THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 8 - Verse 10

Verse 10. I have not found so great faith. The word faith, here, means confidence, or belief that Christ had power to heal his servant. It does not of necessity imply that he had saving faith; though from the connexion, and the spirit manifested, it seems probable that he had. If this was so, then he was the first Gentile convert to Christianity, and was a very early illustration of what was more dearly revealed afterwards, that the heathen were to be brought to the knowledge of the truth.

Jesus—-marvelled. Or wondered at his faith; or deemed it remarkable.

Not in Israel. Israel was a name given to Jacob, (Ge 32:28,29) because, as a prince, he had power with God; because he persevered in wrestling with the angel that met him, and obtained the blessing. The name is derived from two Hebrew words, signifying Prince and God. He was one of the patriarchs; a progenitor of the Jewish nation; and the names Israel and Israelites were given to them as the name Romans was in honour of Romulus; and the name Americans after Americus Vespuccius. It was given to the whole nation till the time of Jeroboam, when only the ten tribes that revolted received the name, probably because they were a majority of the nation. After the captivity of Babylon, it was given to all the Jews indiscriminately. See Mt 10:6; Ac 7:42; Heb 8:8; Mr 15:32. It here means, "I have not found such an instance of confidence among the Jews."

{y} "no, not in all Israel" Mt 15:28