Luke 7

Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:

For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

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?

When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

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!

But wisdom is justified of all her children.

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

What does Luke 7:15 mean?

Explanation

The verse from the Gospel according to Luke, specifically Luke 7:15, describes a miracle performed by Jesus Christ.

In the preceding passages, we learn about a widow from the town of Nain whose only son had died.

As Jesus approaches the town, He comes upon the funeral procession.

Moved by the woman's grief and possibly recalling the vulnerability of widows in Jewish society, Jesus decides to intervene.

He touches the bier (a platform for carrying the body) and commands the young man to arise.

The verse in question captures the climax of this story, where the dead man not only returns to life but also begins to speak, proving that he is truly alive and not merely resurrected as a silent body.

Jesus then "delivered him to his mother," which signifies the restoration of her son and, symbolically, her social security and familial joy.

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Historical Context

The event described in Luke 7:15 takes place in the Galilean town of Nain during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, which is roughly estimated to be around 27-30 AD.

In the Jewish culture of that time, being a widow could lead to great financial insecurity and social vulnerability, especially if the widow had no living sons to support her.

The death of an only son would have thus been a devastating blow to the widow from Nain, making the miracle not only a compassionate gesture but also a means of providing for the woman's well-being.

Miracles such as this one also served as a powerful testimony to the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, a key aspect of His ministry.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse and the surrounding miracle narrative offer a number of insights. Among various Christian denominations, interpretations may slightly vary:

It demonstrates Jesus' authority over life and death, reinforcing his divinity and role in the resurrection at the end of times.
The miracle is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus' own resurrection, which is central to Christian doctrine.
It emphasizes Jesus' compassion and his attention to the marginalized, illustrating that His ministry was one of both preaching and action.
Some theologians point to this miracle as a symbol of spiritual resurrection, where Jesus brings new life, spiritually speaking, to the sin-weary soul.

Practical Applications

The account of Jesus raising the widow's son offers several practical applications:

Acts of compassion: As followers of Jesus, individuals are encouraged to be sensitive to the suffering of others and to take tangible steps to alleviate it.
Embracing life: This account encourages believers to appreciate life as a precious gift and to view Jesus as the sustainer and restorer of life.
Supporting the vulnerable: Christians are reminded of their responsibility to care for those who are vulnerable in society.
Faith in the face of loss: For those who have experienced grief, the story is an invitation to trust in God's power to bring life out of death, comfort out of mourning, and hope out of despair.

Cross-References

John 11:43-44 - "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth." 2. 1 Kings 17:22-23 - "And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." 3.

Matthew 9:25 - "But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose." 4.

Acts 9:40 - "But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise.

And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of this verse include:

"sat up" (ἀνεκάθισεν, anekathisen): A physical action indicating the recovery of life functions.
"began to speak" (ἐλάλει, elalei): The immediate use of speech upon being resurrected, demonstrating the completeness of the miracle.
"delivered" (ἐδωκεν, edoken): Meaning to give over or commit.

Jesus' action symbolizes returning the son to his mother both literally and in terms of her social security.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this narrative to other ancient myths and religious interpretations:

Resurrection miracles also appear in various mythologies, such as the Egyptian myth of Osiris.

However, Christian doctrine insists on the uniqueness of Jesus' miracles as signs of divine authority and love.

In some religious traditions, miracles are attributed to various prophets or holy figures.

The miracle at Nain fits within a broader Jewish context that included stories of prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha, performing similar acts.

The community context of mourning, with professional mourners and a funeral procession, was typical of the period.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, resurrection from the dead, as portrayed in this passage, defies the natural process of death and is thus considered a supernatural event.

Modern scientific understanding emphasizes that once biological death has occurred, reflected in the cessation of heart, brain, and lung function, it is irreversible.

Therefore, this episode is evaluated as a matter of faith rather than a subject of scientific inquiry.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have interpreted this verse:

Some commentaries focus on the compassion of Jesus as the driving force behind the miracle, suggesting that His miracles are not merely displays of power, but also acts of profound love and compassion.
Others highlight the significance of the miracle as a sign of the inbreaking Kingdom of God, where Jesus confronts and overcomes the powers of sin and death.
The consensus among many scholars is that this displays Jesus' divine authority and points to Him as the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
The spontaneous and public nature of the miracle, without prior request from the widow, is also noted, emphasizing the initiative of Jesus in performing acts that bear witness to His mission.

Luke 7

Luke 7

What does Luke 7:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 7:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?