FRAMEWORKS:
Luke's Gospel, Chapter 7
For
preliminaries see chapter 1
v.1-10
The Faith of the Centurion
v.11-17
Jesus Raises a Widow's Son
v.18-35
Jesus and John the Baptist
v.36-50
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
v.1-10
The Faith of the Centurion
v.1
(Jesus moves
on to Capernaum) When Jesus
had finished saying all this to the people who were listening,
he entered Capernaum.
v.2
(we're about
hear of a centurion's ill servant) There
a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick
and about to die.
v.3
(then centurion,
obviously on good terms with Jewish leaders, asks them to petition
Jesus) The centurion heard of
Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come
and heal his servant.
v.4,5 (they
plead on his behalf) When they
came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves
to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built
our synagogue.”
v.6
(the centurion
tries to put Jesus off from coming) So
Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion
sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don't trouble yourself, for
I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
v.7
(all it needs
is a word) That is why I did
not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word,
and my servant will be healed.
v.8
(I know how
authority works) For I myself
am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this
one, ‘Go,' and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,' and he comes. I
say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and he does it.”
v.9
(Jesus is amazed)
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed
at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell
you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”
v.10
(the servant
is restored) Then the men who
had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
v.11-17
Jesus Raises a Widow's Son
v.11
(Jesus travels
on to Nain [further south-west]) Soon
afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples
and a large crowd went along with him.
v.12
(they arrive
as a funeral is taking place) As
he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the
only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd
from the town was with her.
v.13
(Jesus is moved
by the mother) When the Lord
saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don't cry.”
v.14
(he tells the
dead boy to rise) Then he went
up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers
stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”
v.15
(he is restored)
The dead man sat up and began to
talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
v.16
(this amazes
everyone) They were all filled
with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among
us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”
v.17
(news spreads
across the country) This news
about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
v.18-35
Jesus and John the Baptist
v.18,19
(John the Baptist
sends toe of his disciples to question Jesus) John's
disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them,
he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come,
or should we expect someone else?”
v.20
(they do this)
When the men came to Jesus, they
said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one
who is to come, or should we expect someone else?'”
v.21
(Jesus is in
the middle of healing many) At
that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and
evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.
v.22
(he instructs
them, go and report what you see) So
he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what
you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk,
those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
v.23
(don't doubt
about me) Blessed is anyone
who does not stumble on account of me.”
v.24
(Jesus asks
the crowd about John) After
John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about
John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed
swayed by the wind?
v.25,26
(what had they
gone to see?) If not, what did
you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who
wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But
what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more
than a prophet.
v.27
(John was fulfilling
prophecy) This is the one about
whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who
will prepare your way before you.' [Mal 3:1]
v.28
(although
there is currently none greater than John here, when the kingdom
is revealed, all will be greater) I
tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than
John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater
than he.”
v.29
(the crowd agree)
(All the people, even the tax collectors,
when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was
right, because they had been baptized by John.
v.30
(but the religious
leaders reject what he is saying) But
the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God's purpose
for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
v.31
(so, says Jesus,
what are these complainers like?) Jesus
went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this
generation? What are they like?
v.32
(like children
who are never satisfied) They
are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to
each other: “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not
dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'
v.33
(they denounced
John for his fasting habits) For
John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,
and you say, ‘He has a demon.'
v.34
(they denounce
me for feasting with tax-collectors) The
Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton
and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
v.35
(what is right
will be revealed by the outcomes) But
wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
v.36-50
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
v.36
(one Pharisee
asked him to dinner) When one
of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went
to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.
v.37
(a sinful woman
crept in) A woman in that town
who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's
house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
v.38
(she ministered
to Jesus) As she stood behind
him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume
on them.
v.39
(The Pharisee
host was upset at this) When
the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him
and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
v.40
(Jesus challenged
him ) Jesus answered him, “Simon,
I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
v.41,42
(Imagine two
forgiven debtors, who is most grateful) “Two
people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five
hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the
money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which
of them will love him more?”
v.43
(The Pharisee
responds) Simon replied, “I
suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged
correctly,” Jesus said.
v.44
(Jesus affirms
the woman) Then he turned toward
the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into
your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she
wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
v.45,46
(he challenges
the Pharisee again) You did
not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has
not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but
she has poured perfume on my feet.
v.47
(greater forgiveness
produces greater love) Therefore,
I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love
has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
v.48
(he declares
her forgiveness) Then Jesus
said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
v.49
(the other guests
question this) The other guests
began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives
sins?”
v.50
(Jesus blesses
her) Jesus said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”