"A Reasonable Delay" (Luke 8:40-56)

In Luke 8 we’ve seen Jesus’ authority over the ‘wind and waves’ and over the ‘unseen spiritual forces’. In this story we see the authority of Jesus over ‘sickness and death’. See Luke 8:40–56. 

 In this story, Jairus, the synagogue ruler is desperate. He comes to Jesus, not to find fault as many religious leaders did, but heart-broken over his dying daughter. The girl is twelve years old and she’s Jairus’ only daughter. Jairus seeks out Jesus and falls at Jesus' feet pleading for Jesus to heal his dying daughter. That Jairus humbles himself before Jesus is remarkable considering that Jewish leaders where often opposed to Jesus. Jairus pleads with Jesus demonstrating both a sense of dependency and a sense of urgency.

Jesus heads out towards Jairus’ house, and as he went the crowd was pressing in him. Among the crowd was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. No one could heal her and her bleeding made her unclean. This meant that she was forced to live an isolated life separated from community. Seeking to be anonymous she comes up behind Jesus and touches his cloak. Instantly, her bleeding stopped and Jesus asks, “Who touched me?” Everyone denied it and Peter said incredulously, “Master, the crowd is pressing against you.”  But Jesus insisted that he’d been touched for power had gone out from him. Realizing she was detected, she falls trembling at Jesus’ feet unaware of how Jesus would react. She tells everyone why she had touched Jesus and how she was instantly healed. Then Jesus calling her ‘Daughter’, that her faith had healed her and to go in peace (8:43-48).  

Before Jesus finished talking a messenger from Jarius’ house arrives and tells Jairus that his daughter has died. Now his daughter is dead, and this woman whose condition was serious but not urgent had delayed Jesus. Surely Jairus would have been tempted to question Jesus and to resent the woman. Jairus had been trusting Jesus to heal his dying daughter, but now Jesus challenges him 'not to fear' but to believe that Jesus could 'raise her from the dead’. The incident delayed Jesus, but it also was a testimony to Jairus of a faith that touches Jesus and his restorative power. Now, Jairus needs to tell himself that if this woman was healed by touching Jesus’ cloak, what could happen if Jesus voluntarily goes to Jairus' house to touch the dead girl? Jairus would have known that God had enabled Elijah and Elisha to restore the lives of two young boys (1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:18–37). Could Jesus do the same thing for Jairus?

Luke highlights Jesus’ care for a woman who most people overlooked. Her condition rendered her culturally and religiously excluded from community for twelve years. Jesus was as concerned for her as he was for ruler of the synagogue. This woman had physically suffered and lived in isolation for twelve years. Yet, Jesus stops and rewards her faith. She sought to remain anonymous, but by bringing the event out into the open Jesus made it possible for her to reconnect with the local community. Jesus shows no favouritism here. The synagogue ruler would need exercise the kind of faith that the woman had demonstrated. Jesus called the woman ‘daughter’ and if Jairus would believe Jesus his own daughter would be healed as well.

When they arrive at Jairus’ house, Jesus only allows Peter, John and James, and the child’s parents inside. Jesus tells the mourners to stop wailing because the girl is not dead but asleep. But they laugh because they know that she is dead (8:51-54). When inside the house Jesus touches the girl telling her to get up like a parent might wake a child from sleep. The girl’s spirit returns to her body, she stands up, and Jesus tells them to give her something to eat. Then Jesus ‘orders’ the astonished parents not to tell anyone what had happened. Remember that between the crowds and the growing opposition from the political and religious leaders it was getting increasingly difficult for Jesus to move around.

In the story the Jesus calls he woman ‘daughter’ and commends her for her faith. Then Jesus challenges Jairus to believe that Jesus can restore Jairus’ daughter even from death. The healing of Jairus’ daughter was delayed, but the healing of the woman was to be an aid to Jarius. If just touching Jesus could heal the woman, than what could happen if Jesus himself touches Jairus’ dead little girl? Note that touching the bleeding woman would have made Jesus ‘unclean’, which is likely why the woman sought to remain hidden. Touching the dead girl, would have also made Jesus unclean, but Jesus went against the taboo in order to impart life and restoration.

Luke’s gospel and this story in particular demonstrate the ‘love and compassion of Jesus’ for women. Here Jesus takes their ritual pollution upon himself in order to enable them to overcome sickness and death. Jesus values them and reaches out bringing life to an otherwise hopeless situation. Even today, Jesus reaches out to us with all our ills and problems encouraging us to not be afraid. Into an otherwise hopeless situation our Lord Jesus exercises his authority over ‘sickness and death’ and both the twelve year old girl and the woman who suffered for twelve years receive Jesus’ health and wholeness. 

