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Texts -- Luke 7:1-34 (NET)

Context
Healing the Centurion’s Slave
7:1 After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people , he entered Capernaum . 7:2 A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded , but who was sick and at the point of death . 7:3 When the centurion heard about Jesus , he sent some Jewish elders to him , asking him to come and heal his slave . 7:4 When they came to Jesus , they urged him earnestly , “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 7:5 because he loves our nation , and even built our synagogue .” 7:6 So Jesus went with them . When he was not far from the house , the centurion sent friends to say to him , “Lord , do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof . 7:7 That is why I did not presume to come to you . Instead , say the word , and my servant must be healed . 7:8 For I too am a man set under authority , with soldiers under me . I say to this one , ‘Go ,’ and he goes , and to another , ‘Come ,’ and he comes , and to my slave , ‘Do this ,’ and he does it.” 7:9 When Jesus heard this , he was amazed at him . He turned and said to the crowd that followed him , “I tell you , not even in Israel have I found such faith !” 7:10 So when those who had been sent returned to the house , they found the slave well .
Raising a Widow’s Son
7:11 Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain , and his disciples and a large crowd went with him . 7:12 As he approached the town gate , a man who had died was being carried out , the only son of his mother (who was a widow ), and a large crowd from the town was with her . 7:13 When the Lord saw her , he had compassion for her and said to her , “Do not weep .” 7:14 Then he came up and touched the bier , and those who carried it stood still . He said , “Young man , I say to you , get up !” 7:15 So the dead man sat up and began to speak , and Jesus gave him back to his mother . 7:16 Fear seized them all , and they began to glorify God , saying , “A great prophet has appeared among us !” and “God has come to help his people !” 7:17 This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country .
Jesus and John the Baptist
7:18 John’s disciples informed him about all these things . So John called two of his disciples 7:19 and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come , or should we look for another ?” 7:20 When the men came to Jesus , they said , “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come , or should we look for another ?’” 7:21 At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases , sicknesses , and evil spirits , and granted sight to many who were blind . 7:22 So he answered answered them , “Go tell John what you have seen and heard : The blind see , the lame walk , lepers are cleansed , the deaf hear , the dead are raised , the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 7:23 Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me .” 7:24 When John’s messengers had gone , Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John : “What did you go out into the wilderness to see ? A reed shaken by the wind ? 7:25 What did you go out to see ? A man dressed in fancy clothes ? Look , those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings’ courts ! 7:26 What did you go out to see ? A prophet ? Yes , I tell you , and more than a prophet . 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written , ‘Look , I am sending my messenger ahead of you , who will prepare your way before you .’ 7:28 I tell you , among those born of women no one is greater than John . Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” 7:29 (Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors , acknowledged God’s justice , because they had been baptized with John’s baptism . 7:30 However , the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s purpose for themselves , because they had not been baptized by John .) 7:31 “To what then should I compare the people of this generation , and what are they like ? 7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another , ‘We played the flute for you , yet you did not dance ; we wailed in mourning , yet you did not weep .’ 7:33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine , and you say , ‘He has a demon !’ 7:34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking , and you say , ‘Look at him , a glutton and a drunk , a friend of tax collectors and sinners !’

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Wine

    [ebd] The common Hebrew word for wine is yayin, from a root meaning "to boil up," "to be in a ferment." Others derive it from a root meaning "to tread out," and hence the juice of the grape trodden out. The Greek word for wine is ...

  • WOMAN

    [isbe] WOMAN - woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"): I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES 1. Prominence of Women 2. Social Equality 3. Marriage Laws 4. Inheritance 5. Dome...

  • Publican

    [ebd] one who farmed the taxes (e.g., Zacchaeus, Luke 19:2) to be levied from a town or district, and thus undertook to pay to the supreme government a certain amount. In order to collect the taxes, the publicans employed subordin...

  • Palsy

    [ebd] a shorter form of "paralysis." Many persons thus afflicted were cured by our Lord (Matt. 4:24; 8:5-13; 9:2-7; Mark 2:3-11; Luke 7:2-10; John 5:5-7) and the apostles (Acts 8:7; 9:33, 34).

