Jesus' Authority Brings Us To Great Faith

Jesus’ authority to heal is questioned by many in His day, especially the Pharisees.  However, this story stands out because it is a Gentile who exercises great faith in Christ’s power.  He knows that Christ can heal; that He can heal from a distance, and with only a word; and that he himself is unworthy to have Christ come into his house.  We have to ask, where did he learn what he knows?  Where did he come by this great faith?  One, he has learned it by paying attention to what has been said about Christ.  Two, he may have learned some of it from his knowledge of the Old Testament.  And three, he was moved upon by the Spirit to believe.  There were scribes and Pharisees who saw the same things, read the same things - and were hardened in unbelief.  It is God who made the difference.  Even so, today, when people believe, who have never seen Christ or heard firsthand of His power, it testifies that the Spirit opens eyes to see the great things about Christ and exercise otherwise unexplainable faith.