Bible Commentaries
Luke 7

Verse 1

1 His sayings refers to the ones in the preceding chapter. Caper-naum was the city that Jesus adopted as his residence after leaving Nazareth (Mat 4:13).

Verse 2

2 A centurion was a man having charge of a hundred soldiers.

Verse 3

3 The centurion was a Gentile, but was in good standing with the Jews, for they had their elders to take a message of request to Jesus from the officers.

Verse 4

4 Jesus had taught the principle of favoring those only who were worthy (Mat 7:6), hence that point was stressed in their appeal for his help.

Verse 5

5 Synagogues were places built for assembling to hear the law read. Strangers are not to be solicited for contributions to the Lord's cause, but their voluntary offerings may be accepted. Paul accepted help from non-Christians (Act 28:2; Act 28:7; Act 28:10).

Verse 6

6 This Gentile felt unworthy to have Jesus in his house.

Verse 7

7 He did not even think he was good enough to make a personal contact with the Lord, but sent others to speak for him. He expressed faith in the power of Jesus to heal his servant by just speaking the work.

Verse 8

8 This reasoning was to show that his remarks were not in flattery. (See the comments at Mat 8:9.)

Verse 9

9 The Jews had not produced any example of faith that was as great as this. Jesus announced this truth to the people who were following him.

Verse 10

0 The faith of the centurion was rewarded with the immediate healing of his servant, for the messengers found him well upon their return.

Verse 11

1 Nain was a village of Galilee, the same district that contained Capernaum. As usual, as Jesus journeyed toward this place the crowds followed him.

Verse 12

2 The death of this young man was especially saddening by the circumstance that he was the only support of his widowed mother; this explains why much people was with her and thus showing their sympathy for her.

Verse 13

3 Compassion means pity, and Jesus felt that way toward this sorrowing mother. (See Isa 53:4.) In his sympathy for her he bade her cease weeping.

Verse 14

4 Jesus touched the bier (casket) to indicate he wished the pallbearers to stop. He then spoke to the dead man, showing he had power over inanimate objects.

Verse 15

5 n response to the command of Jesus the man came to life and sat up. It was not merely a mechanical performance upon a dead body for the young man spoke to them and then rejoined his mother.

Verse 16

6 This fear was that of deep respect, for they glorified God which means they gave Him credit for the deed performed by Jesus. It meant to the people that he was a great prophet, else God would not. have enabled him to perform this deed.

Verse 17

7 This rumor means the report of what had been done for the dead.

Verse 18

8 John's disciples reported this deed to him, which would be of special interest to him in view of his preparatory work for Christ.

Verse 19

2 This paragraph is so much like Mat 11:2-5 which is commented upon at length, that I shall ask the reader to consult that place in explanation of this.

Verse 23

3 This is explained with the lexicon definition at Mat 11:6.

Verse 24

4 The importance of John and his work will be the subject of some verses, all of which will show that Jesus had a high regard for him. A reed is a tall and slender stem that would be swayed easily by the wind. Such would illustrate a man with little stability and one who could be easily influenced. The question of Jesus implies that John was not that way.

Verse 25

5 A man who was accustomed to the soft and luxurious life of royal palaces would be unsuited for work out in the wilderness. But the prophets had predicted the forerunner of Jesus was to operate in the wilderness, hence no surprise should be felt over the rough outdoor raiment of the Baptist.

Verse 26

6 More than a prophet. John not only uttered prophecies, but his life and work in preparing a people for Christ constituted a fulfillment of the sayings of other prophets, which made him more than a mere prophet.

Verse 27

7 This prediction is recorded in Mal 3:1.

Verse 28

8 See the comments on Mat 11:11.

Verse 29

9 Justified God means they acknowledged God to be just in authorizing John to baptize the people. They expressed their belief on this subject by being baptized.

Verse 30

0 To reject an ordinance of God is interpreted as rejecting Him. The lawyers were men who were acquainted with the law of Moses and interpreted it to others.

Verse 31

5 This paragraph is explained at Mat 11:16-19.

Verse 36

6 The Pharisees were a sect of the Jews who were prominent in the time of Christ. See a description of them in the comments at Mat 16:12.

Verse 37

7 All people are sinners in a general sense, but there were certain outcasts who were called thus as a class. This incident must not be confused with the one in Mat 26:7; that woman was Mary a sister of Lazarus (Joh 11:2).

Verse 38

8 Kissing the feet of Jesus was an act of worship (Mat 2:2) that was prompted by the spirit of humility. It also indicated reverence for Jesus as a holy man. Another custom of those times was the washing of the feet of a guest. This will be explained when we come to John 13.

Verse 39

9 Jesus knew the thoughts of men, whether they were expressed or not. This Pharisee was thinking of the woman in the light of the class she supposedly represented.

Verse 40

0 Jesus called for the attention of his host. The word master is from an original that properly means "teacher," and Simon used it in that sense.

Verse 41

1 A pence would be worth about sixteen cents in our money. The value of the individual coin is unimportant, the illustration being drawn from the difference between fifty and five hundred.

Verse 42

2 The question was based on the comparative favors each debtor received.

Verse 43

3 Simon answered the question correctly that Jesus asked.

Verse 44

4 Simon had other guests (verse 49), and evidently they were "rating" a little higher than Jesus, and had received the regular attention usually paid to visitors. For some reason, Jesus had been neglected and he decided to make a lesson of it.

Verse 45

5 The kiss was the customary form of greeting in those days. But Simon did not give Jesus the usual kiss on the mouth, while this woman kissed his feet often.

Verse 46

6 As a matter of refreshing, a guest was anointed on the head with olive oil. Jesus had been neglected in that by his host, while the woman anointed his feet.

Verse 47

7 Jesus did not deny that the woman was of the lower class and had many sins. But she was given a higher rating than the debtor who owed five hundred pence. He gave his love after receiving the favor of being forgiven the debt, but the woman loved Jesus because of her sincere faith in him even before having received any favor. In return for that attitude Jesus gave her the great reward of complete forgiveness.

Verse 48

8 No further condition was mentioned, for she was forgiven her sins as a reward for her loving service and her simple trust in the grace of Jesus.

Verse 49

9 This is the question raised by the people in Mat 9:1-6.

Verse 50

0 Her faith saved her, but it does not say faith alone. She had performed the works for which her sins were forgiven.