PREVIEW LUKE CHAPTER 7

Luke 7 - The Sick Healed, the Dead Raised, the Sinner Forgiven

A. The healing of the centurion's servant

1. (1-5) The centurion's request
a. This centurion seems to be a devout, kind, humble man - yet, all the same he is a centurion - not only a Gentile, but a Roman soldier, and an instrument of Israel's oppression
i. The centurion had an unusual attitude towards his slave. Under Roman law, a master had the right to kill his slave, and it was expected that he would do so if the slave became ill or injured to the point where he could not work
b. Apparently, the centurion does not think himself worthy of a personal meeting with Jesus, and may believe that Jesus would not want to meet with a Gentile like himself, so he sends Jewish leaders as his representatives to Jesus
i. We don't need to have the centurion's fear today; we don't need to send a representative to Jesus - we can come to Him ourselves
2. (6-8) The centurion tells Jesus that He need not come, because he knows that Jesus need not be present to do His work
a. Jesus does not hesitate to go to the centurion's house, and we half wish the centurion would have allowed Him; would Jesus have entered a Gentile's house? It was completely against Jewish custom
b. The centurion fully understands that Jesus' healing power was not some sort of magic trick that required the magician's presence; instead, Jesus has true authority, and can command things to be done and completed outside His immediate presence

i. The centurion shows great faith in Jesus' word; he understands that Jesus can heal with His word just as easily as with a touch
ii. The centurion also knew about the military chain of command, and how the orders of one in authority were unquestioningly obeyed - he sees that Jesus has at least that much authority

iii. "He believes that, just as he, a man with authority, is obeyed by his subordinates, just so surely will the authoritative utterance of Christ be fulfilled even though He is not present where the sick person is." (Geldenhuys)

c. The centurion also shows great sensitivity to Jesus, in that he wants to spare Jesus the awkward challenge of whether or not to enter a Gentile's house - as well as the time and trouble of travel
i. He didn't know Jesus well enough to know that He would feel awkward in the least; but his consideration of Jesus in this situation is impressive
3. (9-10) Jesus heals the servant and marvels at the centurion's faith
a. We see that Jesus only marveled on a few occasions: here, at the faith of the centurion, and also at the unbelief of His own people (Mark 6:6). Jesus can be amazed at either our faith or our unbelief
b. The centurion knew that Jesus had true power from God, not magic that had to be used according to some ritualistic formula

B. Jesus raises a boy from the dead
1. (11-13) Jesus comes upon a funeral procession
a. The tragedy is compounded when we are told that the boy was the only son of his mother and that the mother herself was a widow; the loss of her only son means that there is nothing in her future except a life of destitute poverty and misery
b. Why does Jesus tell her to stop crying? There is nothing wrong for a mother to weep at the funeral of her son; but Jesus is showing her that her sorrow will be turned to joy. Jesus' words of compassion to the mother would have been cruel if He did not have the power to back them up

2. (14-17) Jesus raises the boy from the dead
a. The picture is all the more powerful when we are told that it was an open coffin; Jesus is able to look at this boy, and speak to a dead person as if they were alive
b. Romans 4:17 shows that this is what God alone does: God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. Jesus could speak to something dead and bring life to it

c. Jesus had a strange habit of breaking up funeral processions by raising the dead (such as Jarius' daughter [Luke 8:41-56] and Lazarus [John 11:1-45]). Jesus didn't like death; He regarded it as an enemy that had to be defeated

d. We remember that this boy was not resurrected, but resuscitated - he rose from the dead only to die again. God promises that we will be resurrected, and rise from the dead never to die again

C. Jesus and John the Baptist
1. (18-19) John questions Jesus: are You really the Christ (the Messiah)?
a. Why does John ask this question, especially after all the miraculous signs that would demonstrate this to him? Weren't all the prophecies through his father Zacharias (Luke 1:13-17; 1:67-80) and the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism (Luke 3:21-22) enough proof?
b. Matthew tells us that John asked this question from prison (Matthew 11:2-3); even John the Baptist probably had some misunderstanding of Jesus' mission, and thought: "If He really is who I thought He is, why am I in prison?" John probably asked this question because of discouragement in prison

i. "John was already in prison, and things began to appear incomprehensible to him. He had expected that Christ would speedily destroy the powers of darkness and judge the unrighteous. But instead of doing this, He leaves him, His forerunner, helpless in prison" (Geldenhuys)
ii. Of course, our discouraging circumstances often cause us to forget or doubt who Jesus is

