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Luke 7 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
We see a very powerful indicator of the faith that this centurion soldier had in the way he addressed Jesus. The Gentile calls him “Lord.”
Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; 7 for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Luke 7:6-7 NASB
The centurion addresses Jesus as a Savior with the power to heal. In this chapter alone, and more than any other in Luke thus far, we see people start to reveal who they believe Jesus to be. Here are some examples…
John the Baptist & His Disciples
When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'”
Luke 7:20 NASB
I believe John had great faith, but he wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth. He needed assurance. John and his disciples were trying to figure out who this man really was. They knew who “The One” was but was Jesus that man? With so many unexpected twists and turns thus far, they had logical reason to wonder.
Simon the Pharisee
And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
Luke 7:40 NASB
Simon the Pharisee reveals who he thinks Jesus is by addressing him as “Teacher.” This was common with the Pharisees, seeing Jesus only as a teacher and nothing more. They were blinded to his supernatural nature.
The Crowds
Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”
Luke 7:16 NASB
“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Luke 7:34 NASB
Jesus seemed to have an up and down relationship with the crowds that followed Him. They addressed Him as a “great prophet,” or “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Many of them recognized His power, but missed His Lordship. Many others recognized His social causes, but again, missed His Lordship. They believed He was from God, but hung around for the show. Once he started making tough statements, many were content to walk away.
So, right here in chapter 7 of Luke, you have many different observations of who Jesus was. What has changed today? Not much, honestly. Some people have lots of questions for Jesus. They want the proof that verifies who He really is. Some say He was only a great man, or teacher. Some say that yes, He was a great prophet, but not the Son of God. Still others put the complete emphasis on His social ministry, ignoring the tough phrases about suffering and eternal punishment.
But then there are those rare Roman centurions who truly address Him as Lord. To those, He is their Savior, the Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. Here’s the kicker. Jesus knows your heart just like He knew the centurion’s. He will know those who truly profess His Lordship from their heart and those who are just tagging along for the show. Who do you say Jesus is? Where are you in this story?