Luke 7:40

40 And Jesus answered, and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to thee. And he said, Master, say thou. [And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to thee. And he saith, Master, say thou.]

Luke 7:40 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:40

And Jesus answering said unto him
Christ being God omniscient, knew not only the character and conversation of this woman, which were publicly known by all, that knew any thing of her, but also the secret thoughts and reasonings of the Pharisee, and makes answer to them; which shows, that he was a prophet, in the sense of this man; yea, more than a prophet:

Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee;
this could not be Simon Peter, Christ spoke to, as some have suggested; for the answer is made unto the Pharisee, and he is the person addressed by the name of Simon; even he, into whose house Christ entered, and now was, as appears from ( Luke 7:44 ) .

And he saith, Master;
or teacher, or doctor; or as the Syriac version, "Rabbi"; which was the common salutation of doctors:

say on.
This was a way of speaking in use with the Jews, giving leave to proceed in a discourse; and as Christ was now a guest in this man's house, he asks leave of him, and he grants him it: so we read of R. Simeon ben Gamaliel F26 that he said to R. Ishmael ben Elishah,

``is it thy pleasure that I should say before thee one thing? he said unto him, (rwma) , "say on".''

Again, R. Jochanan ben Zaccai said F1 to a certain governor,

``suffer me to say one thing to thee: he replied to him, (rwma) , "say on".''


FOOTNOTES:

F26 Abot R. Nathan, c. 38. fol. 9. 2.
F1 Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 4. fol. 183. 1.

Luke 7:40 In-Context

38 and she stood behind beside his feet, and began to moist his feet with tears [and standing behind beside his feet, began to moist his feet with tears], and wiped [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed with ointment.
39 And the Pharisee seeing, that had called him, said within himself, saying, If this were a prophet, he should know, who and what manner woman it were that toucheth him, for she is a sinful woman. [Soothly the Pharisee seeing, that called him, saith within himself, saying, If this were a prophet, soothly he should know, who and what manner woman it is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner.]
40 And Jesus answered, and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to thee. And he said, Master, say thou. [And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to thee. And he saith, Master, say thou.]
41 And he answered, Two debtors were to one lender; and one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty; [And he answered, Two debtors were to some lender, or usurer; one owed five hundred pence, and an other fifty;]
42 but when they had not whereof to yield, he forgave [freely] to both. Who then loveth him more? [soothly them not having whereof they should yield, he forgave freely to both. Who of them therefore loveth him more?]
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.