  • PROSELYTE

    [ebd] is used in the LXX. for "stranger" (1 Chr. 22:2), i.e., a comer to Palestine; a sojourner in the land (Ex. 12:48; 20:10; 22:21), and in the New Testament for a convert to Judaism. There were such converts from early times (I...
    [smith] (a stranger, a new comer), the name given by the Jews to foreigners who adopted the Jewish religion. The dispersion of the Jews in foreign countries, which has been spoken of elsewhere [DISPERSION, THE JEWS OF THE, THE], enab...

  • POETRY, NEW TESTAMENT

    [isbe] POETRY, NEW TESTAMENT - No one questions the presence of poetry of a high order in the Old Testament. The Study of the Old Testament as the literature of the ancient Hebrews has been critically made, and the attention of eve...

  • PLAGUE

    [ebd] a "stroke" of affliction, or disease. Sent as a divine chastisement (Num. 11:33; 14:37; 16:46-49; 2 Sam. 24:21). Painful afflictions or diseases, (Lev. 13:3, 5, 30; 1 Kings 8:37), or severe calamity (Mark 5:29; Luke 7:21), o...
    [isbe] PLAGUE - plag (negha`, makkah, maggephah; mastix, plege): This word which occurs more than 120 times is applied, like pestilence, to such sudden outbursts of disease as are regarded in the light of divine visitations. It is ...

  • PERSON OF CHRIST, 4-8

    [isbe] PERSON OF CHRIST, 4-8 - VI. Teaching of Jesus. 1. The Johannine Jesus: The Gospel narratives not only present us, however, with dramatizations of the God-man, according to their authors' conception of His composite person. T...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • John

    [nave] JOHN 1. The Baptist: Prophecies concerning, Isa. 40:3; Mal. 4:5, 6; Luke 1:11-17. Miraculous birth of, Luke 1:11-20, 57-65. Dwells in the desert, Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:4; Luke 1:80; 3:2, 3. Mission of, Matt. 17:11; Mark 1:2-8...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4C1

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4C1 - C. THE GALILEAN MINISTRY AND VISITS TO THE FEASTS 1. The Scene: Galilee was divided into upper Galilee and lower Galilee. It has already been remarked that upper Galilee was inhabited by a mixed populatio...

  • Grave

    [ebd] Among the ancient Hebrews graves were outside of cities in the open field (Luke 7:12; John 11:30). Kings (1 Kings 2:10) and prophets (1 Sam. 25:1) were generally buried within cities. Graves were generally grottoes or caves,...

  • Glutton

    [ebd] (Deut. 21:20), Heb. zolel, from a word meaning "to shake out," "to squander;" and hence one who is prodigal, who wastes his means by indulgence. In Prov. 23:21, the word means debauchees or wasters of their own body. In Prov...

  • Funeral

    [ebd] Burying was among the Jews the only mode of disposing of corpses (Gen. 23:19; 25:9; 35:8, 9, etc.). The first traces of burning the dead are found in 1 Sam. 31:12. The burning of the body was affixed by the law of Moses as a...

  • Child

    [ebd] This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he was above thirty years (44...

  • Centurion

    [ebd] a Roman officer in command of a hundred men (Mark 15:39, 44, 45). Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, was a centurion (Acts 10:1, 22). Other centurions are mentioned in Matt. 8:5, 8, 13; Luke 7:2, 6; Acts 21:32; 22:25, 26;...
    [nave] CENTURION A commander of one hundred soldiers in the Roman army, Mark 15:44, 45; Acts 21:32; 22:25, 26; 23:17, 23; 24:23. Of Capernaum, comes to Jesus in behalf of his servant, Matt. 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10. In charge of the s...

  • Capernaum

    [ebd] Nahum's town, a Galilean city frequently mentioned in the history of our Lord. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament. After our Lord's expulsion from Nazareth (Matt. 4:13-16; Luke 4:16-31), Capernaum became his "own city....
    [isbe] CAPERNAUM - ka-per'-na-um (Kapernaoum (Textus Receptus), Kapharnaoum (Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Bezae; etc.)): The woe spoken by the Master against this great city has been fulfilled to the uttermost (Mt 11:23...
    [nave] CAPERNAUM A city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus chose, as the place of his abode, Matt. 4:13; Luke 4:31. Miracles of Jesus performed at, Matt. 9:1-26; 17:24-27; Mark 1:21-45; 2; 3:1-6; Luke 7:1-10; John 4:46-53; ...

  • CHRONOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

    [isbe] CHRONOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT - || I. CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS 1. Birth of Jesus (1) Death of Herod (2) Census of Quirinius (3) Star of the Magi (4) Course of Abijah (5) Day and Month (6) Summary 2. Baptism of Jesus...

  • ANGEL

    [ebd] a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of...
    [isbe] ANGEL - an'-jel (mal'akh; Septuagint and New Testament, aggelos): I. DEFINITION AND SCRIPTURE TERMS II. ANGELS IN OLD TESTAMENT 1. Nature, Appearances and Functions 2. The Angelic Host 3. The Angel of the Theophany III. ANGE...

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • Mahaterpuji Allahku [KJ.79]
  • Tuhan Melawat UmatNya [KJ.214]
  • [Luk 7:6] I Am Not Worthy, Holy Lord
  • [Luk 7:6] Savior, And Can It Be
  • [Luk 7:34] Friend Of Sinners, Lord Of Glory
  • [Luk 7:34] He Wants A Poor Sinner Like Me
  • [Luk 7:34] Jesus! What A Friend For Sinners

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Roman Centurions; Who Is Jesus Christ?; Purpose of Miracles; Accounts of People Raised from the Dead; A Transformed Body; Wealthy People in the New Testament; Not Isolated but Insulated

