Gospel of Luke Study – Chapter 7

We have learned that the foundation that needs to be built in our lives is one that will withstand the storms of life. The Word of God is that foundation, Jesus is that foundation, and his calling to give, forgive, and love are the keys to that foundation, and keep that foundation cleaved to the rock.

7:1-10 – Healing of the Centurion’s Servant
The transition here is that after Jesus had finished speaking he moves into Capernaum (gentile territory). What did Jesus do earlier in Capernaum? This Centurion has a slave whom he seems to care for and he has heard the stories about Jesus, very possibly from Jesus’ earlier foray into Capernaum. He sends a contingent of people to help pave the way for Jesus to want to help. This group appeals to Jesus with the fact that this soldier has been very helpful to Jesus’ people. He has even built the synagogue for us. Here we may have the idea that this first group owes the Centurion something, and may feel some compunction to do this for the Centurion. However, never does Jesus react as if this is anything other than an honorable request on the part of all parties involved.

Jesus now is given the opportunity to put into practice what he has just taught, and he again will go further. The Centurion is a Roman soldier, the occupying force of Palestine. We have two strong forces at work here. First, we have the Roman Empire and their claim to being all powerful. Second, we have Jesus and his claim that the Kingdom of God is all powerful. How each is lived out is totally different however. The above chapter outlined how God’s power is made evident: Healing; Giving away, forgiving, loving others especially enemies. The Roman’s power is made evident by taking over countries; oppressing the people if they don’t do what you tell them. The Centurion makes this clear in his statement that he is a man under authority who is also in authority. This is the world of the Roman Empire someone in authority tells you to jump, you jump! It is clear that this Centurion believes Jesus has the authority to heal.

The Centurion’s respect for Jesus and his faith is shown by him sending the second delegation. Jesus seems fully ready willing and able to come to the man’s house, but it would certainly put him in hot water again with the authorities. Jesus never seems to care, but the Centurion understands the political forces at work. This second group, friends, tells Jesus that he doesn’t have to make the trek, his word will be enough. “I am not worth to have you come under my roof…Only speak the word, and let my servant be healed.” In this statement there is humility, faith in Jesus’ abilities, understanding of the power of the WORD of someone in authority. When you have real authority saying the WORD is all that is needed!!

This isn’t a healing story really. This is a story about much more. Faith is found in other places not just in those who are a part of the disciples, the people of God, or those on the inside. This man’s faith far exceeded anything Jesus has experienced. The story never even says Jesus healed the servant. In fact, it seems as though the humility and the belief in Jesus’ power is enough to effect the healing. The humility may go as far as to know Jesus has the power, but also he needs to have the desire (the will) to do so. The appeal to Jesus was to ask for Jesus to turn his heart toward this servant for the healing. The appeal is so humble that Jesus is actually “amazed,” this is the first and only time this happens!!

But it is important to note that at the end Jesus doesn’t end up playing into the games of owing each other something. In our world when someone does something for us we typically feel indebted to them, and feel compelled that we must return the favor one day. This is played out even further by others holding those things over our heads. The sending of the first group could be interpreted like that, though the story doesn’t carry that concept forward. Jesus, however, doesn’t require anything of the Centurion after the healing, he just moves on.

7:11-17 – The Raising of the Widow’s Son
We have just witnessed the power of Jesus’ word to heal over a distance. Now Jesus word is so powerful not only can it heal over a long distance, but Jesus’ Word can reach into the depths of the place of the dead (gehena) and raise someone from the dead. You thought that after the last story Jesus was powerful, and had authority from God. In this story for the first time the narrator (Luke) calls Jesus, “the Lord.” We learned from the last story that Jesus has authority, and now you can see the extent of Jesus’ authority!! This is the beginning of Jesus reaching into the depths of the place of the dead.

In the literary playing out of this story we have two processions that meet. In Jesus’ procession he is leading the crowd and his disciples. In the other procession leading the way is the dead man, followed by his mother, and the mourners. One is a procession of life, the other a procession of death. Jesus has compassion for those in the procession of death, and he changes their circumstances. Not too different than when he touched the leper and healed him, changing his condition. Coming in contact with Jesus (or even just Jesus’ word) is to have yourself healed, transformed, and possibly a new life given to you!

This is a story that truly depicts Jesus as Elijah, which ultimately is the statement from the crowd after the healing. So far we have heard of Elijah in Chapter 1 where Elijah’s spirit is going before John the Baptist. Then chapter 4 Jesus uses Elijah’s healing of a widow to show that God cares for the outsiders. Its very possible that there was a debate in the early church between John’s disciples and Jesus’ disciples about which one was the one. Luke is trying to clarify that debate, and he will do so more clearly in the next part.

