Luke 07

Healing the Centurion’s Slave

1After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people, he entered Capernaum.

Capernaum was the home town of the apostles Peter, James, Andrew and John, and the tax collector, Matthew. It was also the center of the Lord's activities in Galilee. Jesus taught in the local synagogue. 

2A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death.

A centurion was a Roman commander who was in control of 100 men. He usually hated the Jews, because he looked at them as a tribute nation. However, this Roman commander was deeply respected by the Jewish people.

3When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave.

The centurion loved his slave. Apparently, since the centurion was stationed near Capernaum, he had heard or even seen the healing ministry of Jesus and had great respect for Him.

4When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.”

The centurion was not like other Roman commanders who hated Israel. The centurion loved the nation of Israel and had even built them a synagogue.

6So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

The centurion was not Jewish, but Gentile. The message of Jesus was that He had come to set up a Jewish Messianic Kingdom which would bless Gentiles.

7That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed.

The centurion recognized that Jesus could just say a word and his servant would be healed.

8For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

The centurion recognized the authority of Jesus. The centurion possessed authority over 100 men, but Jesus possessed authority over everything.

9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!”

This one Gentile had more faith than any Jewish man in Israel.

10So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

The Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12 promised that those who blessed Israel would be blessed and those who cursed Israel would be cursed. The centurion blessed Israel, so he was blessed. Jesus healed the centurion's slave with just a thought. 

Raising a Widow’s Son 

11Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him.

The town of Nain was in Galilee, south of Nazareth, and across the valley. Large crowds were continuing to follow Jesus everywhere He went.

12As he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother (who was a widow), and a large crowd from the town was with her.

The mother was a widow and had just lost her only son. The son was in charge of taking care of the mother. The mother had lost her only means of support.

13When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Jesus knew the situation of the widow and felt compassion for her. This is the emotional condition that the God of the universe felt about the death of a loved one.

14Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”

The bier was a casket. Levites were not allowed to touch the casket, but other Jews could do so. Jesus was not a Levite, so He did not break the Mosaic Law. Jesus commanded the young man to stand up.

15So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Only God can raise the dead.

16Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has come to help his people!”

This was not enough. Jesus was more than a prophet. He had claimed to be the Messianic god-man. 

17This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.

A good report circulated throughout Judea about Jesus. However, this good report was the opinion of the people, not the Jewish leaders.

Jesus and John the Baptist

18John’s disciples informed him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples\

John's disciples shared with John that the Jewish leaders were not believing in Jesus as the Messiah.

19and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

Since the Jewish leaders did not believe in Jesus, then this non-acceptance led John to believe that maybe he had pointed out the wrong man as the Messiah. Even mature believers face doubts sometimes in their lives. John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus point blankly if He was the Messiah.

20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”

The disciples of John asked Jesus the point blank question.

21At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind.

The prophets had predicted that the Messiah would perform these miracles.

22So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them.

These miracles were authentication that Jesus was the Messiah.

23Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah will be blessed. Any of those who are offended about Jesus will not be blessed.

24When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

John was not wishy-washy. He did not shake with the wind. His message was firm, strong, and unshaken.

25What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings’ courts!

John was not a rich man with power and influence. He was living in poverty out in the wilderness.

26What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

Jesus confirmed that John the Baptist was not only a prophet, but he was one of the greatest prophets who ever lived. All of the other prophets had small ministries. The majority of the people did not listen to them. They were all killed and martyred. John had a larger following than the other prophets.

27This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

Jesus quoted Malachi 3:1 to prove that John the Baptist was not only a great prophet, but he was also the herald of the Messiah predicted by the prophet Malachi. Malachi was the last book of the Old Testament. It was written 400 years before John the Baptist entered the scene.

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

Jesus confirmed that John the Baptist was greater than any prophet in the Old Testament. However, everyone who believes in Jesus as the Messiah will be much greater than John in the kingdom to come. This is a hint that John the Baptist will die before the church is formed at Pentecost.

29Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.

Many of those baptized by John believed in Jesus as the Messiah.

30However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

The Pharisees rejected the message of John, because he did not buy into Judaism.

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

Jesus gave the condition of His present generation.

32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’

The Pharisees were like little children playing games. The flute was played, but John the Baptist fasted. He did not dance with their Judaism. John was criticized for always fasting and never dancing. On the other hand, Jesus was criticized for not fasting and always dancing.

33For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

John the Baptist fasted, but since he did not dance with Judaism, the Pharisees called him demon-possessed.

34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Jesus did not fast, but since He did not dance with Judaism, they called him demon-possesed as well.

35But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

The Pharisees possessed no wisdom. Anyone who disagreed with their Judaism was accused of being demon-possessed.

Jesus’ Anointing 

36Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.

This Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner in order to discredit Him in front of others. 

37Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil.

The woman was most likely a prostitute. Perhaps she believed that Jesus was the Messiah, so she brought with her expensive perfume.

38As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil.

This woman was worshipping Jesus.

39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”

The Pharisee condemned Jesus, because Jesus allowed the woman to worship Him.

40So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.”

The Pharisee was named Simon. He did not call Jesus "Lord", but he did call him teacher. Many of the rabbi today will claim that Jesus was only a great teacher, but not the Messiah.

41“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty.

Since Jesus was called "teacher," He answered in parable form. The two debtors were the Pharisee and the woman. Both have sinned, so they owe a debt to Jesus that neither can pay. They cannot get into heaven unless they are sinless.

42When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Since neither the Pharisee nor the woman could pay the debt of sin, then Jesus died for their sins and paid the debt for them. Which person will love Christ the most?

43Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

The sinner who sins the most and is forgiven the most will love Christ the most.

44Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

It was customary for the host to give the visitor water to cleanse his feet. Simon the Pharisee did not respect Jesus. He was trying to trap Him. The woman loved Jesus, because He saved her out of prostitution, saved her from her sins, and made her a princess who would one day co-reign with Christ. She saw the ill treatment that Jesus received by Simon the Pharisee, so she wiped the feet of Jesus with her own tears and hair. This was a tremendous sign of humility, a character that the proud Pharisee did not possess.

45You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet.

A kiss of greeting was similar to a handshake of greeting today. The Pharisee did not respect Jesus, so he gave Him no greeting.

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

This was another customary greeting that the Pharisee intentionally ignored in front of the other guests. 

47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”

Only God can forgive sins. Jesus was claiming to be God.

48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The Greek word for "are forgiven" is ἀφίημι, a perfect passive indicative verb, meaning that the woman's sins were forgiven at the point of time that Jesus spoke, and this forgiveness of sins continues into eternity. This verb was in the indicative mood, meaning it was a 100% statement of fact. This was a claim of deity. It is also a claim of eternal security. If it was possible for the woman to lose her salvation, then the verb would have been in the subjunctive or optative mood, not the indicative.

49But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

All of the guests understood that Jesus had just claimed deity.

50He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Mary Magdalene believed on Jesus and she was saved. She can leave the dinner in peace, because she knows where she will be in eternity. There is no peace for the wicked.