Luke 7:1-10
It's a fine line between audacity and desperation. Or, maybe we should say, desperation will make us audacious and bold. Capernaum was a quiet fishing village and home to nearly as many gentiles as Jews. The centurion was a Roman soldier, a commander of around 100 men. We shouldn't assume he was a gentile; although unlikely, he could well have been a Jew. The Roman troops in Judea were auxiliary and this centurion was like a junior officer. It was a dead-end position with the biggest reward being Roman citizenship after 25 years. The servant of this man was of great value. This man might be understood as worth a lot monetarily but should likely be seen as a precious and priceless friend.
This man sent Jewish elders to Jesus in hopes they might be able to convince Him to come. This may be evidence he is a gentile that was respecting ethnic boundaries. The Jewish elders saw worth in this man for how he treated the Jewish community. They felt he was deserving of Jesus attention. However, when Jesus drew near, he sent friends to tell Jesus not to be bothered with coming. This was an amazing statement for a Roman commander to say to a Jewish teacher.
- He held Jesus in high regard.
- Rome would not agree a that a Romans home wasn't good enough for a Jewish teacher.
- He held himself in low regard relative to Jesus.
- Humility isn't thinking less of yourself but thinking of your self less.
- He felt Jesus' time was more valuable than he was worth.
- There were probably more important people for Jesus to go to.
- He may have felt he would cause Jesus a great problem coming to a gentile hom.
- Many Jews would have gasped in shock at the thought.
In this display of humility Luke changed the word he used for servant. In verses 1 & 4 he used the word 'doulos', a bondservant. In verse 7 when asked the Lord to say the word and his servant would be healed, he used the word 'pais'. This word describes a servant who is so because he like a son. He serves because he loves this father-like figure. This term is used by Matthew numerous times in his account of this story. It's also used of to describe Jesus in relation to Abraham and David.
The humble, unimportant (in his eyes) centurion had authority over men. He gave an order and it was done. How much more true would that be true for Jesus? He knew Jesus just had to say the word. He didn't need to come. He didn't need to say certain words. He didn't even need to be physically present.
Jesus was amazed at this man. It was a simple, honest and humble faith. This man believed Jesus for what had not yet been done. Luke points to the faith and allows the miracle itself to be secondary. Others couldn't believe after they had seen healings. The miracles He performed were to bring authenticity to His claim of authority to forgive sins; to show them He was the Son of God. The faith of this gentile was greater than Jesus had seen in Israel. Many Jews in the crowd would not be happy at hearing this. It's strange they wouldn't dispute the truth of the statement but only be angry at hearing it.
The servants went back to the centurion's home and found the servant healed. This is one of the early signs that Jesus came for all of mankind and not just the children of Israel.
Luke 7:11-17
The very next day, Jesus went to Nain. Nain was 20 miles SW of Capernaum, 6.5 miles SSE of Nazareth, near the border of Samaria. Nain was a gated city, a stronghold. Following Jesus on this divine appointment were many of His disciples and a large crowd. As they arrived, a dead man was being carried out of the city gate. The graveyard would be outside the city for purposes of ritual cleanliness. What Jesus walked up on was a type of mourning procession. The men walked in front, leading the way for the body of the young man while the women, musicians and mourners were behind. This funeral procession took part in ritual mourning that could include baldness, cutting off their beard, tearing their garments and wearing sackcloth. There would be loud and agonized weeping as they put dust on the heads and sat in ashes.
23 For the wages of sin is death, (Romans 6:23a)
The man who died was the only son of a widow. A widow had no ability to take care of herself in this culture. Her son was her only means. She not only lost a son but also her only source of food, clothing and shelter. Imagine the questions going through her mind; why God? Why did he have to die? Why me? Why did he deserve this? The questions go on and on.
It was no coincidence that Jesus arrived at this time. One man described the Lord's timing as, "disgustingly perfect timing" because His time line isn't ours. The widow would have loved for Jesus to show up earlier, to heal him and restore him prior to death. However, we can only know the mind of God as much as He reveals it to us and helps us to comprehend by His Spirit. Jesus will use this man to show His authority over death. His reach extends to sheol, the abode of death.