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • In contrast to the preceding chapter, this one is full of joy and rejoicing. There God turned the world into a desert; here He transforms that desert into a garden.339References to "be glad"and "gladness"begin and end the poe...
  • The name of the writer is the title of this book."Malachi"means "my messenger."We know nothing of the prophet's parentage, ancestral or tribal roots, geographical origin, or other vocation. All we know is that he received and...
  • That another oracle is in view is clear from the question and answer format that begins this pericope, as it does the others. Verse 17 contains the question and answer, and the discussion follows in 3:1-6. The Israelites' cha...
  • 8:5 Centurions were Roman military officers each of whom controlled 100 men, therefore the name "centurion."They were the military backbone of the Roman Empire. Interestingly every reference to a centurion in the New Testamen...
  • This is one of the sections of Mark's Gospel that has a chiastic structure (cf. 3:22-30; 6:14-29; 11:15-19).A The appeal of Jairus for his daughter 5:21-24B The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage 5:25-34A' The raising o...
  • I. Introduction 1:1-4II. The birth and childhood of Jesus 1:5-2:52A. The announcement of John the Baptist's birth 1:5-251. The introduction of John's parents 1:5-72. The angel's announcement to Zechariah 1:8-233. The pregnanc...
  • 1:57-58 Luke passed over the birth of John quickly (cf. Gen. 25:24). It occasioned great joy for his parents and for all who knew them. Elizabeth's neighbors and relatives shared in the joy of John's birth as the shepherds di...
  • There is great theological significance in this familiar passage. It comes through mainly in the angel's words and in the symbolism of what happened."In 2:8-14 we have a third annunciation scene, which follows the same patter...
  • In contrast to most people, the inhabitants of Jesus' hometown did not praise Him. When Jesus began to speak of God extending salvation to the Gentiles, a particular interest of Luke's, the Jews there opposed Him violently. P...
  • This miracle was to be a "testimony"to others about Jesus' person (v. 14). It authenticated His person and His teaching. It also shows the blessings that Jesus brought to people, specifically the spiritual cleansing of those ...
  • Luke documented Jesus' authority in yet another area of life by showing His power to forgive sins. In this incident the miracle is secondary and the issue of Jesus' authority is primary. Jesus claimed to be God by forgiving t...
  • The setting of this controversy is the same as the previous one, Levi's banquet.5:33 The religious leaders (v. 30; Mark 2:18) and John's disciples (Matt. 9:14; Mark 2:18) raised the question of fasting. They did so because it...
  • The similarities between the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 and what Luke recorded in 6:20-49 seem to suggest that Luke condensed that Sermon. However the introductions to the two sections have led many students of these ...
  • This incident shows Jesus extending grace to a Gentile. It would have helped Luke's original Gentile readers to appreciate that Jesus' mission included them as well as the Jews. It is another case in which Jesus commended the...
  • This miracle raised the popular appreciation of Jesus' authority to new heights. Luke also continued to stress Jesus' compassion for people, in this case a widow whose son had died, by including this incident in his Gospel. T...
  • 7:18-20 "These things"probably include the activities of Jesus that Luke had recorded including the healing of the centurion's servant and the raising of the widow's son. John evidently had second thoughts about Jesus because...
  • Evidently Jesus spoke these words praising John because John's question about Jesus' identity made John look like a vacillator, a reed blowing in the wind. Jesus assured his hearers that that was not what John was. John's tes...
  • John had questioned Jesus' identity, and Jesus had defended John's identity. Jesus now warned his hearers who rejected John's identity and Jesus' identity.7:29 Verses 29 and 30 do not appear in the Matthew parallel. They reve...
  • This incident, appearing only in Luke's Gospel, illustrates the truth just expressed in verse 35. Here is a case in point of what Jesus had just described happening (v. 34). Jesus reached out to a sinner only to receive criti...
  • The present section of Luke follows the same basic pattern as the former one. There is a block of teaching (8:1-21; cf. 6:12-49) followed by another account of Jesus' mighty works (8:22-56; cf. ch. 7)....
  • Luke's account stresses that concern for the multitudes motivated Jesus' mission. Mark, on the other hand, presented opposition from the Jewish religious leaders as a reason for His activities. Matthew stressed Jesus' desire ...
  • Luke, as the other Synoptic evangelists, recorded this double miracle in its intertwined historical sequence. This is the only intertwined miracle in the Gospels. One miracle involved providing deliverance from disease and th...
  • 8:49-50 Jesus' words of encouragement as well as His recent demonstration of power prepared Jairus for what followed. He had just witnessed Jesus overcome ceremonial defilement and disease. He needed to believe that Jesus cou...
  • In this last major section describing Jesus' ministry in and around Galilee (4:14-9:50), Luke stressed Jesus' preparation of His disciples for the opposition that lay before them. This was the climax of Jesus' ministry in Gal...
  • The effect of Luke's omission of the conversation Jesus had with the disciples about Elijah is clear. This healing appears as the work of the Son of God whom the Transfiguration presented."It is the Jesus who has been transfi...
  • Disciples need to be aware of their attitude toward believers who are outside their circle of fellowship as well as their attitude toward those within that circle. Again Luke's account of this incident omits details to cut th...
  • The theme of discipleship training continues in this section of verses. The 70 disciples that Jesus sent out contrast with the three men Luke just finished presenting (9:57-62). This was a second mission on which Jesus sent a...
  • Luke's record of Jesus' teaching the Lord's Prayer differs significantly enough from Matthew's account that we can safely conclude that Jesus gave similar teaching on separate occasions. This repetition illustrates the import...
