Luke 7

A Centurion’s Slave Healed

1 After he had finished all his statements in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2 Now a certain centurion's slave, who was esteemed by him, {was sick} [and] was about to die.

3 So [when he] heard about Jesus, he sent Jewish elders to him, asking him that he would come [and] cure his slave.

4 And [when they] came to Jesus, they began imploring him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy [that] you grant this for him,

5 because he loves our nation and he himself built the synagogue for us."

6 So Jesus went with them. Now by this time he was not far away from the house, [and] the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof.

7 For this reason neither did I consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word and my slave must be healed.

8 For I also am a man placed under authority, who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another one, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does [it]."

9 And [when] Jesus heard these [things], he marveled at him, and turning around to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith!"

10 And [when they] returned to the house, those who had been sent found the slave healthy.

A Widow’s Son Raised

11 And it happened that on the next [day] he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him.

12 And as he approached the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, his mother's only son, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.

13 And [when] the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep!"

14 And he came up [and] touched the bier, and those who were carrying [it] stopped. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"

15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother.

16 And fear seized [them] all, and they began to glorify God, saying, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and "God has visited to help his people!"

17 And this report about him went out in the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

A Question from John the Baptist

18 And his disciples reported to John about all these [things]. And summoning a certain two of his disciples, John

19 sent [them] to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

20 And [when] the men came to him, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

21 In that hour he healed many [people] of diseases and suffering and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind [people].

22 And he answered [and] said to them, "Go [and] tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear; the dead are raised, the poor have good news announced to [them].

23 And whoever is not offended by me is blessed."

24 And [when] the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

25 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are in splendid clothing and luxury are in the royal palaces.

26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

27 It is this man about whom it is written: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

28 I tell you, there is no one greater among [those] born of women than John, but the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

29 (And all the people, [when they] heard [this]--even the tax collectors--affirmed the righteousness of God, [because they] had been baptized [with] the baptism of John,

30 but the Pharisees and the legal experts rejected the purpose of God for themselves, [because they] had not been baptized by him.)

31 "To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, who say, 'We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang a lament and you did not weep.'

33 For John the Baptist has come not eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!'

34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a man [who is] a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

35 And wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus’ Feet

36 Now one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he entered into the house of the Pharisee [and] reclined at the table.

37 And behold, a woman in the town who was a sinner, [when she] learned that he was dining in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of perfumed oil,

38 and standing behind [him] at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with [her] tears and was wiping [them] with the hair of her head and was kissing his feet and anointing [them] with the perfumed oil.

39 Now [when] the Pharisee who invited him saw [this], he spoke to himself, saying, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman [this is] who is touching him, that she is a sinner."

40 And Jesus answered [and] said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he said, "Teacher, say [it]."

41 "There were two debtors [who owed] a certain creditor. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty.

42 [When] they were not able to repay [him], he forgave [the debts] of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43 Simon answered [and] said, "I suppose that [it is the one] to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged correctly."

44 And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house. You did not give me water for [my] feet, but she wet my feet with [her] tears and wiped [them] with her hair.

45 You did not give me a kiss, but from the time I entered, she has not stopped kissing my feet.

46 You did not anoint my head with olive oil, but she anointed my feet with perfumed oil.

47 {For this reason} I tell you, her sins--[which were] many--have been forgiven, for she loved much. But [the one] to whom little is forgiven loves little."

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

49 And those who were reclining at the table with [him] began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in 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!

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "was having badly"
• [b]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("was having") has been translated as a finite verb
• [c]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal
• [d]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("come") has been translated as a finite verb
• [e]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came") which is understood as temporal
• [f]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began imploring")
• [g]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("away") has been translated as a finite verb
• [h]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [i]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal
• [j]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("returned") which is understood as temporal
• [k]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [l]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came up") has been translated as a finite verb
• [m]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [n]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to glorify")
• [o]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [p]. A number of significant manuscripts read "Jesus"
• [q]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came") which is understood as temporal
• [r]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [s]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("go") has been translated as a finite verb
• [t]. Some manuscripts have "and the deaf hear"
• [u]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [v]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("had departed")
• [w]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal
• [x]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [y]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had been baptized") which is understood as causal
• [z]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("been baptized") which is understood as causal
• [aa]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("entered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ab]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("learned") which is understood as temporal
• [ac]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ad]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ae]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [af]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ag]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ah]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ai]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("able")
• [aj]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ak]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [al]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [am]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [an]. Literally "on account of which"