The Lord has always had a soft spot in his heart for widows and its no different here. He had compassion for her. He told her not to weep. How odd this must have sounded. Weeping is what you did when someone died. Mourners came to mourn over the loss, it was tradition, it was the way it was done. Jesus touched the open coffin, which was not done. It was bad enough some had to touch the dead body, but to voluntarily do it was unheard of. The disciples would be standing back wondering what Jesus was doing or why he was disturbing this poor woman at the funeral of her son. But there is no setting or situation in which Jesus won't show up.
In what one commentator described as a "divine intolerance of death", Jesus said to the dead man, "Young man, I say to you, arise" (young means 20-40 years old). Imagine the shock of just hearing such a thing when everyone accepted that he was deceased. But the young man suddenly sat up and began to speak. What was the first thing this young man saw? He saw the face of his Savior, the authority over death, The Way, the Truth and The Life. In calling this man back to life, Jesus gave him back to his mother. She must have been shocked, yet her grief vanished. The crowd of mourners stunned, yet sent home for there was nothing to mourn.
Fear came up everyone there. They saw it with their own eyes. It was the craziest scene. They would have spoke of this day all their life, the day Jesus showed up and restored life. This fear would have started with shock, defying the norm. Dead men didn't come back to life. Death had claimed him and no one robbed death, at least not that they were aware. This caused them to respond the only way they knew how. He was a great prophet, likened to Elijah who restored life. But they went a little further than that also. They said, "God has visited His people."
What appeared to be a chance encounter with Jesus had changed her life forever. But there are no chance encounters and its not by chance you are reading this here, now, today. Jesus moves in places and ways we can't always comprehend. He's ready to enter into your life, to change it forever.
This word went through all of Judea and surrounding regions.
Luke 7:18-23
Even though John had been imprisoned by Herod he still had disciples. John preached repentance and that the messiah was coming. He baptized Jesus and saw the Spirit descend on Him. Soon after, Herod threw him in prison. Imagine John hearing of the miracles and sermons. Now he heard he was a great prophet and raised the dead. This wasn't all what John expected. The messiah was to free them from oppression, to rise against Rome, or at least he thought so. However, he was still imprisoned. We can imagine his anxiety and impatience. He sent some of his followers to Jesus to inquire.
The questions were delivered to Jesus in the midst of healings the infirmities, afflictions, healing the blind and delivering from demon possession. They saw these things happening, they were witnesses to the miracles Jesus did. These works all point back the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2 that he read at the beginning of his ministry (among other prophecy from Isaiah).
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19)
All that they saw was a fulfillment of this prophecy and many more. Jesus told them to go tell John what they saw. What they saw was the character of Jesus displayed. A love for mankind. He was changing lives, delivering, offering hope, freeing from darkness, breaking bonds, releasing them from demons, and so much more.
John knew this part. All the land had heard of the miracles. But what about judgment? Where was the wrath? Why was he still in prison and Rome still in power? He didn't understand. The ministry of Jesus didn't surprise him but it fell short of what he thought it would encompass. Jesus said the unoffended would be blessed. The fact that the One who came was acting different than expectation caused many to be offended and walk away.
A few trusted Him and His plan and let go of their own plans, they believed what they saw and realized their expectation was wrong. They were blessed in realizing this. The one who trusted Jesus more than they trust their perceptions, is blessed. The one who sees his power and authority at work, trusts His timing, not their own.
Jesus came into the lives of many. Just in these few chapters we see:
- Young and old
- Male and female.
- Jew and gentile
- Alive and even the dead
This doesn't even mention the specific people who were blind, lame, leprous, deaf and dead that we don't know about. Nor does it mention all the people who were in the crowd that saw these things, witnessed them personally. Jesus came into each of these lives in some fashion.
Luke 7:24-28
The multitude was there, as it seemed they always were; lurking, listening, but were they gleaning, learning? John's disciples left and Jesus spoke to them about John. The question he poses to them is:
What did you go out into the wilderness to see?
We could think of it as self-checking the motive. Did they go out seeking a person, a message, the answer to a specific question? Were they running from something or running to Jesus?
A reed shaken by the wind was a kind of metaphor for an easy-going person. Whatever wind blows moves them, they'll not hold to any particular path or idea. That certainly doesn't describe John.
Did they go out to see a man in soft garments or nice clothing who lived in luxury? John's father was a temple priest. By tradition, John should have bn a temple priest, serving in a nice, comfortable setting with fine clothes. That wasn't what John was called to. The Lord called in the spirit of Elijah to be the voice of one calling. He was to prepare the way for Jesus. His ministry was that of an Old Testament prophet proclaiming a New Testament. He was a prophet, but also more than that. He was the fulfillment of prophecy, specifically Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1.