  • The placement of these events in Luke's Gospel again raises the question of whether Luke recorded the same incident as Matthew and Mark or whether this was a similar but different one. I, along with many other students of the...
  • Jesus used His condemnation of the Pharisees' hypocrisy as an occasion to warn His disciples against being hypocritical. The context of this teaching in Matthew's Gospel is Jesus' instruction of the Twelve before He sent them...
  • There are several thematic connections that tie this pericope with what has preceded and show its role in the development of Luke's argument. Jesus had just called the nation to repentance (vv. 3, 5). Now He showed that chang...
  • 17:5 Luke referred to the Twelve as apostles here probably to highlight the importance of this teaching for disciple leaders. Evidently the apostles concluded that such a magnanimous approach to forgiving would require more f...
  • The superficial connection between this pericope and the preceding one is that they both contain parables about prayer. However the more significant link is the people of faith (v. 8). This parable graphically contrasts the r...
  • This section in Luke's long narrative of Jesus' ministry as He travelled to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27) is climactic. It is a choice example of Jesus offering salvation to a needy person. Zaccheus accepted Jesus' offer and respond...
  • Luke did not record Jesus' actual entrance into the city of Jerusalem. He stressed Jesus' approach to Jerusalem and His lamentation over it (vv. 41-44). This presentation has the effect of eliminating the triumphant spirit of...
  • Jesus told the parable of the fig tree to illustrate the certainty of what He had prophesied. He then gave other assurances of fulfillment. Luke omitted Jesus' statement that no one would know the day or hour when He would re...
  • Luke is the only evangelist who recorded this incident. He apparently did so because the fate of Jerusalem was one of his special interests. He had already recorded several warnings that Jesus had given to the people of Jerus...
  • Luke's account of the events following Jesus' resurrection stresses the reality of that event and the reactions of the witnesses to it. All these people felt depressed because of Jesus' death, but when they learned of His res...
  • This is another of Luke's exquisite and unique stories. Various students of it have noted its similarity to the stories of the feeding of the 5,000 (9:10-17), the appearance in Jerusalem (vv. 36-49), and the Ethiopian eunuch ...
  • John the Baptist continued his witness to Jesus' identity by identifying Him publicly as the Lamb of God. This witness is a crucial part of the writer's purpose of promoting faith in Jesus.1:29 The very next day John saw Jesu...
  • This incident completes a cycle in John's Gospel. Jesus performed His first sign in Cana (2:1), and now He returned and did another miracle there (v. 46). There is even a second reference to Capernaum (2:12; 4:46). John's acc...
  • This chapter continues the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5). When the Light shone, some received spiritual sight, as this blind man received physical and spiritual sight. However the Light blinded others (...
  • Jesus proceeded to vindicate His claim that He was the One who would raise the dead and provide life (v. 25).11:38 Jesus again felt the same angry emotion as He approached Lazarus' tomb (cf. v. 33). Tombs cut into the limesto...
  • 10:1 Caesarea stood on the Mediterranean coast about 30 miles north of Joppa. Formerly its name was Strato's Tower, but Herod the Great renamed it in honor of Augustus Caesar, his patron and the adopted heir of Julius Caesar....
  • 14:8 Like Antioch of Pisidia, Lystra (modern Zoldera) was a Roman colony.580It was the most eastern of the fortified cities of Galatia. Lystra was about 20 miles south of Iconium.581Luke did not mention synagogue evangelism h...
  • Luke devoted more space to Paul's evangelizing in Philippi than he did to the apostle's activities in any other city on the second and third journeys even though Paul was there only briefly. It was the first European city in ...
  • This is the first of two incidents taken from Paul's ministry in Ephesus that bracket Luke's description of his general ministry there.19:1-2 Two roads led into Ephesus from the east, and Paul travelled the northern, more dir...
  • 12:4 Although there is only one Holy Spirit He gives many different abilities to different people. Everything in this pericope revolves around these two ideas. "Gifts"(Gr. charismata, from charismeaning "grace") are abilities...
  • John's response to this revelation was similar to Daniel's response to the vision God gave him (cf. Dan. 10:7-9). Jesus then proceeded to give John more information about what He wanted him to do.1:17 This revelation of Jesus...
  • Ephesus was a leading seaport and the capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor. Paul had evangelized it and used it as a base of operations for at least three years (Acts 18:19-21; 19; 1 Cor. 16:8). Timothy had labored the...
  • 5:2 The identity of the strong angel is probably unknowable. His loud voice indicated his authority and the importance of what he said. One with sufficient authority was necessary to open (Gr. anoixai) the scroll and by break...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • They besought Him, saying, That he was worthy for whom He should do this: 6. I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: 7. Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee '--Luke 7:6-7.A ROMAN centur...
  • And when the Lord saw her. He had compassion on her, and said unto her. Weep not. 14. And He came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15. And he that was d...
  • And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 19. And John calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou He that should come? or look we for another? 20. When the men were come unto H...
  • He that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.'--Luke 7:28.WE were speaking in a preceding sermon about the elements of true greatness, as represented in the life and character of John the Baptist. As we remarked ...
  • The Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of Him.'--Luke 7:30.OUR Lord has just been pouring unstinted praise on the head of John the Baptist. The eulogium was tenderly timed...
  • The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! '--Luke 7:34.JESUS CHRIST very seldom took any notice of the mists of calumny that drifted ...
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