Luke 7 - What Does Marvelous Faith Look Like?
Luke 7 - NIV
The Faith of the Centurion
7 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
Jesus went into Capernaum, which became his home. It was on the Northwest side of the Sea Galilee. This was also the city that he lived in. A centurion was a Roman soldier who oversaw 100 soldiers. Clearly, he knew of Jesus and his ability to heal people. Interestingly the centurion went to the Jewish elders to ask for Jesus. The elders came to Jesus and apparently this centurion had given to build the synagogue, so they had a vested interest in meeting the centurion's request. Jesus obliged.
Apparently, the centurion did not think himself worthy of a personal meeting with Jesus, and perhaps thought Jesus would not want to meet with a Gentile like himself, so he sent Jewish leaders as his representatives to Jesus. - Guzik
“These considerations suggest that the captain was a God-fearer, a Gentile who embraced Israel’s God but who did not undergo circumcision.” - Pate
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. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 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.”
This man demonstrates true humility toward Jesus. A lot more than any of the Jewish leaders had given him so far. He was a man of authority, but he recognized a higher authority than himself. He also had great faith in Jesus. He trusted in one word from Jesus to heal his servant.
The centurion knew that it might be a problem for this prominent rabbi to come into his home, so he had his friends meet Jesus on the way to say that it was not necessary for Him to come all the way to the home. - Guzik
The centurion fully understood that Jesus’ healing power was not a magic trick that required the magician’s presence. Instead he knew Jesus had true authority and could command things to be done and see them completed outside His immediate presence. - Guzik
9 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.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
This was not lost on Jesus, as he "marveled at the man's faith". Compared to the people in Israel, he had mountain-moving faith. Jesus used yet another different way of healing someone. In this case he didn't touch the servant's son, or didn't say a prayer over him. When the servant went home, his son was healed. Jesus brought the boy from death to life, and we don't even know how. All we know is the centurion had faith, and Jesus rewarded him for it.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 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. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Nain is “a town today located in the Jezreel plain, six miles southwest of Nazareth.” (Pate)
Once again a large crowd was following Jesus wondering what he might do next. Funerals in Jesus' day were very public, and the mourners followed the family through the town. This funeral was tragic in that the woman was a widow, and her son had died leaving no one to carry on the family name or care for her. Jesus saw the woman, and his "heart went out to her". We see once again the compassionate side of Jesus.
This time Jesus came alongside the casket, which was open, and told the boy to sit up, which he did. Then he began to talk. Jesus raised a dead man. The people were filled with awe and praised God, but they stopped short of seeing the divinity of Jesus. Instead they said a great prophet had come among them. There weren't many prophets who raised people from the dead.
14 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!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 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.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
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
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 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?’”
After hearing all of this, John was curious if Jesus was the Messiah. Remember John baptized Jesus and exclaimed that he was not worthy to untie his sandals. And he saw the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove.
21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 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[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
Jesus continued to heal everyone of all things even demonic spirits. Someone who was possessed by a demon suffered from a sickness of the soul. Giving sight to the blind was a clear demonstration of his power that no one could argue with though we will see later that they will try,. Jesus told the messengers to go back and report to John the full extent of what was happening.
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).
24 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? 25 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. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 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.” 29 (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. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
Jesus explains John's role as a prophet unlike any other prophet. The reason being that John was the one who welcomed Jesus the Messiah. The others prophesied about what Jesus would like when he came, and John was the prophet who literally welcomed him, baptized him, and this inaugurated Jesus' public ministry.
Though John was great what does it mean that Jesus considered the least in the kingdom of God as greater than him? This seems somewhat puzzling. I think the main thing was that when Pentecost came, the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued the work of Jesus. After Pentecost the Church did all the things Jesus did in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Though John was great, he was not born again under the New Covenant. This is because he lived and died before the completion of Jesus’ work at the cross and empty tomb. Therefore, he did not enjoy the benefits of the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 8:6-13). - Guzik
“As we may say, as a rule, that the darkest day is lighter than the brightest night; so John, though first of his own order, is behind the last of the new or Gospel order. The least in the Gospel stands on higher ground than the greatest under the law.” - Spurgeon
31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 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.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 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.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
What did he mean by this?
The idea was that those who have a heart to criticize will find something to criticize. Many people wouldn’t be pleased with either John or Jesus. - Guzik
The point is clear enough. “If the message is unwelcome, nothing that the messenger can say or do will be right.” - Maclaren
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 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. 38 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.
Surprisingly a Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. Perhaps he was a Pharisee that was truly interested in seeing what Jesus was all about. A woman who had lived a sinful life, probably one of sexual immorality, boldly came with a jar of alabaster perfume.
Morris on the alabaster flask: “It had no handles and was furnished with a long neck which was broken off when the contents were needed…We may fairly deduce that this perfume was costly. Jewish ladies commonly wore a perfume flask suspended from a cord round the neck, and it was so much a part of them that they were allowed to wear it on the sabbath.”
The woman was overwhelmed by being in her master's presence, and she washed his feet with her tears. In those days people wore sandals and the roads were dirty, dry, and dusty. The lowest level slave washed the people's feet. In this case she not only washed his feet, but did it with an expensive perfume and with her hair. It was an extravagant act of worship.
39 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.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 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?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
As it turns out Simon behaves like a typical Pharisee. Simon is offended that Jesus let this "sinner" touch him. Rather than rebuke him directly, Jesus tells him a parable. The point of the story is that a person with a very large debt and a person with a relatively small debt had their debts forgiven. So, Jesus asked the man who would love the moneylender nore. The obvious answer the guy who owed 500 denarii, which was about 1 1/3 years of wages.
44 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. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Jesus comes back to the present day. The woman gave Jesus everything she had. Her time, her money, her adoration, and worship. At this point Simon had done nothing to show the same kind of respect and gratitude toward Jesus. The woman knew where she stood in Jesus' presence and showed him gratitude for the grace he would soon give her.
She wasn’t forgiven because of her great love; her great love was evidence that she had been forgiven, probably privately on a prior occasion and now publicly.
Jesus revealed his power and authority through healing people of all their sicknesses, including death. He showed his spiritual authority over the dark spiritual powers by delivering people from demons. Now Jesus shows his authority to forgive a person's sins. The only thing he asks from us is faith. Faith to believe, He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
The woman got this, Simon did not.
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