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 7:41 mean?

Explanation

Luke 7:41 presents a parable told by Jesus to Simon the Pharisee during a meal at Simon's house.

In the verse, Jesus begins the parable by introducing two individuals who have debts to the same creditor, one owes five hundred pence, while the other owes fifty.

Without explicitly stating it here, the verse sets the stage for a discussion on forgiveness and gratitude.

The amount owed by each debtor reflects their respective burden of sin or moral debt.

The larger debt represents a greater amount of sin, and the smaller debt, a lesser amount.

Jesus utilizes this parable to illustrate the relationship between the magnitude of forgiveness one receives and the love and gratitude one shows in return.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, the concept of debt was both financial and symbolic. Financially, debts could determine a person's future and social standing. Symbolically, they often represented moral or ethical failings.

The setting of this teaching, at the house of Simon the Pharisee, is significant because Pharisees were members of a Jewish sect known for strict adherence to the law and often held attitudes of moral superiority.

Pence, mentioned as the unit of currency, refers to the Roman denarius, which was the average day's wage for a laborer.

This indicates that one debtor owed approximately one and a half years' wages, while the other owed a month and a half's wages.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this parable leads into a discussion about the nature of God's forgiveness.

Traditionally, Christian theology emphasizes that God's forgiveness is available to all regardless of the size of their sin (debt).

This parable suggests that those who are forgiven more may be capable of greater love because they recognize the extent of the grace they have received.

The parable raises questions about self-awareness of one's sins and the correlation between recognizing one’s need for forgiveness and the response to God’s mercy.

Practical Applications

The teaching in Luke 7:41 can be applied in daily life by encouraging individuals to reflect on their own need for forgiveness and to cultivate gratitude for any mercy shown to them. People are also reminded to treat others with compassion and to forgive debts, or grievances, accordingly.

It suggests that understanding the depth of one’s own faults can lead to a more forgiving and loving attitude towards others.

Cross-References

Matthew 18:21-35: This passage, known as the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, shares a similar theme of forgiveness and reflects on how a servant forgiven a large debt by his master fails to forgive a small debt owed to him by a fellow servant.
Luke 7:47: This verse concludes the parable by stating, "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."
Ephesians 4:32: "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, "creditor" is translated from "daneistēs," meaning lender or loan shark.

The term "pence" refers to "denarion," which is the Roman denarius, a silver coin that served as the standard currency.

The word "owed" in Greek is "opheilō," which can also be interpreted as being under obligation or bound by duty. This linguistic understanding provides a more nuanced view of the nature of the debts in this parable.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of forgiveness of debt as an allegory for moral or spiritual redemption is not unique to Christianity.

In Judaism, the Year of Jubilee (every 50th year) involved the forgiving of debts and can be seen as an antecedent to Jesus's teaching.

Other ancient cultures had various concepts of debt and restitution, which were sometimes connected to religious practices and moral codes.

However, the direct link between forgiveness of financial debt and forgiveness of sin is a theme that Jesus emphasizes in his teachings.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, particularly in the fields of psychology and sociology, the concept of debt forgiveness can have a tangible impact on human behavior and society.

Studies show that excessive debt can lead to stress and mental health issues.

By extrapolation, the forgiveness of debt, analogous to easing the psychological burden of guilt, can have positive emotional and societal effects, promoting better mental health and social cohesion.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators offer varying insights on Luke 7:41.

Some focus on the lesson of the parable: that greater forgiveness leads to greater love and gratitude. Others reflect on the nature of Jesus's audience, pointing out that Simon the Pharisee may represent those who see themselves as righteous and in less need of forgiveness.

Some commentators suggest the parable teaches about the danger of self-righteousness and the importance of humility. The disproportionate debts serve to emphasize the broad scope of God's willingness to forgive sins, reminding the faithful of the generosity of God's grace.

Luke 7

Luke 7

What does Luke 7:41 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 7:41 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?