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 7:31 mean?

Explanation

Luke 7:31 represents a moment where Jesus is reflecting on the attitudes of the people of His generation towards John the Baptist and Himself.

As Jesus observes their behavior, He poses a rhetorical question to express His dissatisfaction with their responses to God’s work among them.

In essence, the verse sets the stage for Jesus to compare the people of this generation to children who are not satisfied with any game being played, illustrating their refusal to respond appropriately to John's and Jesus' distinct ministries.

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Historical Context

This verse occurs in the context of Jesus' ministry in Galilee, where He has been performing miracles and teaching.

John the Baptist, who has been imprisoned by Herod, has sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the expected Messiah.

Jesus has just finished describing John's unique role in God's plan as the forerunner of the Messiah.

At the time, Jewish culture was highly anticipatory of a messianic figure, and many had their own ideas of what that would look like.

Both Jesus and John did not fit the popular expectations; John lived an ascetic life in the wilderness, and Jesus dined with sinners and pronounced forgiveness of sins.

Theological Insights

The statement of Jesus in Luke 7:31 reveals several theological insights.

It underscores God's sovereignty in sending messengers with different styles and roles, and human responsibility in responding to divine revelation.

Jesus' lament implicates the fickleness of human nature, which reveals a resistance to both the stringent lifestyle of John the Baptist and the sociable and compassionate approach of Jesus.

Theologians often use this verse to discuss the paradox of expectation versus revelation in the context of faith and the recognition of God's work among us.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse invites self-reflection on how individuals today respond to God's work.

Are we like the children Jesus describes, always dissatisfied and critical, or are we open and receptive? It challenges believers to examine their own expectations of God and religious leaders, encouraging an openness to the diverse ways God can operate.

It also implies the importance of discerning and celebrating God’s activity in various forms and people, rather than adhering strictly to preconceived notions of what is expected or acceptable.

Cross-References

Matthew 11:16-17 - John’s and Jesus’ generations compared to children in the marketplace.
Matthew 21:28-32 - Parable of the two sons, illustrating different responses to John’s message.
Luke 7:24-30 - Jesus discussing John’s role and the people’s reaction to him.
1 Corinthians 1:22-23 - Jews require a sign and Greeks seek after wisdom, contrasting responses to the gospel.

Language Study

The original Greek text of this verse involves certain key terms:

"generation" (γενεὰ - genea) refers to those born around the same time, but can also encompass the wider connotations of a kind or type of people with shared characteristics.
"liken" (ομοιώσω - homoiosō) means to compare or make similar, where Jesus is looking for an apt comparison for the people of his era.
"are they like" (εἰσιν ομοιοι - eisin homoioi) indicates the actual similarity or nature shared by the people he refers to.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The metaphor of children playing in the marketplace might be compared to various proverbs and stories in other cultural traditions that highlight the folly or intransigence of a community or generation.

For example, in Aesop’s fables, which contain moral lessons, or in ancient wisdom literature, one finds comparisons using everyday observations to make a point about human behavior or societal attitudes.

Scientific Perspectives

The neurological and psychological sciences shed light on human behaviors, such as resistance to change or groupthink, which may be seen in the generation Jesus speaks about.

It is well documented that expectation biases and cognitive dissonance can lead to rejection or misinterpretation of new or challenging information, paralleling the reaction to John's and Jesus' ministries.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians provide various interpretations of Luke 7:31.

Some underscore the uncompromising standards of both John the Baptist and Jesus, but noted in different ways by their contemporaries, as a reason for their rejection.

Others see this verse as emphasizing the justice of God’s judgment; the generation has been given every reason to repent but has consistently found excuses.

Commentators also highlight Jesus' use of wisdom and insight to capture and critique the attitudes prevalent among the people of His time.

Luke 7

Luke 7

What does Luke 7:31 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 7:31 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?