Lord, I am not worthy ...

An interesting story, all three versions of which (Luke 7, Matthew 8, John 4) the ill one is in Capernaum and Jesus heals him from afar at the request of an anxious Gentile who believes in Jesus. Each evangelist tells differently. In Luke the patient is a slave who is ill and dying and the centurion sends Jewish elders to Jesus. Matthew has a servant (different Greek word) who is paralyzed and the centurion himself comes to Jesus. In John a royal official (we aren’t told his rank) whose son is dying comes to Jesus in Cana, a distance away. Some scholars have Luke and Matthew using Sayings Gospel Q as source, John the Signs Gospel (both hypothetical documents) and this is the Second Sign; or maybe Luke condensing Matthew. Maybe we’ll look at it in Sunday School. For sure, we won’t be talking about the presidential election.

Gospel for Sunday, May 29, 2016

Luke 7:1-10

1 After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. 3When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. 4When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, 5for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.’ 6And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; 7therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. 8For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ 9When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ 10When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

Pic: ship leaving Port of Panama City about half an hour ago, six o'clock or so this morning, early sun on her bridge.

Thos+