lievers bury a dead body, the dead bury the dead. The body of the one hath lost its soul, the
soul of the others hath lost God. For as the soul is the life of the body; so is God the life of
the soul. As the body expires when it loses the soul, so doth the soul expire when it loses
God. The loss of God is the death of the soul: the loss of the soul the death of the body. The
death of the body is necessary; the death of the soul voluntary.
3. The Lord then sat down in the house of a certain proud Pharisee. He was in his house,
as I have said, and was not in his heart. But into this centurion’s house He entered not, yet
He possessed his heart. Zacchæus again received the Lord both in house and heart.2169 Yet
the centurion’s faith is praised for its humility. For he said, “I am not worthy that Thou
shouldest come under my roof;”2170 and the Lord said, “Verily I say unto you, I have not
found so great faith, no, not in Israel;”2171 according to the flesh, that is. For he too was an
Israelite undoubtedly according to the spirit. The Lord had come to fleshly Israel, that is, to
the Jews, there to seek first for the lost sheep, among this people, and of this people also He
had assumed His Body. “I have not found there so great faith,” He saith. We can but measure
the faith of men, as men can judge of it; but He who saw the inward parts, He whom no
man can deceive, gave His testimony to this man’s heart, hearing words of lowliness, and
pronouncing a sentence of healing.
4. But whence did he get such confidence? “I also,” saith he, “am a man set under au-
thority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another,
Come, and he cometh: and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.”2172 I am an authority
to certain who are placed under me, being myself placed under a certain authority above
me. If then I a man under authority have the power of commanding, what power must Thou
have, whom all powers serve? Now this man was of the Gentiles, for he was a centurion. At
that time the Jewish nation had soldiers of the Roman empire among them. There he was
engaged in a military life, according to the extent of a centurion’s authority, both under
authority himself, and having authority over others; as a subject obedient, ruling others who
were under him. But the Lord (and mark this especially, Beloved, as need there is you should),
though He was among the Jewish people only, even now announced beforehand that the
Church should be in the whole world, for the establishment of which He would send Apostles;
Himself not seen, yet believed on by the Gentiles: by the Jews seen, and put to death. For as
the Lord did not in body enter into this man’s house, and still, though in body absent, yet
present in majesty, healed his faith, and his house; so the same Lord also was in body among
the Jewish people only: among the other nations He was neither born of a Virgin, nor
2169 Luke xix. 6.
2170 Matt. viii. 8.
2171 Matt. viii. 10.
2172 Matt. viii. 9.
632
On the words of the Gospel, Matt. viii. 8, ‘I am not worthy that thou shouldest…