Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Luke 7

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

Luke 7:¹ Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.

Luke 7:² And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.

• A Roman Centurion was a gentile. Gentiles were referred to as “dogs”.

Luke 7:³ So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.

Luke 7:⁴ And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving,

Luke 7:⁵ “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”

Luke 7:⁶ Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.

Luke 7:⁷ Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Luke 7:⁸ For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

Luke 7:⁹ When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”

Luke 7:¹⁰ And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

Jesus Raises the son of the Widow of Nain (Beauty, Pleasantness)

Luke 7:¹¹ Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.

Luke 7:¹² And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

Luke 7:¹³ When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Luke 7:¹⁴ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

Luke 7:¹⁵ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

Luke 7:¹⁶ Then fear came upon all (seized them all), and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.”

Luke 7:¹⁷ And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

Luke 7:¹⁸ Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.

Luke 7:¹⁹ And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to (the Lord) Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another (should we expect)?”

Luke 7:²⁰ When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’

Luke 7:²¹ And that very hour He cured many of infirmities (illnesses), afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.

Luke 7:²² Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Luke 7:²³ And blessed is he who is not offended (caused to stumble) because of Me.”

Luke 7:²⁴ When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Luke 7:²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.

Luke 7:²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Luke 7:²⁷ This is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

Luke 7:²⁸ For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist (none greater than John); but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Luke 7:²⁹ And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified [declared the righteousness of] God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

Luke 7:³⁰ But the Pharisees and lawyers (the experts in the law) rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

Luke 7:³¹ And the Lord said, “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?

Luke 7:³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not weep.’

Luke 7:³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

Luke 7:³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber (An excessive drinker), a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Luke 7:³⁵ But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

Luke 7:³⁶ Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.

• It was Simon the leper, a Pharisee who invited Jesus and his disciples to his house. Lepers were considered “unclean”, separated from the community.
  
• Leprosy is considered a metaphor for sin which deforms a man, separates him from the community, and ends in death.
  
  • King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 26:2

Luke 7:³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

• The woman is Mary Magdalene in whom Jesus cast out seven demons. A “sinner” most likely is a prostitute.

Luke 7:³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

• The fragrant oil was a year’s wages. Jesus knew He would be arrested and crucified and had told His disciples so but they didn’t get it. His disciples thought He would be setting up His kingdom on earth which would have been correct if the leaders would have accepted Him as per Daniel’s timeline. This was a critical moment of decision for the Jewish leaders. If they had accepted Him, Jesus would still have had to die for the sins of the world but it would have resulted in a different future for the Jewish nation. Regardless, Jesus would or will set up His kingdom on earth. Nevertheless; God knew from the beginning what the future would be.
  
  His disciples were ready to fight with the sword. They were arguing over who would be the greatest in His kingdom.
  
  While the disciples were ready to fight, Mary Magdalene must have actually heard what Jesus had told them: “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” (Matt 26:2)
  
  This day in history is Monday, April 23, 31AD.
  
  Mary Magdalene is weeping. She is washing his feet as her tears stream over his feet. She dries his feet with her hair. She has been rejected by her community and used. She has followed Him from the beginning. Here is a man who cared about her enough to heal her. (Luke 8:1-2)
  
  If there is a personal application here, it is this: Don’t punish people for their pain. Look for a way to help heal them.
  
  Jesus knew that every person on this planet is subjected to the “god of this world” (Satan) and is subjected to Satan’s pain, without exception.
  
  As you read the scriptures, you see He used appropriate responses to those who were tied up in Satan’s twisted world. To those in pain, he healed, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. To the arrogant, He confronted. For both, it was whatever was in their best interest.
  
  

Luke 7:³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

• Satan is like Simon the leper; standing before the throne of God accusing others, labeling them with bad labels, and putting them under his feet.
• Everyone; is a sinner, a “Mary Magdalene”.
• Does Satan understand that when he accuses others, he is also condemning himself? When Simon is accusing Mary Magdalene, he is condemning himself.
• Satan was willing to exchange the love of God for power; always mentally machinating a way to replace God with himself. The arrogance of his pride is revealed in the hearts of evil men, like Simon.

Luke 7:⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

Luke 7:⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Luke 7:⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Luke 7:⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

A Needy Person Will Fall Deeper in Love

Luke 7:⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

• Who is the greater “sinner”?
• Is there such a thing as a “greater” sinner? Some sinners hurt more people in worse ways, but every sin, great or small, separates men from a pure God.

Luke 7:⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.

Luke 7:⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

Luke 7:⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Luke 7:⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

• Notice: He did not say this to Simon, who was bathed in his own arrogance.

Luke 7:⁴⁹ And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Luke 7:⁵⁰ Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

• She is no longer “a sinner”.

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{1 of 2} Luke 7 – “The Accused Excused” [Identity Labels]
{2 of 2} Luke 7 – “The Authority of Faith” [Is He or Isn’t He?]

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