1A keď dovŕšil všetky svoje slová v uši ľudu, vošiel do Kafarnauma. 2A sluha nejakého stotníka, ktorý mu bol veľmi vzácny, bol nemocný a blížil sa smrti. 3A keď počul o Ježišovi, poslal ku nemu starších zo Židov prosiac ho, žeby prišiel a uzdravil jeho sluhu. 4A oni prijdúc k Ježišovi prosili ho naliehave a hovorili: Hoden je toho, ktorému to vykonáš, 5lebo miluje náš národ, aj synagógu nám on vystavil. 6A Ježiš išiel s nimi. A keď už bol neďaleko od domu, poslal k nemu stotník svojich priateľov a povedal mu: Pane, neunúvaj sa, lebo nie som hoden, aby si vošiel pod moju strechu, 7a preto som ani sám seba nepovažoval za hodného prijsť k tebe; ale povedz slovom, a môj sluha bude uzdravený. 8Lebo veď i ja som človek, postavený pod moc iných, majúc pod sebou vojakov a keď poviem tomuto: Idi! tak ide, a inému: Prijdi! a prijde, a svojmu sluhovi: Učiň toto! a činí. 9Keď to počul Ježiš, zadivil sa mu a obrátiac sa povedal zástupu: Hovorím vám, že ani v Izraelovi som nenašiel takej veľkej viery. 10A keď sa poslaní navrátili do domu, našli nemocného sluhu zdravého. 11A stalo sa, že nasledujúceho dňa išiel do mesta, zvaného Nain, a išlo s nim mnoho jeho učeníkov i veliký zástup. 12A jako sa priblížil k bráne mesta, hľa, práve niesli von mŕtveho, jednorodeného syna jeho matky, ktorá bola vdova, a bol s ňou veliký zástup mesta. 13A keď ju videl Pán, bol pohnutý ľútosťou nad ňou a povedal jej: Neplač! 14A pristúpiac dotknul sa már, a tí, ktorí niesli mŕtveho, zastáli, a Ježiš povedal: Mládenče, tebe hovorím, vstaň! 15A mŕtvy sa posadil a začal hovoriť, a oddal ho jeho matke. 16Vtedy pojala bázeň všetkých a oslavovali Boha a hovorili: Veliký prorok povstal medzi nami, a Bôh vraj navštívil svoj ľud. 17A tá zvesť o ňom sa rozniesla po celom Judsku a po všetkých okolných krajinách. 18A Jánovi zvestovali jeho učeníci o tom o všetkom. A Ján si zavolal ktorýchsi dvoch zo svojich učeníkov 19a poslal ich k Ježišovi a kázal sa opýtať: Či si ty ten, ktorý má prijsť, a či máme čakať iného? 20A keď prišli tí mužovia k nemu, povedali: Ján Baptista nás poslal k tebe a kázal sa opýtať: Či si ty ten, ktorý má prijsť, a či máme čakať iného? 21A v tú istú hodinu uzdravil mnohých od neduhov a od iných rozličných trápení a od zlých duchov a mnohým slepým daroval zrak. 22A Ježiš odpovedal a riekol im: Iďte a zvestujte Jánovi, čo ste videli a počuli, že slepí zase vidia, chromí chodia, malomocní sa čistia, hluchí čujú, mŕtvi vstávajú z mŕtvych, chudobným sa zvestuje evanjelium, 23a blahoslavený je, kto by sa nepohoršil na mne. 24A keď odišli poslovia Jánovi, začal hovoriť zástupom o Jánovi: Čo ste vyšli na púšť vidieť? Trstinu, ktorá sa kláti vetrom? 25Alebo čo ste vyšli vidieť? Človeka, odiateho mäkkým rúchom? Veď hľa, takí, ktorí chodia v nádhernom rúchu a žijú v rozkoši, sú v kráľovských domoch. 26Alebo čo ste vyšli vidieť? Proroka? Ba hovorím vám, že i viac ako proroka. 27Toto je ten, o ktorom je napísané: Hľa, ja posielam svojho anjela pred tvojou tvárou, ktorý pripraví tvoju cestu pred tebou. 28Lebo hovorím vám, že väčšieho proroka medzi splodenými zo žien nad Jána [Baptistu] niktorého niet: ale menší v kráľovstve Božom je väčší ako on. 29A všetok ľud počujúc to, i publikáni, uznali Boha za spravedlivého a boli ponorení ponorením od Jána.
