Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 8:5-8

"And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed." — Matthew 8:5-8 (ASV)

Beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:

What a blessed thing it is to have that sense of unworthiness!

Some are very flippant in the expression of their piety; after they have heard half-a-dozen sermons, they attain to perfect holiness! I wish that they were half as deeply humbled, and knew half as much of themselves as this centurion did.

"Lord, I am not worthy." That is a good lesson for anyone to learn. Still, when we can say, "Lord, we are not worthy," let us not therefore think that Christ may not come to us. Let us ask him to come whatever we may be, for our lack of worthiness must not restrict or limit the condescension of our Divine Master.

However, in this case, although the centurion seemed almost to decline the privilege of having Christ come under his roof, yet he gave to Jesus high honour by believing in the power of his word even without his presence.