Luke 7

1 And when he completed all his sayings in the ears of the people, he went into Capernaum;

2 and a certain centurion's servant being ill, was about to die, who was much valued by him,

3 and having heard about Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, beseeching him, that having come he might thoroughly save his servant.

4 And they, having come near unto Jesus, were calling upon him earnestly, saying -- `He is worthy to whom thou shalt do this,

5 for he doth love our nation, and the synagogue he did build to us.'

6 And Jesus was going on with them, and now when he is not far distant from the house the centurion sent unto him friends, saying to him, `Sir, be not troubled, for I am not worthy that under my roof thou mayest enter;

7 wherefore not even myself thought I worthy to come unto thee, but say in a word, and my lad shall be healed;

8 for I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this [one], Go, and he goeth; and to another, Be coming, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth [it].'

9 And having heard these things Jesus wondered at him, and having turned to the multitude following him, he said, `I say to you, not even in Israel so much faith did I find;'

10 and those sent, having turned back to the house, found the ailing servant in health.

11 And it came to pass, on the morrow, he was going on to a city called Nain, and there were going with him many of his disciples, and a great multitude,

12 and as he came nigh to the gate of the city, then, lo, one dead was being carried forth, an only son of his mother, and she a widow, and a great multitude of the city was with her.

13 And the Lord having seen her, was moved with compassion towards her, and said to her, `Be not weeping;'

14 and having come near, he touched the bier, and those bearing [it] stood still, and he said, `Young man, to thee I say, Arise;'

15 and the dead sat up, and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother;

16 and fear took hold of all, and they were glorifying God, saying -- `A great prophet hath risen among us,' and -- `God did look upon His people.'

17 And the account of this went forth in all Judea about him, and in all the region around.

18 And the disciples of John told him about all these things,

19 and John having called near a certain two of his disciples, sent unto Jesus, saying, `Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'

20 And having come near to him, the men said, `John the Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'

21 And in that hour he cured many from sicknesses, and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight.

22 And Jesus answering said to them, `Having gone on, report to John what ye saw and heard, that blind men do see again, lame do walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf do hear, dead are raised, poor have good news proclaimed;

23 and happy is he whoever may not be stumbled in me.'

24 And the messengers of John having gone away, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John: `What have ye gone forth to the wilderness to look on? a reed by the wind shaken?

25 but what have ye gone forth to see? a man in soft garments clothed? lo, they in splendid apparellings, and living in luxury, are in the houses of kings!

26 `But what have ye gone forth to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet:

27 this is he concerning whom it hath been written, Lo, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee;

28 for I say to you, a greater prophet, among those born of women, than John the Baptist there is not; but the least in the reign of God is greater than he.'

29 And all the people having heard, and the tax-gatherers, declared God righteous, having been baptized with the baptism of John,

30 but the Pharisees, and the lawyers, the counsel of God did put away for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

31 And the Lord said, `To what, then, shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

32 they are like to children, to those sitting in a market-place, and calling one to another, and saying, We piped to you, and ye did not dance, we mourned to you, and ye did not weep!

33 `For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and ye say, He hath a demon;

34 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and ye say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners;

35 and the wisdom was justified from all her children.'

36 And a certain one of the Pharisees was asking him that he might eat with him, and having gone into the house of the Pharisee he reclined (at meat),

37 and lo, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having known that he reclineth (at meat) in the house of the Pharisee, having provided an alabaster box of ointment,

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?'

43 And Simon answering said, `I suppose that to whom he forgave the more;' and he said to him, `Rightly thou didst judge.'

44 And having turned unto the woman, he said to Simon, `Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house; water for my feet thou didst not give, but this woman with tears did wet my feet, and with the hairs of her head did wipe;

45 a kiss to me thou didst not give, but this woman, from what [time] I came in, did not cease kissing my feet;

46 with oil my head thou didst not anoint, but this woman with ointment did anoint my feet;

47 therefore I say to thee, her many sins have been forgiven, because she did love much; but to whom little is forgiven, little he doth love.'

48 And he said to her, `Thy sins have been forgiven;'

49 and those reclining with him (at meat) began to say within themselves, `Who is this, who also doth forgive sins?'

50 and he said unto the woman, `Thy faith have saved thee, be going on to 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!