A.T. Robertson Commentary Luke 7:2

"And a certain centurion`s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death." — Luke 7:2 (ASV)

Centurion's servant (Hεκατονταρχου τινος δουλος). Slave of a certain centurion (Latin word χεντυριο, commander of a century or hundred). Mr 15:39,44 has the Latin word in Greek letters, κεντυριων. The centurion commanded a company which varied from fifty to a hundred. Each cohort had six centuries. Each legion had ten cohorts or bands (Acts 10:1). The centurions mentioned in the N.T. all seem to be fine men as Polybius states that the best men in the army had this position. See also Lu 23:47. The Greek has two forms of the word, both from εκατον, hundred, and αρχω, to rule, and they appear to be used interchangeably. So we have εκατονταρχος; here, the form is -αρχος, and εκατονταρχης, the form is - αρχης in verse 6. The manuscripts differ about it in almost every instance. The -αρχος form is accepted by Westcott and Hort only in the nominative save the genitive singular here in Lu 7:2 and the accusative singular in Ac 22:25. See like variation between them in Mt 8:5,8 (-αρχος) and Mt 8:13 (αρχη). So also -αρχον (Acts 22:25) and -αρχης (Acts 22:26).

Dear to him (αυτω εντιμος). Held in honour, prized, precious, dear (Luke 14:8; 1 Peter 2:4), common Greek word. Even though a slave he was dear to him.

Was sick (κακως εχων). Having it bad. Common idiom. See already Mt 4:24; 8:16; Mr 2:17; Luke 5:31, etc. Matthew 8:6 notes that the slave was a paralytic.

And at the point of death (ημελλεν τελευταιν). Imperfect active of μελλω (note double augment η) which is used either with the present infinitive as here, the aorist (Revelation 3:16), or even the future because of the future idea in μελλω (Acts 11:28; Acts 24:15). He was about to die.