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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 7:1-23 Healing A Roman Centurion’s Servant 7:1 After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people, he entered Capernaum. When Jesus had finished speaking his ‘sermon on the plain’ to the people he returned to Capernaum, where earlier he had performed many miracles (Luke 4:31-41). This chapter also recalls Jesus earlier statement at Nazareth. There Jesus had warned the Jews that if they rejected him they would miss out on blessings which instead would be received by outsiders; just as Naaman the Syrian was healed by Elisha and the Widow of Zarephath’s son was raised from the dead by Elijah. Luke 7 gives us the healing of a Roman centurion’s servant and the raising of the widow of Nain’s son to reinforce the truth that Jesus ministry represented the coming near of God to ‘visit’ his people, and that the blessings of this visitation would be made available to all people. 7:2-3 A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. A Roman centurion stationed in that town had a servant to whom he had become very attached. This servant was sick and near death. No doubt having heard about Jesus and the miracles he had performed for others, he sent some Jewish elders (leaders in the synagogue) to ask for Jesus to come and heal this man. Clearly, as verse 5 makes clear, the centurion was a god-fearer and patron of this synagogue himself. 7:4-5 When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue. What appears to be this issue here is not whether the man was worthy of being healed, but whether performing such a healing would be sufficient grounds for Jesus to enter this Gentile’s house, a thing discouraged if not altogether forbidden among the Jews. When the synagogue elders reached Jesus they begged Him earnestly to come on the basis of the fact that the centurion was a worthy god-fearer who loved Israel, and so its religion and had built them the synagogue. 7:6-7 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. That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed.
What I find interesting about this account is the comparison with another occasion when a Roman centurion, a god-fearer, sent for a man of God. That was when Cornelius sent for Peter in Acts 10, and you remember how Peter said I was not lawful for a Jew to enter the home of a Gentile. God had to show him by vision and miracle that Gentiles were accepted by him through faith in Christ the same as Jews. It is ironic that Jesus was on his way to enter this centurion’s home and heal his servant, but Peter doesn’t appreciate the significance of this. Even so, when Jesus came near the house the centurion sent friends to say to Jesus that he was not worthy for him to come into his house (because he was a sinner). This was why he would not come to Jesus himself to ask him to heal his servant. Instead, he was content for Jesus to speak a word of command to heal the disease without being present in person. 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." The centurion was a man under the authority of the Roman emperor and in turn he had soldiers under his command. When he gave orders to his soldiers they obeyed him or if he said to his servant to do this or that he did it. Those who disobeyed could be severely punished. He clearly recognised the authority of Jesus to act on God’s behalf, and expected the miracle to happen. 7:9-10 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!" So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well. On hearing this Jesus marvelled at his humility and faith, and turning to the crowd which followed him he exclaimed that he had not found as much faith in any Israelite as he had found in this Roman. We are not told in fact whether Jesus did speak of healing, yet when the friends of the centurion returned home they found the servant alive and well. Note the similarity with Elisha’s healing of Naaman. The foreign army commander Naaman never even saw Elisha, yet was healed when he believed the word of The Lord spoken by Elisha.
Raising the Widow’s Son 7:11 Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. Just after this event Jesus and His disciples went to the village of Nain and a great crowd followed them. 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. As they approached the village gate a funeral procession was coming out. A young man who had died, the only son of a widow and large crowd from the village was with her. One can easily imagine that one group represents the power of death, whilst the other represents the power of resurrection life in Jesus. Notice that it is life, not death, which triumphs whenever Jesus is near. 7:13-15 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep." 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!" So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. The Lord’s heart was full of compassion when he saw the grief and distress of this widow. God has promised his special care for widows (e.g. Deut. 10:17-18). Telling her not to cry, Jesus approached the coffin and touched it, causing the bearers to stop. Unlike Elijah, the Lord of life had no need to pray for this resurrection. He who is the Resurrection commanded the dead young man to get up; and he immediately did so and began to talk. Then 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!" The comparison with Elijah was not lost on the people who saw this miracle. A great fear swept over the crowd as they began to praise and glorify God, proclaiming Jesus as a mighty prophet who had been raised up among them as a means of God helping his people. 7:17 This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country. The news of what Jesus had done went right throughout Judea and all the surrounding area, as well it might! If something like this happened at a public funeral in your town do you think it could be hushed up?
John the Baptist Seeks Confirmation 7:18 John's disciples informed him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples. John the Baptist had been imprisoned by Herod and while there his disciples came and told him about the miracles which they had seen Jesus do. 7:19 And sent them to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another? On hearing this report John sent some of his disciples to Jesus with a question. Was he indeed the one that he had prophesied would come, the Messiah, or was he, like John another messenger? 7:20-21 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?' At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. At the time that they arrived to put this question to Jesus, Jesus was busy healing many of their diseases, including the blind, lame, deaf and lepers; as well as raising the dead. 7:22-23 So he 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. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." On hearing John’s question, Jesus told John's disciples to return to him again with another testimony about all that they had heard and seen. This time he wants them to emphasise that his work was in fulfilment of the vision of Isaiah: Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. (Isa 35:3-6) These miracles were indeed a sign that Jesus was the one to come. In finishing his message to John, Jesus says in effect ‘Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not’. John was not to turn away in discouragement because he was in prison whilst Christ was, for now, at liberty and performing wonders. John had prepared the way for this to happen, and Jesus had come in fulfilment of his prediction; John’s work was accomplished. © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2013 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org