Luke 7
At Capernaum Jesus met with a centurion whose servant was sick and near death. He had gone to the elders of the Jews that they might ask the Lord to heal his servant. There were certain qualities mentioned to Jesus about the centurion that were unusual. He, being a Gentile and of those who held Israel captive, had built the Jews a synagogue. They said that he loved the nation of Israel.
As Jesus went with them, a messenger came to tell the Lord that He should not trouble Himself, because the centurion was not worthy that the Lord should visit his home. He said that he was a man in authority who said to his servants, "Come, and he cometh... do this, and he doeth it," so the Lord could just say the word and his servant would be healed. Returning, the messenger found the servant healed. The Lord said that He had not found faith like that in Israel.
Nain
The Lord and His disciples, with much people, went to visit Nain. At the gate of the city they met a funeral procession for the only son of a widow who, in losing her son, lost the inheritance. Today there were many people with her; tomorrow she would be alone. Seeing her, the Lord had compassion on her, saying to her, "Weep not." He touched the bier and the bearers stood still.
Jesus said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." He arose, began to speak, and Jesus gave him over to his mother. This brought fear on all, and they glorified God and acknowledged that God had visited His people. The news spread to Judea and the adjoining regions.
John the Baptist's disciples visited him in prison and gave him the news. He sent two of them to Jesus, asking, "Art Thou He that should come? or look we for another?" At that time Jesus was healing many, casting out demons and giving sight to the blind. Answering them, Jesus told them to return to John and tell him what they had seen and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the gospel is preached to the poor, and, finally, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me."
The messengers having departed, Jesus began to speak well of John the Baptist. He asked if they went out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind, or a man clothed in soft raiment? Those who live in ease with expensive clothes are in kings' courts. If they went out to see a prophet, he was more than a prophet.
The Scriptures speak of John this way: "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."
Jesus valued John and his faithfulness, and also the fact that he introduced Jesus to Israel. But the Lord did not need John to prove who He was; His own works did that. On another occasion Jesus said, "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father." John 15:2424If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. (John 15:24).
Many, in being baptized of John, justified God, while the leaders rejected the Word of God by not being baptized. The Lord likened this generation to children 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."
The Woman Who Was a Sinner
Being invited, Jesus entered a Pharisee's house to eat. Knowing this, a woman of the city came bringing an alabaster (stone) box of ointment and wept as she stood behind Jesus. She washed His feet with tears, wiping them with her hair, while she kissed His feet, anointing them with the ointment.
What a change had come over this woman who had been living in sin! Being at the bottom, she had found Jesus. Nothing else mattered. Her expensive ointment was nothing to her any more; she gave all to Jesus. Finding no purpose in naming the woman, her identity is left out. She is known only as the "sinner."
Simon, who had invited Jesus, knowing this woman and her character, judged Jesus as being no prophet or He would also have known the character of this woman. Simon had judged this woman in his own mind, not publicly, but Jesus knew his thoughts and said to him, "Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee." And he said, "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, "I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most." Jesus said to him, 'Thou hast rightly judged."
Then, He turned to the woman and said to 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."
Those present questioned, "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" Ignoring them, Jesus said to her, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."
Simon had an experience that he will never forget. We are not told whether Simon bowed to Jesus and repented or not. If he didn't, this experience will ring in his ears for eternity.