Luke 7:2
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 (Ac 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 (Ac 22:25) and -αρχης (Ac 22:26).Dear to him ( αυτω εντιμος ). Held in honour, prized, precious, dear (Lu 14:8; 1Pe 2:4; Php 2:29), 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; Lu 5:31, etc. Mt 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 (Re 3:16), or even the future because of the future idea in μελλω (Ac 11:28; 24:15). He was about to die.
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