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Here’s a classic “contradiction” in the New Testament.  It involves the healing of the Roman centurion’s servant.  In Matthew 8:5-13 the centurion himself is portrayed as coming to Jesus to ask for his servant’s healing, but in Luke’s version (Lk 7:1-10), the centurion sends the Jewish elders to make the request.  How do we reconcile this?

There are several observations to be made here.  First, Matthew tends to simplify and summarize-this seems to be his style.  And it is quite acceptable and still accurate to say that the centurion made the request, even though he sent the Jewish elders to speak it on his behalf.  Luke gives the addtional details of who was physically present to ask Jesus face to face for the servant’s healing.  This is an accepted standard in speech both back then and even today.  For example, Plutarch wrote of Alexander the Great meeting with the Chaldean seers even though he actually only spoke to one of them second hand.  And even today, the president’s press secretary conveys messages from the president, and there is no question about whose message it is.  And of course the Lord speaks even when He is using his prophets.

Also, as Darrell Bock points out, Luke seems to be emphasizing a theme of reconciling Jews to Gentiles, and so his including this detail about the Jewish elders making the request for the Roman centurion makes sense.  And it is even possible that the Centurion himself came after the elders, and personally met with Jesus also, although this is not necessary to explain the discrepancy.  By the way, the Roman Centurion is one of just two people of whom Jesus says that they have “great faith!”

But, on another note, think about this one the next time you send someone to make a request for you, so you didn’t have to face that person yourself!  Do you want them to say who is asking??