Luke 7

1 After He had finished teaching all these things in the hearing of the people, He went into Capernaum.

2 Here the servant of a certain Captain, a man dear to his master, was ill and at the point of death;

3 and the Captain, hearing about Jesus, sent to Him some of the Jewish Elders, begging Him to come and restore his servant to health.

4 And they, when they came to Jesus, earnestly entreated Him, pleading, "He deserves to have this favour granted him,

5 for he loves our nation, and at his own expense he built our synagogue for us."

6 Then Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the Captain sent friends to Him with the message: "Sir, do not trouble to come. I am not worthy of having you come under my roof;

7 and therefore I did not deem myself worthy to come to you. Only speak the word, and let my young man be cured.

8 For I too am a man obedient to authority, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes; to another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, `Do this or that,' and he does it."

9 Jesus listened to the Captain's message and was astonished at him, and He turned and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I tell you that not even in Israel have I found faith like that."

10 And the friends who had been sent, on returning to the house, found the servant in perfect health.

11 Shortly afterwards He went to a town called Nain, attended by His disciples and a great crowd of people.

12 And just as He reached the gate of the town, they happened to be bringing out for burial a dead man who was his mother's only son; and she was a widow; and a great number of the townspeople were with her.

13 The Lord saw her, was moved with pity for her, and said to her, "Do not weep."

14 Then He went close and touched the bier, and the bearers halted. "Young man," He said, "I command you, wake!"

15 The dead man sat up and began to speak; and He restored him to his mother.

16 All were awe-struck, and they gave glory to God--some saying, "A Prophet, a great Prophet, has risen up among us." Others said, "God has not forgotten His People."

17 And the report of what Jesus had done spread through the whole of Judaea and in all the surrounding districts.

18 John's disciples brought him an account of all these things;

19 so John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord. "Are you the Coming One?" he asked, "or is there another that we are to expect?"

20 The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you with this question: `Are you the Coming One, or is there another that we are to expect?'"

21 He immediately cured many of diseases, severe pain, and evil spirits, and to many who were blind He gave the gift of sight.

22 Then He answered the messengers, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard. Blind men receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are purified, deaf persons hear, the dead are raised to life, the poor have the Good News proclaimed to them.

23 And blessed is every one who does not stumble and fall because of my claims."

24 When John's messengers were gone, He proceeded to say to the multitude concerning John, "What did you go out into the Desert to gaze at? A reed waving in the wind?

25 But what did you go out to see? A man wearing luxurious clothes? People who are gorgeously dressed and live in luxury are found in palaces.

26 But what did you go out to see? A Prophet? Aye, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet.

27 John is the man about whom it is written, `See, I am sending My messenger before thy face, and he shall make ready thy way before thee.'

28 "I tell you that among all of women born there is not one greater than John. Yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.

29 And all the people, including the tax-gatherers, when they listened to him upheld the righteousness of God, by being baptized with John's baptism.

30 But the Pharisees and expounders of the Law have frustrated God's purpose as to their own lives, by refusing to be baptized.

31 "To what then shall I compare the men of the present generation, and what do they resemble?

32 They are like children sitting in the public square and calling out to one another, `We have played the flute to you, and you have not danced: we have sung dirges, and you have not shown sorrow.'

33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, `He has a demon!'

34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, `Look, there is a man who is overfond of eating and drinking--he is a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!'

35 But wisdom is justified by all who are truly wise."

36 Now one of the Pharisees repeatedly invited Him to a meal at his house; so He entered the house and reclined at the table.

37 And there was a woman in the town who was a notorious sinner. Having learnt that Jesus was at table in the Pharisee's house she brought a flask of perfume,

38 and, standing behind close to His feet, weeping, began to wet His feet with her tears; and with her hair she wiped the tears away again, while she lovingly kissed His feet and poured the perfume over them.

39 Noticing this, the Pharisee, His host, said to himself, "This man, if he were really a Prophet, would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him--and would know that she is an immoral woman."

