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 7:8 mean?

Explanation

This verse is spoken by a centurion, a Roman army officer, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

The centurion is addressing Jesus, expressing his understanding of authority and command.

In doing so, he acknowledges that Jesus, like him, has authority, possibly even greater authority.

He implies that just as he, a man with military authority, can order his soldiers and servants to perform tasks with complete obedience, Jesus has the authority to command even illness or the forces of nature and they will obey.

It's a statement of faith in Jesus' power to heal and to enact change without necessarily being physically present.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

During the time of the New Testament, Judaea was under Roman occupation.

Roman military officers, like centurions, were common and they commanded units of approximately one hundred soldiers.

These centurions held significant authority and power within both the military and local governance structures.

The social structure was highly hierarchical, and the word of a centurion would have been law to those under his command. This centurion's interaction with Jesus was unique because Romans generally did not seek help from Jews or involve themselves with Jewish matters.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is significant for several reasons.

It demonstrates a Gentile's faith in Jesus, highlighting the Christian belief in Jesus' authority over all of creation, transcending cultural and religious boundaries.

It reflects on the nature of faith, faith that is not based on sight or physical evidence but recognizes spiritual authority.

The centurion's faith results in Jesus healing his servant, furthering the theological theme of faith leading to divine intervention.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of this verse are numerous.

It suggests that recognizing authority and having faith in it can lead to positive outcomes.

In everyday life, this can translate into trusting in the guidance and direction of those in authority, whether they are leaders in various fields, spiritual guides, or even trusting in the unfolding of events that may be outside one's control.

The verse calls followers to exhibit faith that is both humble and confident.

Cross-References

Matthew 8:5-13: Narrates the same incident with additional details about the centurion and Jesus' response to his faith.
John 4:46-54: Another healing by Jesus' word, showing His authority to heal at a distance.
Psalm 107:20: “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Romans 13:1: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.

For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

Language Study

In this verse, the Greek words are important to understanding the depth of its meaning:

"Authority" (Greek: "exousia") suggests not just the power to command, but legitimate, rightful power.
"Set under" (Greek: "hupotasso") implies ranking oneself under, being subject to a higher power indicating a clear hierarchy.
"Having under me" (Greek: "echo hupo emauton") means having in subjection under oneself.

These terms underscore the centurion's understanding of organized, legitimate power structures, and by extension, an acknowledgment of Jesus' inherent authority.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In Roman culture, authority and hierarchy were ingrained in both military and civil society, with a clear chain of command.

Similarly, within Judaism, the importance of authority was recognized in religious and social structures, such as in the Sanhedrin or synagogal leadership.

The centurion's recognition of Jesus' authority reflects a cross-cultural respect for power that transcends normal socio-political boundaries.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse does not directly intersect with scientific understandings in the way natural phenomena or medical treatments might.

However, the concept of authority can be explored in social sciences like psychology or sociology.

It engages with human behavior, hierarchy, and the structure of authority.

It touches on how individuals respond to perceived authority figures, a topic well-studied in fields such as social psychology.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians offer various insights into this verse.

Some focus on the centurion's exemplary faith, and how his understanding of authority led him to a profound faith in Jesus' power. Others might explore the implications of a Roman officer demonstrating greater faith than the Jewish people Jesus was primarily sent to.

Commentators like Matthew Henry have admired the centurion's humility and recognition of Jesus’ divine authority, which are seen as models for Christian behavior.

Luke 7

Luke 7

What does Luke 7:8 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 7:8 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?