30Ale farizeovia a zákonníci pohŕdli radou Božou sami proti sebe nie súc ponoreníod neho. 31A Pán pokračujúc povedal: Komu teda pripodobním ľudí tohoto pokolenia, a čomu sú podobní? 32Podobní sú deťom, sediacim na námestí, ktoré privolávajú jedny druhým a hovoria: Pískali sme vám, a netancovali ste; žalostne jako nad mŕtvym sme nariekali, a neplakali ste. 33Lebo prišiel Ján Baptista nejediac chleba ani nepijúc vína, a hovoríte: Má démona. 34Prišiel Syn človeka jediac a pijúc, a hovoríte: Hľa, človek žráč a pijan vína, priateľ publikánov a hriešnikov. 35A tak je ospravedlnená múdrosť od všetkých svojich detí. 36A prosil ho ktorýsi z farizeov, žeby jedol s ním. A vošiel do domu farizea a položil sa za stôl. 37A hľa, bola v tom meste nejaká hriešna žena, ktorá, keď sa dozvedela, že stoluje v dome farizea, doniesla alabastrovú nádobu masti 38a stanúc si odzadu k jeho nohám a plačúc začala slzami kropiť jeho nohy a vlasmi svojej hlavy utierala a bozkávala jeho nohy a mazala masťou. 39A keď to videl farizeus, ktorý ho pozval, povedal sám v sebe: Keby tento bol prorok, vedel by, kto a jaká je to žena, ktorá sa ho dotýka, lebo je hriešnica. 40A Ježiš odpovedal a riekol mu: Šimone, mám ti niečo povedať. A on riekol: Učiteľu, povedz! 41Istý veriteľ mal dvoch dlžníkov. Jeden bol dlžen päťsto denárov, druhý päťdesiat. 42A keď nemali jako zaplatiť, odpustil obidvom. Ktorý teda z nich, povedz, bude ho viacej milovať? 43A Šimon odpovedal a riekol: Nazdám sa, že ten, ktorému viacej odpustil. A on mu povedal: Dobre si rozsúdil. 44A obrátiac sa k žene povedal Šimonovi: Či vidíš túto ženu? Vošiel som do tvojho domu, a vody na moje nohy si nedal; ale táto slzami skropila moje nohy a vlasmi svojej hlavy poutierala; 45bozkať nebozkal si ma; ale táto, odkedy som vošiel, neprestala bozkávať moje nohy; 46olejom si nepomazal mojej hlavy; ale táto masťou pomazala moje nohy. 47A preto ti hovorím, že sú jej odpustené tie mnohé hriechy, lebo mnoho milovala. Komu sa málo odpúšťa, málo miluje. 48A povedal jej: Odpustené sú tvoje hriechy. 49A tí, ktorí spolu stolovali, začali vravieť v sebe: Ktože je tento, ktorý aj hriechy odpúšťa? 50A on povedal žene: Tvoja viera ťa zachránila. Choď v pokoji!
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 4 CENTURION'S SERVANT HEALED. (
Luke 7:1-
Luke 7:10)
he was worthy--a testimony most precious, coming from those who probably were strangers to the principle from which he acted (
Eccl 7:1).
5 loved our nation--Having found that "salvation was of the Jews," he loved them for it.
built, &c.--His love took this practical and appropriate form.
11 WIDOW OF NAIN'S SON RAISED TO LIFE. (In Luke only). (
Luke 7:11-
Luke 7:17)
Nain--a small village not elsewhere mentioned in Scripture, and only this once probably visited by our Lord; it lay a little to the south of Mount Tabor, about twelve miles from Capernaum.
12 carried out--"was being carried out." Dead bodies, being ceremonially unclean, were not allowed to be buried within the cities (though the kings of David's house were buried m the city of David), and the funeral was usually on the same day as the death.
only son, &c.--affecting particulars, told with delightful simplicity.
13 the Lord--"This sublime appellation is more usual with Luke and John than Matthew; Mark holds the mean" [BENGEL].
saw her, he had compassion, &c.--What consolation to thousands of the bereaved has this single verse carried from age to age!
14 What mingled majesty and grace shines in this scene! The Resurrection and the Life in human flesh, with a word of command, bringing back life to the dead body; Incarnate Compassion summoning its absolute power to dry a widow's tears!
16 visited his people--more than bringing back the days of Elijah and Elisha (
1Kgs 17:17-24;
2Kgs 4:32-37; and see
Matt 15:31).
29 THE BAPTIST'S MESSAGE THE REPLY, AND CONSEQUENT DISCOURSE. (Luke 7:18-35)
And all the people that heard--"on hearing (this)." These are the observations of the Evangelist, not of our Lord.
and the publicans--a striking clause.
justified God, being baptized, &c.--rather, "having been baptized." The meaning is, They acknowledged the divine wisdom of such a preparatory ministry as John's, in leading them to Him who now spake to them (see
Luke 1:16-
Luke 1:17); whereas the Pharisees and lawyers, true to themselves in refusing the baptism of John, set at naught also the merciful design of God in the Saviour Himself, to their own destruction.
