LUKE 7
    Luke 7:1 "Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum."
    The mount where Jesus had just preached was very near the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum where Peter's home was. These 2
places were just a few miles apart.
    Luke 7:2 "And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die."
    A centurion was like a captain over about 100 men. Many times a servant living in your home becomes like a member of the
family. That is probably what is intended here.
    Luke 7:3 "And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and
heal his servant."
    This centurion had heard of all the wonderful miracles that Jesus had performed, and he believed that Jesus was no mere man. He
sent the elders to speak to Jesus, because he thought that they would have more influence in getting
Jesus to come help his servant than he would. This centurion believes that Jesus heals and knows in his heart that Jesus will help his
servant.
    Luke 7:4 "And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do
this:"
    Luke 7:5 "For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue."
    These elders were from the synagogue and would do just about anything for this centurion, because he loved these Hebrews and
had even built them a synagogue. The person they were saying was worthy was the centurian, not the servant. It is even unusual for
the elders to ask Jesus to heal, they really were not sure who He was. They only brought this message because the centurion had
asked them to.
    Luke 7:6 "Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him,
saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:"
    This centurion was a humble man. He feels unworthy for Jesus to come into his house. This centurion realizes that Jesus is truly
God the Son with all the power and authority of the Father. He was so humble that he sent friends that he thought more worthy than
himself.
    Luke 7:7 "Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be
healed." 
    Luke 7:8 "For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and
to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."
    This centurion is humble and very wise. He, more than the scribes that he sent or most of the religious people of his day, realizes
that Jesus has authority over everything in this universe. He knows that his authority over his men is minor compared to the
authority of Jesus, but he does understand authority and how it works.
    Luke 7:9 "When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that
followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
    Jesus recognizes the magnitude of this centurion's faith. Jesus is saying to the people: "You should have this kind of faith". He
was especially speaking to these scribes who have no faith at all.
    Luke 7:10 "And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick."
    Since this servant was in the house, he was probably a family servant who lived in the house. Jesus' healing was an instant
healing. Even before they got back to the house, he was healed; even though he had been near death.
    Luke 7:11  "And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with
him, and much people."
    "Nain" means pleasantness or beauty. This city of Nain was believed to be close to Capernaum. Jesus, at this time, had a large
following wherever He went. Many followed to see the miracles and others went to receive a miracle for themselves. His teachings
were like none they had ever heard before, and this caused them to follow, as well.
    Luke 7:12 "Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his
mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her."
    We see, here, a funeral procession. Jesus has come nearly 20 miles from Capernaum to be here just at this precise moment to help
this widow in her grief.
    Luke 7:13 "And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not."
    Jesus has great love for this woman in her grief. He tells her not to weep. He intends to help her.
    Luke 7:14 "And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto
thee, Arise."
    A "bier" is like an open coffin with no lid. This shows that Jesus Christ has dominion over death. Just one touch from His hand
does it. Hebrew corpses were not embalmed. Jesus speaks to the young man and says, "rise"; just as He spoke to Lazarus, and he
came forth.
     Luke 7:15 "And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother."
    It does not say that he was asleep. It says he was dead. Jesus had dominion over death and life. Jesus delivered the young man to
his mother.
    Luke 7:16 "And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and,
That God hath visited his people."
    This fear could be classified as reverence as well as fear. They suddenly realize that Jesus is more than just a man. They start to
say that He is a great prophet, but they realize that He is even more than that and say that God has visited them. They know the
priest in the temple cannot do this. This is no mere man.
    Luke 7:17 "And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about."
    News like this is impossible to keep quiet. Word of mouth carries this news throughout the land.
    Luke 7:18 "And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things."
    Luke 7:19  "And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or
look we for another?"
    John already knows that Jesus is the one because he saw the dove light on Jesus and remain. God had previously told John that
when this happened, the person would be the Messiah. The message that will be brought back will be for the benefit of John's
disciples.
    Luke 7:20 "When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that
should come? or look we for another?"
    John wants his disciples to be fully convinced by what Jesus says and does, that He is the Christ, the Messiah. John is in prison at
this time and his disciples may be beginning to doubt. This is not for John's benefit, because long before this, John called Jesus the
Lamb of God.