They went out, not to see, but to hear his message. While John broke the 400 years of prophetic silence, he wasn't the main attraction. He prepared the way for the main attraction. John brought a message of hope, of a kingdom to come and King who would save His people. This speaks to the heart of every person on some level.
Of all of the prophets, there was none as great as John the Baptist. He was the one to usher in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Yet, the least in the kingdom of God will be greater. Huh? That's you, if you are in Christ. You are greater than all the prophets. The prophets did miracles, saw visions, spoke God's word, confronted evil and wickedness, extended God's mercy and care to others. They healed, raised the dead so much more. John spoke of a visitation from God. Those who followed Christ had not only been visited but they abided in Him and He in they. As a Christian, we have Christ in us. He is the manifestation of all the prophets longed for and sought after. We walk in the age of grace, our sins forgiven, our relationship with God restored. And yet, the Kingdom of God is 'now, not yet'. We are of the Kingdom when we are saved, and we grow in the kingdom as we mature and are sanctified. But it's nothing to what it will be when we close our eyes in this world and open them in His kingdom.
What would the prophets say about Christians today? They would surely be amazed at the story of the cross and resurrection. They would likely be amazed at out access to the word of God in numerous ways. They would be overwhelmed with the idea of online church. Yet, I believe they would be shocked and saddened at mankind's lackadaisical attitude toward Jesus.
Luke 7:29-30
Everyone got it right that day. It was most notable among the tax collectors who declared the righteousness of God. This crowd seemed to all have been baptized in John's baptism, which was that of repentance. This was preparation for the coming messiah, the King and His kingdom. All this was the ushering in of a new era. The Pharisees and Scribes rejected this. It was God's plan of salvation for all of mankind. Yet, they couldn't see past their own plans. They were offended by Jesus. Luke gives us an example of the offended and unoffended:
- (even) the tax collectors declared God's righteousness. These guys were the lowly and despised, considered to be turncoats, sellouts to Rome.
- The Pharisees & lawyers (probably the scribes) rejected the will of God. They thought they knew God's will better than Jesus. They were unwilling to bend, to change, to learn. The was a redeeming quality earlier in the era of Pharisees. They came out of a group desiring to preserve God's word from the progressives who wanted to walk away from who their heritage and identity.
At this point the difference is those who were baptized in repentance and those who would not; and the crowd looked on. They saw two sides. One was difficult, against the grain, yet exciting and seemed to speak a truth that resonated with any man. While the other was easier, comfortable, peaceable, offended no one even if it was a little boring. Would the crowd decide?
Imagine what the prophets would say to them. More importantly today, imagine what they would say to you.
Luke 7:31-35
Jesus, as if thinking out loud, wondered what he could liken the men of this generation to. As if to say, "Oh, I have it!" They were like little children accusing others of not playing the game according to their rules. Their entertainment was not the game itself but being the one to make the rules for everyone else. The quotation is likely a children's song or limerick for children that wouldn't play the game by the rules.
John the Baptist came and he wouldn't play by the rules. John fasted and appears to have been under a Nazarite vow, but it wasn't according to their ways. These things, when done under their direction and control, were considered holy and righteous. They accused John of having a demon for not eating and drinking. Along came Jesus, eating and drinking, but not according to the standards of the Pharisees. He sat at the table with the wrong people according to their rules. They labeled him a glutton, a drunk, a friend to tax collectors and sinners.
A large part of Proverbs is divine wisdom addressing her children. Wisdom is the personification of God. Many of the wisdom proverbs could be read substituting God for the word 'wisdom'.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you, (Proverbs 2:10-11)
In this case wisdom would say a teaching is shown to be right by what it produces. The ministry of John and Jesus would have many disciples. The wisdom of John and Jesus would be proven correct by her children.
Luke 7:36-39
It seems as though there was a constant antagonism between Jesus and the Pharisees. This a rate example showing it was not always that way. Jesus was invited to a dinner party at this Pharisee's house. Matthew's account of this takes place in Bethany and Simon the leper is there. John names the woman as Mary, most presume it to be the sister to Martha. A dinner party like this was more like an open house in a courtyard type setting. People could come in, uninvited, and eat at this dinner party. Some would come to see only who was at the table. What famous person was there, to hear what they talked about. These could be exciting social events talked about all around town.