7:18-35 – The John / Jesus Debate
In this story it is clear that John’s disciples have been scouting out about Jesus. They are following him, seeing what he is doing and now they report back to John. John is upfront and sends two directly to Jesus to ask the question. Luke reports that they are sent to “the Lord.” Luke knows who Jesus is, we know who Jesus is, and it is going to be plainly obvious to John once his disciples return with the reports about what Jesus is doing. It is almost comical the way this is set up. Jesus has just finished doing everything that has been previously prophesied about him by the various prophets in Luke’s story. John’s question makes us go back to Jesus’ baptism, and be reminded that John was put in prison right before Luke tells us of Jesus’ baptism. Was John not there, and so John didn’t see the dove descend, and didn’t hear the voice from heaven. Jesus responds with six prophetic activities that he has been involved in.

John’s question could be because Jesus is not what he was expecting. John preached fire and brimstone. John was passionate about fasting, humility, repentance, etc. The Pharisees complain that Jesus disciples aren’t like John’s disciples. It seems as if John and Jesus are not on the same team really, yet they are. The last blessing Jesus announces is on those who don’t take offense at Jesus. Yet, the Pharisees and scribes are taking offense, and anyone throughout this Gospel who doesn’t like outsiders, who doesn’t like sinners treated like the righteous ones, who doesn’t think its fair that sinners are treated like sons/daughters. There is a lot for us to take offense at in Luke’s Jesus, and we frequently do!! Where do we take offense at what Jesus does??

7:24-35 – Explanation of John the Baptist to Jesus’ disciples
At this point Jesus speaks to his followers about who John the Baptist is. Luke here may be trying to smooth over the relationships between the disciples of John the Baptist, and the disciples of Jesus. We can hear in the background the same problem Paul discovered in Corinth when the disciples of each of the apostles were arguing, and boasting of who they were following. “What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” (1 Cor 1:12) Jesus begins by asking three questions, which each successively have inadequate answers, and the inadequacy heightens, even as the answers move toward the affirmative. He seems to be talking with the crowds who went out to see John in the wilderness, but these have left following John, and are following Jesus now. Jesus is basically lifting up their viewpoint of John. Jesus doesn’t want animosity among the disciples. He points out no one is greater than John in this world.

The three questions kind of pose different things we human beings are interested in following. First, a reed shaken by the wind, think of politicians who change their viewpoints based on the prevailing viewpoints in the crowds. This obviously is not John the Baptist. Second, we are frequently hung up on following the powerful, the wealthy, for no other reason than their power and wealth not having anything to do with what they stand for. Third, people do actually follow prophets, but this is even a poor descriptor of John the Baptist. John is much more!! Jesus even is including himself in his praise of John. Jesus is one born of a woman. “Jesus is not too proud to take his place at the feet of God’s greatest prophet.” (Vinson, p. 227). John has done his job with perfect devotion, and has prepared the way remarkably well. The blessing Jesus gave earlier to John was not just that no one take offense, but that no one “stumble” over Jesus. Meaning that John could continue to do what his calling was. He was doing a good job!!

The last two verses describe how those who were Baptized by John are moving from begin John’s disciples to being Jesus’ disciples which according to Jesus here is the natural progression, and is actually what John’s baptism was preparing them for, but the Pharisees and lawyers are rejecting God, by rejecting John & Jesus.

Jesus then goes off on a tangent to describe humanity’s problems in wanting leaders to do our bidding. Neither John nor Jesus are going to do what is expected of them. They seem contradictory but they are not. One is preparing the world for the other. We, however, seem to complain about both, which is contradictory. John & Jesus are on the same team, and following means accepting both.

Luke 7:36-50 – Responses to Jesus – (Very Important Story)
Jesus not only eats with sinners and tax collectors but here we see Jesus eating with Pharisees. Indeed, the Lukan Jesus love to eat, and loves banquets!! Prior to this story we know Jesus is a prophet and more than a prophet. Luke has started calling him LORD, so the Pharisees question of Jesus is obviously in the negative. Jesus is a prophet, he knows exactly who is touching him, and taking care of him, and it isn’t Simon (who should have been doing so, since we are in Simon’s house). Jesus also knows who Simon is!!

The parable Jesus uses lifts up the fact that when we realize we are forgiven much, we tend to love much. When we don’t realize we are forgiven much, we tend not to love too much. The example of the woman here shows that she recognizes how much God has forgiven her, and she is showing love to Jesus because of this gift to her. The Pharisee has not had that realization yet, and so is still judging and condemning. Our challenge is to make sure we are not blind to our own need for forgiveness the way the Pharisee seems to be.

Faith in this instance is sheer humility and an acknowledgement that we have great sins which we bring to the cross of Christ, and as we love greatly such sins will be forgiven. A question for ourselves is how often are we scandalized by the forgiveness Jesus offers to others? When we are scandalized by this, we are not humbling ourselves to realize just how much our own sins have cost Jesus!