    Luke 7:21 "And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that
were blind he gave sight."
    Jesus did all sorts of miracles in front of John's disciples.  The "their" above does not mean John's disciples, but the infirmities of
the multitude that followed Jesus.
    Luke 7:22 "Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how
that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is
preached." 
    Luke 7:23 "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me."
    No prophet or priest who ever lived had done so many and so great miracles as these. There is no doubt at all who this is. Jesus is
warning John and his disciples not to begin to doubt.
    Luke 7:24  "And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What
went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?"
    Jesus speaks highly of John the Baptist. He is telling these people that God has great love and honor for John the
Baptist. Jesus didn't speak this way in front of John's disciples. He was not trying to win favor with John by saying nice things in
front of John's followers. Jesus really had great respect for John the Baptist. He is telling the people, if you expect John to be weak
and change like the wind, you will be disappointed. John is a powerful man of God. Man looks on the outward appearance. God
looks inside to find the worth of a man.
    Luke 7:25 "But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously
apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts."
    Worldly people believe for you to be very important, you must be dressed in fancy clothes and live very extravagant lives. This
sort of person would be a king or a president, not a man of God. God chooses the lowly and humble to be His most important
workers. God does not choose by worldly standards, but by the heart.
    Luke 7:26 "But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet."
    What did you expect a prophet to look like? Were you looking for a prophet? If you found John the Baptist, you found much
more than a prophet. God has chosen him for a very special job.
    Luke 7:27 "This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way
before thee."
    Jesus is explaining to them that John the Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness proclaiming the coming of Messiah. He is
not Messiah; he is proclaiming His coming. It was John's job to bring this message. Jesus is coming again as Lord of Lords and
King of Kings, and all believing ministers should be proclaiming His second coming now.
    Luke 7:28 "For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:
but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
    Jesus is saying that John is counted as one of the greatest prophets who ever lived; but in the same breath, He is
saying to these people who believe Jesus to be a prophet that He is in fact God the Son. Even though they think John to be greater
than He is, John is a man. John is a great prophet, but John is not God.
    Luke 7:29 "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John."
    We see, here, that Many of these people that Jesus was talking to had listened to John the Baptist. They had repented and been
baptized. John had been a very convincing preacher, and many people in this crowd had accepted him as a true prophet. They had
heeded his warning and had been baptized of him.
    Luke 7:30 "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him."
    These Pharisees and lawyers thought they had elevated themselves to a position of not needing to repent and be baptized, and they
had rejected this message of John. Conceit can certainly keep a person from God. God
loves the humble. They had, in fact, rejected God when they rejected the message God had given John the Baptist.
    Luke 7:31  "And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?"
    More simply put, what am I to think of this generation who will not accept John the Baptist's message or even the Son of God's
message.
    Luke 7:32 "They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped
unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept."
    Jesus is calling them children in their knowledge of the things of God. Jesus says whatever message that has been brought to you,
you have refused.
    Luke 7:33 "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil."
    John had been a separated servant from the very beginning. His entire life had been lived in anticipation of this job God had called
him to do. He never drank wine. He lived in the desert and ate honey and locusts. He was a very wholesome man. These worldly
people accused him of having a devil, because he lived in the desert and refused to
be involved in worldly things.
    Luke 7:34 "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend
of publicans and sinners!"
    Jesus was criticized for eating corn on the Sabbath. His first public miracle was turning the water into wine. Jesus walked among
the common people. Jesus was ridiculed for eating with people the Hebrews felt were unclean.
    Luke 7:35 "But wisdom is justified of all her children."
    Those who accept the prophets of God and even the Son of God, are the people who become children of God. Those who had
repented in preparation for the Messiah by receiving John's baptism found it easy to receive what Jesus said; but those who would
not repent rejected the counsel of God for themselves
    Luke 7:36  "And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and
sat down to meat."
     It would be unusual for this Pharisee to ask Jesus who ate with publicans and sinners to eat with him. Since Jesus was known to
be a Hebrew by birth so there would normally be no problem with eating with Him.