2. (20-23) Jesus' answer to John's disciples: tell him that the Messiah is alive and well
a. John might have wondered why the power of the Messiah was not being shown in more significant acts - like in freeing him from prison and calling down fire from heaven on the evil political leaders who put him in prison!
b. Jesus sends John's messengers back with a simple report: the Messiah is definitely here, but His power is manifested in acts of mercy, not judgment; and blessed are those who can receive this Messiah of mercy

i. When discouragement has led us to believe that Jesus isn't really who we though He was, we need to clear our eyes and look to God's Word to see who He really is
c. How can we know that the power of Jesus is really at work? When we see the simple needs of simple people being met in a powerful way
3. (24-28) Jesus teaches about John the Baptist
a. Jesus explains that John was a great man of God, one who did not live for his own comfort or the approval of others. John is a chosen prophet of God, not a man-pleaser
b. Yet, John was greater than all the prophets, mainly because he had the privilege of saying of the Messiah "here He is" instead of "He is coming"

c. Jesus quotes the Malachi passage about the coming of John, because the prophets themselves were not prophesied; but John was, and this is one way that he is greater than all previous prophets

d. Yet, John the Baptist is less than the least in the kingdom of God, because John was not born again under the terms of the new covenant, on account that Jesus' work on the cross had not yet been accomplished

4. (29-35) Jesus admonishes those who refuse to be pleased by either His ministry or John's
a. Those who had repented in preparation for the Messiah by receiving John's baptism found it easy to receive what Jesus said; but those who would not repent rejected the counsel of God for themselves
b. Jesus points out the hypocrisy of these hardened hearts who criticized both John the Baptist and Jesus Himself; "If the message is unwelcome, nothing that the messenger can say or do will be right" (Maclaren)

D. Jesus forgives a sinful woman
1. (36-38) A sinful woman anoints Jesus' feet
a. Some suppose this is Mary Magdalene, but we have no evidence that this was her. In John 12:3, Mary of Bethany also anoints Jesus' feet with oil, but this is a separate incident
b. Who was a sinner tells us more than that she was a sinner just like we are all sinners; she was a particularly notorious sinner - most likely, a prostitute

i. It was pretty bold for this woman with a sinful reputation to come into the house of a Pharisee; but she was willing to do anything to express her love for Jesus. Going into that house took courage and determination
c. 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."
d. How did she pour this perfumed oil on Jesus while He had sat down to eat? "People reclined on low couches at festive meals, leaning on the left arm with the head towards the table and the body stretched away from it. The sandals were removed before reclining." (Morris)

i. We can imagine the woman coming originally to only anoint Jesus' feet with oil; but then, being overcome with emotion, tears flowing from her eyes, starting to wash His feet with her tears, wiping them clean with her hair, and kissing His feet repeatedly
ii. Normally, this oil would be used on someone's head; she shows her humility by saying "the best perfume for my head is only good enough to anoint Your feet."

iii. "To have her hair flowing would be deemed immodest . . . . [she] kissed fervently, again and again." (Bruce) But in her emotional display of love, it doesn't matter to her

2. (39-47) Simon the Pharisee objects to this, and Jesus answers his objection
a. Simon the Pharisee doubted that Jesus was a prophet because he thought that Jesus was unable to see this woman's heart; but Jesus has no problem seeing hearts - He tells Simon the Pharisee exactly what is on his heart!
b. Jesus uses a simple, and easily understood parable to illustrate the point: the more we are forgiven, the more we should love

i. We don't need to go and sin more in order to be forgiven more, thus loving God more - all we must do is become more sensitive to our current state of sinfulness
c. Therefore, Jesus explains the motive of the woman's deeply emotional devotion: she loved Jesus because she was anticipating in faith His forgiveness to her humble heart
i. Simon the Pharisee did not see the woman as she was (a humble sinner seeking forgiveness, pouring out love for Jesus) for he was looking at her as she had been (a notorious sinner)
d. Simon the Pharisee denied Jesus the common courtesies between a host and a guest (washing the feet, a kiss for a greeting, anointing the head with oil); does he now reproach the woman for giving them to Jesus?
i. Jesus notices neglect and appreciates devotion; and He does not reject such highly emotional devotion
3. (48-50) Jesus assures the woman of her forgiveness from God
a. If Jesus has already said that her sins are forgiven (verse 47), why does he turn to the woman and repeat it? Because we need the healing power inherent in the words your sins are forgiven
i. It can be so hard for us to truly believe that we are forgiven, that often, we must be persuaded of it
b. On what basis does Jesus forgive her? Not because He just wants to irritate Simon the Pharisee; but because the woman has displayed humility of repentance and a devoted love for Jesus
i. The humility and love are themselves God's work within the woman; she could not come to Jesus in this way unless God have first moved within her
c. The key to her forgiveness was faith - it was her faith that saved her, because it was her faith that believed the words from Jesus your sins are forgiven; faith enabled her to take the grace God was giving to her
i. Forgiveness is ready from God; there is no hesitation or shortage on His part. Our part is to come with humility and loving submission to Jesus, and to receive the forgiveness He offers by faith
d. The woman came to Jesus in complete humility, with the attitude that she was not worthy to even be in His presence. That was a good way for her to come to Jesus, but He doesn't want her to stay there. He raises her up, acknowledges her love, forgives her sin, and sends her in peace.
e. Of the works done in this chapter, this is the greatest; sickness that is healed (as in the centurion's servant), or life that is restored (as in the widow's son) are not permanent works of healing - those bodies will one day die again. But sins that are forgiven are forgiven forever



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