40 In answer to his thoughts Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have a word to say to you." "Rabbi, say on," he replied.

41 "There were once two men in debt to one money-lender," said Jesus; "one owed him five hundred shillings and the other fifty.

42 But neither of them could pay anything; so he freely forgave them both. Tell me, then, which of them will love him most?"

43 "I suppose," replied Simon, "the one to whom he forgave most." "You have judged rightly," Jesus rejoined.

44 Then turning towards the woman He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house: you gave me no water for my feet; but she has made my feet wet with her tears, and then wiped the tears away with her hair.

45 No kiss did you give me; but she from the moment I came in has not left off tenderly kissing my feet.

46 No oil did you pour even on my head; but she has poured perfume upon my feet.

47 This is the reason why I tell you that her sins, her many sins, are forgiven--because she has loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

48 And He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49 Then the other guests began to say to themselves, "Who can this man be who even forgives sins?"

50 But He said to the woman, "Your faith has cured you: go, and be at peace."

Luke 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The centurion's servant healed. (1-10) The widow's son raised. (11-18) John the Baptist's inquiry concerning Jesus. (19-35) Christ anointed in the house of the Pharisee The parable of the two debtors. (36-50)

Verses 1-10 Servants should study to endear themselves to their masters. Masters ought to take particular care of their servants when they are sick. We may still, by faithful and fervent prayer, apply to Christ, and ought to do so when sickness is in our families. The building places for religious worship is a good work, and an instance of love to God and his people. Our Lord Jesus was pleased with the centurion's faith; and he never fails to answer the expectations of that faith which honours his power and love. The cure soon wrought and perfect.

Verses 11-18 When the Lord saw the poor widow following her son to the grave, he had compassion on her. See Christ's power over death itself. The gospel call to all people, to young people particularly, is, Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light and life. When Christ put life into him, it appeared by the youth's sitting up. Have we grace from Christ? Let us show it. He began to speak: whenever Christ gives us spiritual life, he opens the lips in prayer and praise. When dead souls are raised to spiritual life, by Divine power going with the gospel, we must glorify God, and look upon it as a gracious visit to his people. Let us seek for such an interest in our compassionate Saviour, that we may look forward with joy to the time when the Redeemer's voice shall call forth all that are in their graves. May we be called to the resurrection of life, not to that of damnation.

Verses 19-35 To his miracles in the kingdom of nature, Christ adds this in the kingdom of grace, To the poor the gospel is preached. It clearly pointed out the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, that the messenger he sent before him to prepare his way, did it by preaching repentance and reformation of heart and life. We have here the just blame of those who were not wrought upon by the ministry of John Baptist or of Jesus Christ himself. They made a jest of the methods God took to do them good. This is the ruin of multitudes; they are not serious in the concerns of their souls. Let us study to prove ourselves children of Wisdom, by attending the instructions of God's word, and adoring those mysteries and glad tidings which infidels and Pharisees deride and blaspheme.

Verses 36-50 None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character. But without free forgiveness none of us can escape the wrath to come; this our gracious Saviour has purchased with his blood, that he may freely bestow it on every one that believes in him. Christ, by a parable, forced Simon to acknowledge that the greater sinner this woman had been, the greater love she ought to show to Him when her sins were pardoned. Learn here, that sin is a debt; and all are sinners, are debtors to Almighty God. Some sinners are greater debtors; but whether our debt be more or less, it is more than we are able to pay. God is ready to forgive; and his Son having purchased pardon for those who believe in him, his gospel promises it to them, and his Spirit seals it to repenting sinners, and gives them the comfort. Let us keep far from the proud spirit of the Pharisee, simply depending upon and rejoicing in Christ alone, and so be prepared to obey him more zealously, and more strongly to recommend him unto all around us. The more we express our sorrow for sin, and our love to Christ, the clearer evidence we have of the forgiveness of our sins. What a wonderful change does grace make upon a sinner's heart and life, as well as upon his state before God, by the full remission of all his sins through faith in the Lord Jesus!