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.

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

1
After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. ​
2
A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.
3
When he heard about Yeshua, he sent to him Jewish elders, asking him to come and save his servant.
4
When they came to Yeshua, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him,
5
for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.” ​
6
Yeshua went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. ​
7
Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.
8
For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ​
9
When Yeshua heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.” ​
10
Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

The Widow's Son Raised at Nain

11
Soon afterwards, he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. ​
12
Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her.
13
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Don’t cry.” ​
14
He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
15
He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
16
Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” ​
17
This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.
18
The disciples of Yochanan told him about all these things.

John the Baptist Questions Jesus' Identity

19
Yochanan, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Yeshua, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” ​
20
When the men had come to him, they said, “Yochanan the Immerser has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”
21
In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.
22
Yeshua answered them, “Go and tell Yochanan the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. ​
23
Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.” ​
24
When Yochanan’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about Yochanan, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
25
But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.
26
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
27
This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ ​
28
“For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yochanan the Immerser, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.” ​
29
When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been immersed with Yochanan’s immersion. ​
30
But the Pharisees and the Torah scholars rejected the counsel of God, not being immersed by him themselves. ​

The Unreasonable Generation

31
“To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like? ​
32
They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’
33
For Yochanan the Immerser came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ​
35
Wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus' Feet

36
One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table. ​
37
Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. ​
38
Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. ​
39
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.” ​
40
Yeshua answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” He said, “Rabbi, say on.”
41
“A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ​
42
When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”
43
Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”
44
Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.
45
You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46
You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” ​
48
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49
Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50
He said to 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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