Luke 7:40

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, `Simon, I have something to say to thee;' and he saith, `Teacher, say on.'

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".''

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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 having stood behind, beside his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with the tears, and with the hairs of her head she was wiping, and was kissing his feet, and was anointing with the ointment.

39 And the Pharisee who did call him, having seen, spake within himself, saying, `This one, if he were a prophet, would have known who and of what kind [is] the woman who doth touch him, that she is a sinner.'

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, `Simon, I have something to say to thee;' and he saith, `Teacher, say on.'

41 `Two debtors were to a certain creditor; the one was owing five hundred denaries, and the other fifty;

42 and they not having [wherewith] to give back, he forgave both; which then of them, say thou, will love him more?'