Luke 7 - The Faith of the Centurion, Jesus Raises a Widow's Son, Jesus and John the Baptist, and Jesus is Anointed by a Sinful Woman

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The Faith of the Centurion

This is a remarkable story about a centurion, who was a leader in the Roman army with 100 men under him. The centurion had heard about Jesus, and since his servant whom he valued very much was ill, he sought an audience with Jesus. This was not an ordinary centurion, because he was highly esteemed by the Jewish elders. He had done some favors for the Jews by helping them build their synagogue. We see another quality in the man that Jesus takes note of. He is humble. Though he was a man of authority, he recognized a man of higher authority in Jesus. Jesus saw this man's humilty and faith and even went as far to say he had not seen this much faith in all of Israel. When the men went back to the centurion his servant was healed. 

The centurion was a remarkable man. The elders said he was worthy; he said he was not worthy. They praised him for building a house of worship; he felt unworthy that Jesus would come to his house. They said he was deserving; he felt himself undeserving. Strong faith and great humility are entirely compatible. (Guzik)

“Two features of character blend in him which do not often meet in such graceful harmony. He won the high opinion of others and yet he held a low estimation of himself.” (Spurgeon)

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

As Jesus taught and did miracles, the crowds continued to swell. Jesus went to a town called Nain, a town six miles southwest of Nazareth. When Jesus saw a widow in a funeral procession with her only son, Jesus showed deep compassion for her. To lose her husband and only son was a terrible fate. Jesus went up to the coffin and told the young man to get up! Sure enough the young boy sat up and began to talk. Everyone was filled with awe and concluded a great prophet from God had come to help them! 

On more than one occasion Jesus broke up funeral processions by raising the dead. This was also true for Jarius’ daughter (Luke 8:41-56) and Lazarus (John 11:1-45). Jesus didn’t like death, and He regarded it as an enemy that had to be defeated.(Guzik)

“At this point, a famous anecdote comes to mind from the life of D.L. Moody. Mr. Moody was asked to conduct a funeral service, so he decided to study the gospels to find a funeral sermon delivered by Jesus. However, Moody searched in vain, because every funeral Jesus attended He broke up by raising the dead!” (Pate)

Jesus and John the Baptist

John the Baptist heard about all of the things Jesus was doing, so he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus tells them to bring this account of his ministry to John. It is a nice summary of Jesus' ministry up to this point.

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.  7:22

Part of Jesus' response could have been made to show that what he was doing was fulfilling many of the prophecies in the book of Isaiah.

Most of these miracles fulfill some promise found in Isaiah.

· The blind see (Isaiah 61:1, 35:5).

· The lame walk (Isaiah 35:6).

· The deaf hear (Isaiah 35:5).

· The dead live (Isaiah 26:19).

· The poor hear the good news (Isaiah 61:1).

After John's disciples left, Jesus began to give John praises for his unique ministry. He noted John's austere lifestyle and how he was not swayed by the rich and powerful but was courageous to speak God's Word boldly. The people John had baptized were in agreement with Jesus' comments, yet the Pharisees took exception because they were not baptized by John. They didn't think they needed it. 

The religious leaders had little use for the demonstration of repentance in John’s baptism. Their hearts were hard towards John, so it was no surprise that they were also hard towards Jesus. (Guzik)

Jesus then bemoans the state of the generation he came to save. No matter what he did they would find a way to reject it, just like they did John the Baptist. Case in point, the religious leaders looked the ascetic lifestyle of John and thought he was crazy, even demon possessed. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors and they called him a drunkard. They would find a way to criticize either way because their hearts were hardened.

You will run into people like this. No matter what you do they will find a way to take a shot at your Christian faith? If you are too pious they will accuse you, or if you mix in with people of the world, they will call you a hypocrite. These are people in my opinion you should move on with. Spend people who are open to the truth, as they are a lot more likely to be open to Jesus! 

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

As you can see the main point in this chapter is how people who would have been unlikely to respond to Jesus are responding. The people you would have expected to have made the connection with the Old Testament prophecies and Jesus' fulfillment of them hardened their hearts against him. Sinners and foreigners had faith. The religious professionals didn't. 

In this last story, a sinful woman comes in with an expensive jar of perfume. It likely was a huge sacrifice for the woman to buy this to anoint Jesus. It reminds us of the verse, "Whoever is forgiven much, loves much!" The woman visits Jesus, as he is dining at a Pharisee's home. Later we learn his name is Simon. Jesus is still trying to reach out to these religious leaders, though they have rejected him. As Jesus allowed himself to be anointed by the sinful woman, Jesus could read his thoughts. He couldn't believe Jesus was allowing himself to be touched by such an awful sinner. 

So Jesus tells him a story. A money lender lent money to two men. For simplicity let's say to one man he lent a whole year's wages, and the other just one month of wages. Jesus asked the Pharisee which man would love the money lender more? Simon gives the obvious answer, "The one whom he loaned a year of salary". Then Jesus connected the dots for him.  This sinful woman had come into this home and completely humbled herself and anointed Jesus' feet with an expensive perfume mixed with her own tears of joy. She understood the great price Jesus paid for her sins, and in gratitude offered everything she had back to him. Meanwhile Simon hadn't done anything to show Jesus his love for him. 

Jesus then pronounced her forgiveness. This is one of the first times Jesus explicity claims to have authority to forgive sin. The people ask, "Who is this that forgives sins?"

Do you think you understand the debt Jesus paid on your behalf? Would you give a gift similar to this woman's to Jesus? Jesus doesn't necessarily want our money, he wants our hearts. When we realize how much Jesus has forgiven us, our only response can be to love him and others with this same kind of love. 

Of the works done in this chapter, this was the greatest. Healed sickness (as in the centurion’s servant), or restored life (as in the widow’s son) are not permanent works of healing, because those bodies would one day die again. Sins that are forgiven are forgiven forever. (Guzik)