleaded with Christ for him. This made our Saviour go on, prophesying of a further conversion of the Gentiles.

Gill: Mat 8:9 - For I am a man under authority // having soldiers under me // and I say unto this man go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh // and to my servant // do this, and he doth it

For I am a man under authority,.... Of Caesar the Roman emperor, and of superior officers under him, as a tribune, &c.

having soldiers under me; an hundred of them at least, for military service, and some of them were used by him as his domestics:

and I say unto this man go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh: for there is no disputing the commands of officers, by soldiers, in anything, in exercises, marches, battles, &c.

and to my servant, that was more properly his domestic servant, who waited upon him, and did those things for him which every soldier under him was not employed in,

do this, and he doth it; immediately, without any more ado; as indeed a servant ought. The Jews ^l have a saying, that

"a servant over whom his master אין רשות, "hath no power", is not called a servant.''

Now, these words are not a reason excusing Christ's coming to his house, or showing how unworthy it was, and how unfit it would be for him to come thither, since he was a man that held soldiers under him, and his house was encumbered with them; for these were not with him, but quartered out elsewhere: but they are an argument, from the lesser to the greater, that seeing he was a man, and Christ was God, he was under the authority of others. Christ was subject to none; and yet he had such power over his soldiers and servants, that if he bid one go, and another come, or ordered them to stand in such a place, and in such a posture, or do this and the other servile work, his orders were immediately obeyed: how much more easily then could Christ, who had all power in heaven and in earth, command off this distemper his servant was afflicted with? He suggests, that as his soldiers were under him, and at his command; so all bodily diseases were under Christ, and to be controlled by him, at his pleasure; and that, if he would but say to that servant of his, the palsy, remove, it would remove at once.