31 the Lord said, &c.--As cross, capricious children, invited by their playmates to join them in their amusements, will play with them neither at weddings nor funerals (juvenile imitations of the joyous and mournful scenes of life), so that generation rejected both John and his Master: the one because he was too unsocial--more like a demoniac than a rational man; the other, because He was too much the reverse, given to animal indulgences, and consorting with the lowest classes of society. But the children of Wisdom recognize and honor her, whether in the austere garb of the Baptist or in the more attractive style of his Master, whether in the Law or in the Gospel, whether in rags or in royalty, for "the full soul loatheth an honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet" (
Pro 27:7).
37 CHRIST'S FEET WASHED WITH TEARS. (
Luke 7:36-
Luke 7:50)
a sinner--one who had led a profligate life. Note.--There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was. (See on
Luke 8:2.)
an alabaster box of ointment--a perfume vessel, in some cases very costly (
John 12:5). "The ointment has here a peculiar interest, as the offering by a penitent of what had been an accessory in her unhallowed work of sin" [ALFORD].
38 at his feet behind him--the posture at meals being a reclining one, with the feet out behind.
began to wash, &c.--to "water with a shower." The tears, which were quite involuntary, poured down in a flood upon His naked feet, as she bent down to kiss them; and deeming them rather fouled than washed by this, she hastened to wipe them off with the only towel she had, the long tresses of her own hair, "with which slaves were wont to wash their masters' feet" [STIER].
kissed--The word signifies "to kiss fondly, to caress," or to "kiss again and again," which
Luke 7:45 shows is meant here. What prompted this? Much love, springing from a sense of much forgiveness. So says He who knew her heart (
Luke 7:47). Where she had met with Christ before, or what words of His had brought life to her dead heart and a sense of divine pardon to her guilty soul, we know not. But probably she was of the crowd of "publicans and sinners" whom Incarnate Compassion drew so often around Him, and heard from His lips some of those words such as never man spake, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour," &c. No personal interview had up to this time taken place between them; but she could keep her feelings no longer to herself, and having found her way to Him (and entered along with him,
Luke 7:45), they burst forth in this surpassing yet most artless style, as if her whole soul would go out to Him.
39 the Pharisee--who had formed no definite opinion of our Lord, and invited Him apparently to obtain materials for a judgment.
spake within himself, &c.--"Ha! I have Him now; He plainly knows nothing of the person He allows to touch Him; and so, He can be no prophet." Not so fast, Simon; thou hast not seen through thy Guest yet, but He hath seen through thee.
40 Like Nathan with David, our Lord conceals His home thrust under the veil of a parable, and makes His host himself pronounce upon the case. The two debtors are the woman and Simon; the criminality of the one was ten times that of the other (in the proportion of "five hundred" to "fifty"); but both being equally insolvent, both are with equal frankness forgiven; and Simon is made to own that the greatest debtor to forgiving mercy will cling to her Divine Benefactor with the deepest gratitude. Does our Lord then admit that Simon was a forgiving man? Let us see.
44 I entered . . . no water--a compliment to guests. Was this "much love?" Was it any?
45 no kiss--of salutation. How much love was here? Any at all?
46 with oil . . . not anoint--even common olive oil in contrast with the woman's "ointment" or aromatic balsam. What evidence was thus afforded of any feeling which forgiveness prompts? Our Lord speaks this with delicate politeness, as if hurt at these inattentions of His host, which though not invariably shown to guests, were the customary marks of studied respect and regard. The inference is plain--only one of the debtors was really forgiven, though in the first instance, to give room for the play of withheld feelings, the forgiveness of both is supposed in the parable.
47 Her sins which are many--"Those many sins of hers," our Lord, who admitted how much more she owed than the Pharisee, now proclaims in naked terms the forgiveness of her guilt.
for--not because, as if love were the cause of forgiveness, but "inasmuch as," or "in proof of which." The latter clause of the verse, and the whole structure of the parable, plainly show this to be the meaning.
little forgiven . . . loveth little--delicately ironical intimation of no love and no forgiveness in the present case.
48 said unto her, &c.--an unsought assurance, usually springing up unexpected in the midst of active duty and warm affections, while often it flies from those who mope and are paralyzed for want of it.
49 they that sat . . . Who is this, &c.--No wonder they were startled to hear One who was reclining at the same couch, and partaking of the same hospitalities with themselves, assume the awful prerogative of "even forgiving sins." But so far from receding from this claim, or softening it down, our Lord only repeats it, with two precious additions: one, announcing what was the one secret of the "forgiveness" she had experienced, and which carried "salvation" in its bosom; the other, a glorious dismissal of her in that "peace" which she had already felt, but is now assured she has His full warrant to enjoy! This wonderful scene teaches two very weighty truths: (1) Though there be degrees of guilt, insolvency, or inability to wipe out the dishonor done to God, is common to all sinners. (2) As Christ is the Great Creditor to whom all debt, whether great or small, contracted by sinners is owing, so to Him belongs the prerogative of forgiving it. This latter truth is brought out in the structure and application of the present parable as it is nowhere else. Either then Jesus was a blaspheming deceiver, or He is God manifest in the flesh.