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 7:43 mean?

Explanation

Luke 7:43 features a conversation between Jesus and Simon the Pharisee.

Simon had invited Jesus to his home for a meal, and during this time, a sinful woman anointed Jesus' feet with perfume and tears.

To address the Pharisee's silent judgment of both Himself and the woman, Jesus shares the Parable of the Two Debtors.

In this parable, two individuals owe money to a creditor, one owes a large sum, and the other a smaller sum.

The creditor forgives both debts.

Jesus then asks Simon who will love the creditor more, to which Simon correctly responds that it would be the one who was forgiven more.

This verse highlights that the magnitude of forgiveness can affect the depth of love and gratitude one may feel and express.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Pharisees were a group of Jews known for their strict adherence to the Mosaic Law.

They often held a position of respect and authority in society.

To be invited to a Pharisee's house was considered an honor, and such meals typically included discussions on religious and theological topics.

Therefore, the setting of this verse illustrates a social dynamic where Jesus was associating with both the religious elite and those deemed sinners, challenging the social norms of the day.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse illustrates a few key concepts.

Forgiveness: Jesus is teaching about the Kingdom of God's grace and the comprehensive forgiveness available through Him.
Humility: Jesus is subtly hinting at Simon's need for forgiveness and the dangers of self-righteousness.
God's love: It shows that God’s love is not dependent on our actions, and that He offers forgiveness freely to those who seek Him.
Repentance and faith: The verse hints at the idea that recognizing our need for forgiveness is essential to faith and conversion.

Practical Applications

In everyday life, this verse encourages individuals to:

Reflect on forgiveness, be willing to forgive others, and seek forgiveness where necessary.
Be humble and aware of our own faults and the grace that we, too, have received.
Cultivate gratitude for the forgiveness and love we receive.

Cross-References

Matthew 18:21-35 - Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, where Jesus teaches the importance of forgiving others as God has forgiven us.
Ephesians 4:32 - "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Romans 5:8 - "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Language Study

The Greek word translated as “forgave” in this verse is ἀφίημι (aphiēmi), which can mean to send away, to let go, to release, or to forgive.

In the context of debts, it signifies the cancellation of a debt.

The use of this term stresses the act of release from a legal or moral obligation.

This is pivotal in understanding the gravity of the parable - the indebtedness represents sin, and the act of forgiving represents divine pardon.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Parallel to this story in Luke are various ancient myths and religious teachings emphasizing forgiveness and the transformation that follows it.

For instance, the Egyptian story of Isis and Osiris embodies themes of restoration and grace.

In Hinduism, stories of Lord Krishna forgiving individuals highlight the virtue of divine forgiveness that transcends human failings.

Scientific Perspectives

While not directly related to science, contemporary psychological studies support the teaching in Luke 7:43, emphasizing the positive effects of forgiveness on mental health.

Forgiveness therapy is an established approach within psychology to help people move past hurt and trauma, akin to the emotional release depicted in forgiveness in religious texts.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have long pondered over the depth of Jesus' engagement with Simon.

The general consensus reflects that Jesus used the situation to teach about God's inclusive love and the transformative power of forgiveness.

Renowned commentaries like the Matthew Henry Commentary and the Pulpit Commentary elaborate on the implications of Jesus’ teaching, the societal expectations of the time, and the deeper spiritual lessons that can be gleaned from Jesus's response to Simon.

Luke 7

Luke 7

What does Luke 7:43 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 7:43 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?