Luke 7

1 When he had ended all his sainges in the audience of the people he entred into Capernau

2 And a certayne Centurions seruaunte was sicke and redy to dye whom he made moche of.

3 And when he hearde of Iesu he sent vnto him the elders of the Iewes besechinge him yt he wolde come and heale his servaunt.

4 And they came to Iesus and besought him instantly sayinge: He is worthi that thou shuldest do this for him.

5 For he loveth oure nacion and hath bilt vs a sinagoge

6 And Iesus went with them. And when he was not farre fro the housse the Centurio sent frendes to him sayinge vnto him: Lorde trouble not thy silfe: for I am not worthy yt thou shuldest enter vnder my roffe.

7 Wherfore I thought not my silfe worthy to come vnto the: but saye the worde and my servaunt shalbe whoole.

8 For I lyke wyse am a man vnder power and have vnder me soudiers and I saye vnto won goo: and he goeth. And to another come: and he cometh. And to my servaunt do this: and he doeth it.

9 When Iesus herde this he merveyled at him and turned him about and sayd to the people that folowed him: I saye vnto you I have not founde so greate faith noo not in Israel.

10 And they yt were sent turned backe home agayne and founde the servaunt that was sicke whoole.

11 And it fortuned after that that he went into a cite called Naim and many of his disciples went wt him and moche people.

12 When he came nye to the gate of the cite: beholde ther was a deed man caried out which was ye only sonne of his mother and she was a widowe and moche people of the cite was with her.

13 And when ye lorde sawe her he had compassion on her and sayde vnto her: wepe not.

14 And he went and touched the coffyn and they yt bare him stode still. And he sayde: Yonge man I saye vnto the aryse.

15 And ye deed sate vp and beganne to speake. And he delyvered him to his mother.

16 And ther ca a feare on the all. And they glorified god sayinge: a greate prophet is rysen amoge vs and god hath visited his people

17 And this rumor of him wet forthe throughout all Iurie and thorowout all the regions which lye rounde about.

18 And ye disciples of Iohn shewed him of all these thinges.

19 And Iohn called vnto him .ii. of his disciples and sent the to Iesus sayinge: Arte thou he that shall come: or shall we loke for another?

20 When the men were come vnto him they sayde: Iohn baptiste sent vs vnto ye sayinge: Arte thou he that shall come: or shall we wayte for another?

21 And at yt same tyme he cured many of their infirmites and plages and of evyll spretes and vnto many that were blynde he gave sight

22 And Iesus answered and sayd vnto them: Goo youre wayes and shewe Iohn what thinges ye have sene and harde: how yt the blynde se the halt goo the lepers are clensed the deafe heare the deed aryse to the poore is the glad tydinges preached

23 and happy is he that is not offended by me.

24 When ye messengers of Iohn were departed he began to speake vnto ye people of Iohn What wet ye oute into ye wildernes for to se? went ye to se arede shaken wt ye wynde?

25 But what went ye out for tose? A ma clothed in soofte rayment? Beholde they which are gorgeously apparelled and lyve delicatly are in kynges courtes.

26 But what went ye forth to se? A prophete? Ye I saye to you and moare then a prophete

27 This is he of who it is wrytte: Beholde I sende my messenger before thy face to prepare thy waye before the.

28 For I saye vnto you: a greater prophete then Iohn amoge wemes chyldre is ther none. Neverthelesse one yt is lesse in ye kyngdo of god is greater the he

29 And all the people that hearde and the publicans iustified God and were baptised with the baptim of Iohn.

30 But the pharises and scribes despised ye counsell of god agaynst them selves and were not baptised of him.

31 And ye lorde sayd: Wher vnto shall I lyke the men of this generacion and what thinge are they lyke?

32 They are lyke vnto chyldre sittynge in ye market place and cryinge one to another and sayinge: We have pyped vnto you and ye hahave not daunsed: we have mourned to you and ye have not wept.

33 For Iohn baptist cam nether eatynge breed ner drinkynge wyne and ye saye: he hath the devyll.

34 The sonne of man is come and eateth and drinketh and ye saye: beholde a man which is a glotton and a drinker of wyne a frende of publicans and synners.

35 Yet is wysdome iustified of all her chyldren.

36 And one of the pharises desyred him that he wolde eate with him. And he went into ye pharises housse and sate doune to meate.

37 And beholde a woman in that cite which was a synner assone as she knewe that. Iesus sate at meate in the pharises housse she brought an alablaster boxe of oyntmet

38 and she stode at his fete behynde him wepynge and beganne to wesshe his fete with teares and dyd wipe the with the heares of her heed and kyssed his fete and anoynted them with oyntment.

39 When the pharise which bade him sawe that he spake with in him sylfe sayinge: If this man were a prophete he wolde surely have knowen who and what maner woman this is which toucheth him for she is a synner.

40 And Iesus answered and sayde vnto him: Simon I have some what to saye vnto ye. And he sayd master saye on.

41 There was a certayne lender which had two detters ye one ought five hondred pence and the other fyfty.

42 When they had nothinge to paye he forgave the boothe. Which of them tell me will love him moost?

43 Simon answered and sayde: I suppose that he to whom he forgave moost. And he sayde vnto him: Thou hast truly iudged.

44 And he turned to the woman and sayde vnto Simon: Seist thou this woman? I entred into thy housse and thou gavest me noo water to my fete but she hath wesshed my fete with teares and wiped the with the heeres of her heed.

45 Thou gavest me no kysse: but she sence ye tyme I came in hath not ceased to kysse my fete

46 Myne heed wt oyle thou dydest not anoynte: but she hath annoynted my fete wt oyntmet.

47 Wherefore I saye vnto the: many synnes are forgeve her for she loved moche. To whom lesse is forgeven the same doeth lesse love.

48 And he sayde vnto her thy synnes are forgeven ye

49 And they yt sate at meate with him beganne to saye within them selves: Who is this which forgeveth synnes also?

50 And he sayde to ye woman: Thy faith hath saved the Goo 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!