Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

7:2 centurion. A Roman officer in charge of a hundred men.

7:3 elders of the Jews. Local Jewish officials. The villages of Galilee had their own elders, who presided as local judges (see Apocrypha, Judith 6:14-16).

7:4-5 The Jewish officials were saying, in effect, "He is a kind man who loves our people and helped build our synagogue. Please help him." The "synagogue" in Capernaum is the same as the one mentioned in 4:33.

7:6-7 I am not worthy reveals the centurion's humility. Say the word reveals his great faith.

7:8 The centurion responds, in effect, "I too can do things because of the authority given me, so how much more can you!"

7:9 Not even in Israel foreshadows the entry of Gentiles into the kingdom of God. such faith. Jesus commends the centurion (who is a Gentile) for his humble faith (v. 6)--one of the few places where Jesus commends the way in which someone approaches him.

7:10 they found the servant well. As in all healing miracles in Scripture, the proof of the miracle is described.

7:11 Nain is commonly identified with a modern village (Nein) southeast of Nazareth, though other locations have also been suggested.

7:12 The only son of his mother . . . a widow reveals the desperate economic situation of the woman.

7:13 Do not weep indicates that Jesus will do something. Although not intended as a sign but as an act of compassion, this miracle will nevertheless provide evidence for answering the question "Who is this . . . ?" (v. 49).

7:14 Jesus touched the bier (a plank that served as an open coffin, used to carry the dead body outside the city to its burial place). Jesus is unconcerned about ceremonial uncleanness (cf. Num. 19:11, 16), for he is not made unclean when he touches the dead. Instead, the dead man comes to life.

7:15 sat up and began to speak. Proof of the miracle (cf. note on v. 10). gave him to his mother. These are the exact words found in the Septuagint of 1 Kings 17:23, describing the raising of a widow's son by Elijah.

7:16 In recognition of God's powerful presence, the people's fear immediately leads to worship: they glorified God (cf. 2:20). A great prophet is a correct description of Jesus (4:23-24; 7:39; 9:8, 19; 13:33; 24:19) but an inadequate one unless one adds: Christ; Son of God; Son of Man; Lord; etc. God has visited his people. God is making known his presence in Jesus, bringing salvation to the Jewish people who had waited so long for him (cf. 1:68; 19:44; Acts 15:14).

7:18 All these things refers to the mighty miracles Jesus has been doing, as well as to his remarkable teaching.

7:19-20 the one . . . to come. John's question indicates his doubt as to whether Jesus was the "mightier one" who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (see 3:16). For some reason, Jesus did not seem to be exactly the kind of Messiah John was expecting, perhaps because it did not appear that Jesus was going to overthrow the Roman rulers, and probably also because Jesus was not immediately bringing judgment on evildoers. John's concern was probably aggravated by his being in prison.

7:21 Luke prefaces Jesus' response to John with a summary of his ministry of healing (cf. 4:40-41; 5:15; 6:18-19). Luke mentions separately the restoring of sight to the blind, possibly to emphasize the greatness of such a miracle.

7:22 tell John. Jesus does not answer John's question directly but gives evidence demonstrating that he is the "coming one." From the following report, John can come to his own conclusion. blind receive . . . sight (see 4:18; 18:35-43); lame walk (5:17-25); lepers are cleansed (5:12-16; 17:11-19); deaf hear (cf. Isa. 29:18; 35:5; 42:18); dead are raised (Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; cf. Acts 9:36-43); poor have good news preached to them (Luke 4:18; 6:20; 14:13, 21). In other words, Jesus is indeed the coming one predicted in the OT. The days of salvation foretold by Isaiah have begun, even though they will not be consummated until Christ returns to establish the eternal kingdom.

7:23 Jesus' exhortation, blessed is the one who is not offended, is surely directed to John and his disciples.

7:24-27 Reed shaken by the wind suggests something flimsy and uncertain--far from an accurate description of John the Baptist (cf. Mark 1:6). John was more than a prophet: he was the prophet sent to fulfill Mal. 3:1.

7:28 none is greater. John's greatness among all the OT prophets, all those who came before the arrival of the kingdom of God, comes from his function as direct forerunner of Jesus the Messiah. But John was not part of the kingdom of God that Jesus was proclaiming and bringing to reality, for he was still part of the old covenant system. Therefore the one who is least in the kingdom of God (one who has believed in Jesus and has become a member of the new covenant kingdom) is actually greater than John, for those who come after John live in the age of fulfillment, following the coming of Jesus. This underscores the qualitative difference between the old age and the dawning of the new kingdom age (cf. note on Matt. 11:11).

7:29-30 Jesus' hearers rightly take his words in vv. 24-28 as a commendation of John, not a criticism. God was working through John for his purposes in his time. Therefore, those who had been baptized with the baptism of John were glad, and they declared God just.

7:31-34 This generation does not refer to everyone then living but to the leaders and others who rejected both John the Baptist and Jesus, and who were still the dominant force in the culture. In their rejection of both the "ascetic" John and the "non-ascetic" Jesus, they were like children refusing to play either a sad or a happy game.

7:35 Wisdom (God's way, v. 29) is justified (shown to be right) by all her children (the followers of John and Jesus).

7:36 Pharisees. See note on 5:17.

7:37-38 a woman. Unnamed; cf. note on Mark 14:3-4. Alabaster is a soft stone frequently used as a perfume container. Reclining toward a low center table(s), the feet of the participants would have faced outward like spokes from a hub. With her tears she washed Jesus' feet (an act of hospitality omitted by Simon; Luke 7:44) and wiped them with her hair. Her tears are tears both of thankfulness and also of reverent awe as she senses the presence of God in the person of Jesus. Her act would have been considered improper, therefore it took great courage to honor Jesus in this way.

7:39-40 If this man were a prophet. The Pharisee charges that Jesus is not a prophet (contrast v. 16) because a true prophet would not allow a sinful woman to touch him. said to himself . . . Jesus answering. Jesus knows Simon's thoughts, showing that he is indeed a prophet.

7:41 five hundred denarii. Equivalent to about 20 months' wages. Fifty denarii is about two months' wages.

7:42 cancelled the debt. For the analogy of sin with debt, cf. 11:4; Matt. 6:12; 18:21-35.

7:43-46 Simon's answer (The one [who owed] the larger debt) leads to the comparison of Simon's lack of hospitality (no water for my feet . . . no kiss . . . did not anoint my head with oil; cf. Ps. 23:5; 141:5) with the greater love of the woman (washing his feet with her tears, continually kissing his feet, and anointing them with expensive ointment).

7:47 For she loved much refers not to the cause of the woman's forgiveness but the result of it (cf. note on v. 50; cf. also "which of them will love him more," v. 42).

7:48-49 Your sins are forgiven (cf. 5:20). As in 5:20-25, Jesus' statement is understood as exercising the divine prerogative of forgiving sins and is followed by a similar question: Who is this, who even forgives sins? Luke intentionally raises this question for his readers to reflect on the significance and implications of who Jesus is.

7:50 Your faith has saved you. Cf. 8:48; 17:19; 18:42. The woman experienced the forgiveness of her sins not because of love (see note on 7:47) but through faith, which was evidenced in the way she honored Jesus in her act of washing his feet.