    Luke 7:37 "And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's
house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,"
    Jesus was a friend to sinners. This woman entering this house would have been unwelcome had Jesus not been there. It was pretty
bold for this woman with a sinful reputation to come into the house of a Pharisee; but she was willing to do anything to express her
love for Jesus. Going into that house took courage and determination  This alabaster box of ointment was of great monetary value.
Ointment of this type kept in alabaster boxes was very expensive.
    Luke 7:38 "And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the
hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment."
    Here is a very repentant woman. She loves Jesus for His forgiveness. He called the sinners unto Him, forgave them, and sent
them on their way with instructions (go and sin no more). Her tears of repentance and love are so great that she washes His feet with
them. The ultimate sign of her repentance and love is wiping His feet with her hair. This expensive ointment was a type of perfume.
Jewish ladies commonly wore a perfume flask suspended from a cord round the neck, and it was so much a part of them that they
were allowed to wear it on the sabbath. The Lord had compassion on her. This is where foot washing in the church originated. It is
an act of humbleness.
    Luke 7:39 "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a
prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner."
    This Pharisee is a self-righteous man. He saw this woman with eyes which see fact and not faith. He was aware of her sins and
not of her repentant heart. This Pharisee does not openly accuse Jesus, but thinks these thoughts to himself. Jesus in the next verse
will answer these thoughts just as if they had been spoken out.
    Luke 7:40 "And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on."
    In verse 39. Simon had doubted in his mind that Jesus could have even been a prophet. Now he calls Jesus, Master. Simon is a
hypocrite. He believes one thing and says another. Simon does not realize that Jesus is answering his thoughts and he says to go
ahead.
    Luke 7:41 "There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty."
    Jesus is speaking a parable to Simon. He will deal with Simon in this parable and will not directly come out and reprimand him.
    Luke 7:42 "And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love
him most?"
    There is only one possible solution to this parable. When Simon answers it he will have scolded himself for not realizing this
woman's sins (which were many) were forgiven; and she loved Jesus much, because Jesus had forgiven her of much. Simon had not
committed sins like hers. He didn't have much to be forgiven for, so he loved little.
    Luke 7:43 "Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast
rightly judged."
    Jesus put the responsibility for judging this woman to Simon. He gave Simon a parable which proved Jesus' lesson here for
Simon.
    Luke 7:44 "And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou
gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head."
    The desert was hot and they wore sandals. It was a custom when a guest came in to have a pan of water that he might cool his
feet off and wipe them and then go in. Jesus is saying to Simon: You didn't even show me common courtesy, but this woman has
washed my feet with her tears and used her hair for a towel to dry them.
    Luke 7:45 "Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet."
    It was a custom to greet the brethren with a holy kiss. Simon must not have thought as much of Jesus as he did his other
Pharisee brethren. The ultimate in humility is to kiss another's feet. This woman had done this repeatedly.
    Luke 7:46 "My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment."
    A very honored guest might have been anointed on the head. The desert sun was hot and could really dry the skin. Simon had not
even acted as if Jesus were a special guest. This woman greatly honored Jesus. She did not feel worthy to
anoint His head but anointed His feet.
    Luke 7:47 "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is
forgiven, the same loveth little."
    Jesus knew all along that this was a sinful woman and also knew that she had a repentant heart. She loved Jesus more than she
feared what might happen to her for pushing her way into the Pharisee's house. Jesus freely forgave her, because she was truly
sorry, and because she truly loved Him and wanted to follow Him. This Pharisee thought he didn't
have much to be forgiven for.
    Luke 7:48 "And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven."
    The greatest gift anyone can receive is to have their sins forgiven. Jesus wants to forgive every single person upon the earth. We must
humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to forgive us, and He will.
    Luke 7:49 "And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?"
    They were talking to themselves. they did not recognize Jesus for who He was, just as many of the church people today do not
recognize who He was and is. No mere man can forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins. They were in the presence of God the Son,
and did not realize who He was. They thought He was the teacher. How wrong they were.
    Luke 7:50 "And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."
    Jesus knows their thoughts, but said it any way. This woman believed Jesus would forgive her, and He did. Her faith (like
Abraham's faith) saved her. When you know you are saved, there is a peace that comes over you that you cannot explain. The sting
of death has been taken away, because you know eternal life awaits you.