<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">8:6&nbsp;</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Saying: Lord, my servant</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">- Masters were well known for disregarding the welfare of their slaves, so in the centurion's passionate concern for his slave we have an insight into the nature of this delightful man.</span></p>
<p><i>Lies in the house paralysed</i>- The same words recur in 8:14, where Peter's mother also lies at home sick, and the Lord heals her. The centurion's servant and Peter's mother are thus being paralleled- just as in 8:5 the wealthy Centurion and the poor leper are paralleled. The point is being made that many people from very different lives and circumstances had one thing in common- desperate need for healing and salvation at the hands of the Lord.</p>
<p><i>Grievously tormented</i>- The same word for 'grievously' is used about the disciples' fear during the storm on the lake (Mt.8:26); the Lord was seeking to educate the twelve by showing them His ability to cure a person in a 'grievous' situation, and then the next day (or later that same day?) giving them the opportunity to themselves be in a 'grievous' situation from which likewise just His word was sufficient to save them. But they failed to see the similarity. And so a bit later, He have them another opportunity to learn from this situation. The servant was &quot;tormented&quot;, and the very same Greek word is used about how the disciples &quot;toiled&quot; or were tormented in trying to row their boat in another storm (Mk. 6:48); in Mt. 14:24 we read that their ship was &quot;tossed&quot;, or tormented [same word again]. And again, they failed to learn the lesson- that a word from the Lord was sufficient to save them out of 'grievous torment', just as it had done for the centurion's servant. In our struggle to attach meaning to event, we are to likewise perceive how the Lord demonstrates His power in another's life- and then brings us into a situation which in essence is similar, so that we might ourselves experience His power to meet&nbsp;<i>our</i>&nbsp;human need. And whether we 'get it' or not, He tends to repeat the lessons, as He did with the disciples.</p>