Luke7

Jesus heals a centurion's servant from afar, marveling at the centurion's great faith. He then raises a widow's only son from the dead in Nain, demonstrating his power over death and showing compassion. Later, Jesus answers John the Baptist's query about his identity by pointing to his miracles and then praises John, while also rebuking the generation that rejects both of them. Finally, a sinful woman anoints Jesus' feet at a Pharisee's house, and Jesus forgives her sins, highlighting that great love stems from great forgiveness.

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Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

When Jesus had concluded His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.

There a highly valued servant of a centurion was sick and about to die.

When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

They came to Jesus and pleaded with Him earnestly, “This man is worthy to have You grant this,

for he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”

So Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends with the message: “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.

That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to You. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, He marveled at the centurion. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

And when the messengers returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.

The Widow's Son Raised at Nain

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.

As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.”

Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!”

And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

A sense of awe swept over all of them, and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has visited His people!”

And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding region.

Then John’s disciples informed him about all these things.

John the Baptist Questions Jesus' Identity

So John called two of his disciples and sent them to ask the Lord, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”

When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind.

So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”

After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear elegant clothing and live in luxury are found in palaces.

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

This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.

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

The Unreasonable Generation

“To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus' Feet

Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.

You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

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

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

And Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Study Notes for Luke 7

Verse 1

Jesus enters Capernaum, the center of his Galilean ministry, immediately following the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6).

Verse 5

This Roman centurion, a Gentile military officer, was unusual in his devotion to Judaism, demonstrated by financing the local synagogue. This identifies him as a 'God-fearer' who respected Jewish faith.

Verse 6

The centurion’s subsequent message, preventing Jesus from entering his house, reflects deep humility. He understood that Jewish teachers avoided entering Gentile homes to maintain ritual purity.

Verse 8

The centurion employs a military analogy to express his faith. He understood that Jesus’ authority, like his own, did not require physical presence but could be exercised simply through a command.

Verse 9

Jesus marvels at the depth of this Gentile’s faith, highlighting that true, powerful faith is not limited to ethnic Israel. This anticipates the future inclusion of the Gentiles in salvation.

Verse 11

This miracle, unique to Luke, demonstrates Jesus’ sovereign power over death. Luke often emphasizes Jesus' profound compassion toward the vulnerable.

Verse 13

Luke emphasizes Jesus’ deep emotional response ('had compassion'). Losing an only son meant social and economic destitution for a widow in the ancient world.

Verse 16

The crowd recognizes Jesus as a great prophet, comparing him perhaps to Elijah or Elisha, who also raised the dead. The phrase 'God hath visited his people' is a recognition of divine intervention.

Verse 19

John, imprisoned by Herod (Luke 3:20), sends disciples to confirm Jesus’ identity. John may have been seeking reassurance or encouraging his followers to transfer their allegiance to Jesus.

Verse 22

Jesus responds by listing his miraculous works, which directly fulfill prophetic expectations of the Messiah (e.g., Isaiah 35:5-6). The preaching of the gospel to the poor is central to Luke’s understanding of the messianic mission.

Verse 23

This warning cautions John and his followers against stumbling over Jesus’ non-traditional, non-military messianic role, which did not immediately overthrow Roman power.

Verse 27

Jesus identifies John as the prophetic fulfillment of Malachi 3:1, affirming John’s critical, divine role as the forerunner who prepared the way for the Messiah.

Verse 28

John is the culmination of the Old Covenant prophets. The least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he because those in the Kingdom participate directly in the new age inaugurated by Christ's death and resurrection.

Verse 29

The common people and tax collectors responded positively to John's message of repentance, acknowledging God's righteousness in providing this path to cleansing.

Verse 30

The religious establishment (Pharisees and lawyers) rejected John’s baptism, thereby rejecting God's plan (counsel) for them. Luke frequently contrasts the responsiveness of the common people with the hardness of the elite.

Verse 31

This parable illustrates the stubbornness of those who refuse to accept God's messengers regardless of their approach, finding fault with both John’s asceticism and Jesus’ sociability.

Verse 34

Jesus contrasts his ministry style with John's. Because Jesus ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners, he was falsely accused of being gluttonous and immoral.

Verse 36

Feasting in the house of a Pharisee (Simon) was a typical setting for Jesus, often leading to confrontation over ritual purity and social boundaries.

Verse 37

This woman was publicly known as a 'sinner,' likely a prostitute. Her presence in a Pharisee’s private home was highly scandalous, demonstrating her desperate need for forgiveness.

Verse 38

Washing the feet with tears and wiping them with unbound hair (a sign of deep distress or immorality) was an act of extreme humility and extravagant devotion, risking severe social contamination for Jesus.

Verse 39

Simon judges Jesus based on ritual purity laws: a true prophet should know this woman is a sinner and avoid defilement by contact. This reveals Simon’s self-righteousness.

Verse 41

The parable of the two debtors sets up the theological principle: the magnitude of one's love and gratitude is proportional to the magnitude of forgiveness received.

Verse 47

The woman’s great love is not the *cause* of her forgiveness, but the *evidence* that her many sins have already been forgiven. Forgiveness (received by faith) precedes and produces love.

Verse 50

Jesus affirms that her salvation comes through faith, not through her impressive acts of devotion. Her loving actions were the outward fruit of her inner saving faith.

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Luke7

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

The Widow's Son Raised at Nain

John the Baptist Questions Jesus' Identity

The Unreasonable Generation

A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus' Feet

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