40 And Jesus answering said unto him, `Simon, I have something to say to thee;' and he saith, `Teacher, say on.'
And they come in unto thee as the coming in of a people, And they sit before thee -- My people, And have heard thy words, and they do them not, For doting loves with their mouth they are making, After their dishonest gain their heart is going.
A son honoureth a father, and a servant his master. And if I `am' a father, where `is' Mine honour? And if I `am' a master, where `is' My fear? Said Jehovah of Hosts to you, O priests, despising My name! And ye have said: `In what have we despised Thy name?'
and immediately, having come to Jesus, he said, `Hail, Rabbi,' and kissed him;
And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said unto them, `What reason ye in your hearts?
And he himself had known their reasonings, and said to the man having the withered hand, `Rise, and stand in the midst;' and he having risen, stood.
And a certain ruler questioned him, saying, `Good teacher, what having done -- shall I inherit life age-during?'
And, having watched `him', they sent forth liers in wait, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his word, to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor, and they questioned him, saying, `Teacher, we have known that thou dost say and teach rightly, and dost not accept a person, but in truth the way of God dost teach;
this one came unto him by night, and said to him, `Rabbi, we have known that from God thou hast come -- a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that thou dost, if God may not be with him.'
ye call me, The Teacher and The Lord, and ye say well, for I am;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Luke 7
Commentary on Luke 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
In this chapter we have,
Luk 7:1-10
Some difference there is between this story of the cure of the centurion's servant as it is related here and as we had it in Mt. 8:5, etc. There it was said that the centurion came to Christ; here it is said that he sent to him first some of the elders of the Jews (v. 3), and afterwards some other friends, v. 6. But it is a rule that we are said to do that which we do by another-Quod facimus per alium, id ipsum facere judicamur. The centurion might be said to do that which he did by his proxies; as a man takes possession by his attorney. But it is probable that the centurion himself came at last, when Christ said to him (Mt. 8:13), As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.
This miracle is here said to have been wrought by our Lord Jesus when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, v. 1. What Christ said he said publicly; whoever would might come and hear him: In secret have I said nothing, Jn. 18:20. Now, to give an undeniable proof of the authority of his preaching word, he here gives an incontestable proof of the power and efficacy of his healing word. He that had such a commanding empire in the kingdom of nature as that he could command away diseases, no doubt has such a sovereignty in the kingdom of grace as to enjoin duties displeasing to flesh and blood, and bind, under the highest penalties, to the observance of them. This miracle was wrought in Capernaum, where most of Christ's mighty works were done, Mt. 11:23. Now observe,
Luk 7:11-18
We have here the story of Christ's raising to life a widow's son at Nain, that was dead and in the carrying out to be buried, which Matthew and Mark had made no mention of; only, in the general, Matthew had recorded it, in Christ's answer to the disciples of John, that the dead were raised up, Mt. 11:5. Observe,
Luk 7:19-35
All this discourse concerning John Baptist, occasioned by his sending to ask whether he was the Messiah or no, we had, much as it is here related, Mt. 11:2-19.
Luk 7:36-50
When and where this passage of story happened does not appear; this evangelist does not observe order of time in his narrative so much as the other evangelists do; but it comes in here, upon occasion of Christ's being reproached as a friend to publicans and sinners, to show that it was only for their good, and to bring them to repentance, that he conversed with them; and that those whom he admitted hear him were reformed, or in a hopeful way to be so. Who this woman was that here testified so great an affection to Christ does not appear; it is commonly said to be Mary Magdalene, but I find no ground in scripture for it: she is described (ch. 8:2 and Mk. 16:9) to be one out of whom Christ had cast seven devils; but that is not mentioned here, and therefore it is probable that it was not she. Now observe here,
Now in what this good woman did, we may observe,