The meals weren't eaten at tables seated in a chair, but the guests reclined around the table with their behind them away from the table. A woman known to be a sinner came in with an alabaster flask of oil. Mark and John both record the value of this as 300 denarii (about a years wages). She stood behind Jesus weeping and washing his feet with her tears, using her hair to wipe them away. She kissed his feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Most believe this woman had been a prostitute. She came to the feet of Jesus to serve Him as a servant, washing his feet. This was an act of humility and worshiping; of selflessness, courage and just an example of being completely sold out to Jesus. She must have saw Jesus, maybe as part of the multitude. She must have seen others have their sins forgiven, seen the love Jesus had for them. She wanted that. Her overflowing affection comes from the possibility of being free of the incredible burden of sin she had carried for so long. This possibility made her bold, yet humble; caring not what others thought.
It seemed obvious to the Pharisee that Jesus wasn't a prophet; had He been, He would have known about that woman. He obviously didn't know the rules and how this game went. Simon saw the expensive perfume as in indication of her success at her trade. For a woman to let her hair down like this was shameful and it was taken as something sensual. A woman was only supposed to let her hair down in the presence of her husband. This was grounds for divorce. The Rabbi's placed this in the same category as nudity. This along with the kissing of his fit was about more than Simon could bear. He had portrayed righteous so long, not mingling with the lowly sinners, he had forgotten how to love. Recognizing brokenness was not something Pharisees specialized in or cared about. As a Pharisee, Simon had resided on a spiritual high place so long, he'd lost his way. He was disgusted with the idea of associating with lowly sinners.
The woman says nothing. What could she say?
Luke 7:40-50
In Matthews account Jesus addresses Simon the leper. It may be that Simon was a Pharisee with leprosy that Jesus healed. If that is the case, it makes his words even more unloving; that someone escaping the curse of leprosy by Jesus' healing could act that way about another human in their lowest place in life. How cruel we humans can be to those who have fallen, stumbled, been broken or cursed. How quickly we can look away from them and despise them.
Jesus answered the Pharisee. It was a tale of debt; of one man owing a year and half to two years wages. This seems insurmountable. Something catastrophic happened in this man's life. To have fallen so far in debt, how would it be possible to repay. Was the man aware of this? Did he understand this great debt? The other man owed fifty denarii. This is still a large debt at about two and a half months wages. It would still take a long time to pay back but with a job and time it was doable. However, neither man was in a position to repay their loans. The debtor forgave the loans. This was unheard of; who would do such a thing. Only the richest of the rich could afford to do it but they were too consumed with greed to forgive a loan. This was not something that happened. But, if it did, which one would love the one who forgave more?
Jesus had set the scene. The woman had a large debt. No one could doubt her gratitude and worship. She loved Jesus and humbled herself to serve an follow Him. It was the Pharisee's job, as owner of the home, to see that the guest's feet were washed. The owner of the home was to welcome his guests with a kiss, which he did not. She lowered herself in kissing his feet, considered filthy and disgusting in that culture. The host would normally provide anointing oil or perfume for a guest to freshen up. These all serve to contrast the devotion this woman showed Jesus to the actions of the Pharisee who didn't even practice good decorum of the day, let along exalt his messiah. She acknowledged her sin and repentance in her gratitude of forgiveness. The Pharisee seemed to believe in Jesus on some level – he called him a prophet. He loved little because little was forgiven. Was he forgiven? We don't know. The woman appears to be the example of a child of wisdom, the unoffended.
While this was happening, the woman sat at Jesus feet. Did she hear of her large debt being forgiven? Did she imagine he knew all her sins? How embarrassed and humiliated she might have been if she wasn't so aware of how much she needed forgiveness. She had no pride left to feel shame to others. Jesus looked at her and granted her forgiveness. It was by her faith that Jesus could, and would, forgive her if she repented and fell at His feet. She found what she was looking for. The burden was gone.
If we stop and look at this chapter, we find Luke has shown us the love of Jesus for people. We see that it didn't matter if you were young or old, Jew or gentile, woman or man, a tax collector or a Pharisee, Jesus spoke into their life and changed them forever.
©2020 Doug Ford
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