"Begging Jesus" (Luke 8:26-39)!

After a brief period of calm, Jesus and his disciples cross the lake to the other side. While there is some dispute as to the exact location what is clear is that this is a Gentile area on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.   Luke 8:26–39

Imagine the disciples sailing across the lake after Jesus had calmed the hurricane like storm. They're rowing their boat on the glassy sea and they’re discussing among themselves ‘who is this that the wind and waves obey’? (7:49, 8:25) How do they explain that their miracle-working Rabbi can speak to the wind and waves and they obey him. 

The twelve would have been traumatized by their near death experience, but elated that Jesus delivered from the storm. They’re perplexed that the 'wind and waves’ obey Jesus, particularly since in the Psalms it is God who calms the seas and at creation it is God who brings order out of the chaotic seas. (Genesis 1, Psalm 65:7, 107:29) So they’re in the boat drenched by the sea, both amazed and 'afraid’ because the Rabbi they’re following speaks to the ‘wind and waves’ and they obey him.

The howling wind had ceased, and the turbulent waves were still, but as they approach the shore they hear a man yelling. They’re discussion about this one who calms the storm is interrupted the shouting of a demon-possessed man who runs up and falls at Jesus feet. The man is naked and he’s shouting, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”  He's unrestrained and he can break chains, but the demonic presence seizes him and drives him into isolated places among the tombs. The disciples look up to see this naked demonized gentile and there are tombs in the background and a herd of 2000 pigs on the hillside (Mark 5:13). Where has Jesus taken them? What kind of wretched and unclean place is this?

This guy is messed, he’s a gentile, he’s naked, he’s homeless, he lives in a graveyard, and he’s inhabited by a host of demons. The demons give him strength to break chains, but he lives in isolation among the tombs. He’s demonized by so many spirits that his name is "Legion”. If a Roman legion ranged from 3500 to 8000 soldiers, then this guy was gripped in the clutches of demonic evil.  Luke and the other synoptic writers say nothing about the disciples getting out of the boat. Could it be that they’re so overwhelmed by the demoniac, the tombs and the large herd of pigs that they chose to observe from the boat? This is no place for faithful Jew!  

The man or the demonic presence gives Jesus his name. Then the entities within him beg Jesus, ‘not to torture them or throw them into the abyss’. They plead with Jesus for permission to enter a large herd of pigs on the hillside. Jesus allows them and so they leave the man and enter the pigs. Then the herd rushes over a steep bank and drowns in the lake. Those tending the pigs rush into the town to tell the people why the pigs are now dead in the water. The people come out only find Jesus and the man, formerly demon-possessed, dressed at Jesus’ feet and in his right mind. They see this and when they hear how the man was healed they're so afraid that they beg Jesus to leave the area.

To summarize, first the demonized man begs Jesus not to torture him. Then the demons beg Jesus not to be thrown into the abyss but to permit them to enter the pigs. When Jesus does they leave the man, enter the pigs and then drown in the lake. When the owners find their pigs drowned in the lake they beg Jesus to leave their area. Then the formerly demonized man begs to go with Jesus only to be told to go home and tell others what God had done for him.  In this story the same Jesus who ‘calmed the chaotic storm’ calms the chaotic life of demonized man! This man was unrestrained and out of control. He could break chains and he lived in torment among the tombs. Jesus liberates this captive from demonic evil by the power of his word! The story tells me that Jesus has power over all things seen and unseen! 

The extent of the demonic evil that infested this man’s life is disturbing. However, if Jesus can transform this man, then surely he can transform us no matter what we've done or what we are facing! The story ‘opens our eyes’ to get a bigger VISION of JESUS and to ask, ‘who is this that the wind and waves and the unseen spiritual forces obey?’ When Jesus and his disciples reach the shore Jesus steps out only to be confronted by a demonized Gentile man. If the disciples even got out of the boat, they must have wanted to get back in asap! Jesus steps out and into the tragic life and confronts a whole host of demons. He then drives the demons out of the man and permits them to go into the pigs. The pigs then rush over a steep bank and drown in the lake. The disciple had feared drowning (8:24), but now a heard of unclean pigs drown in the lake. Jesus has crossed the lake to calm another storm; and as a result a gentile man receives salvation! 

When the people from the town see this they afraid and they're more concerned about their pigs than the man. When they see the formerly demon-possessed man now dressed and in his right mind they're afraid. However, they respond by begging Jesus to leave their area. The liberated man begs to go with Jesus, but Jesus wants him to ‘go home and tell what God had done for him.’ This is exactly what he does, and by doing so he shows himself to be ‘good soil’ (8:15). But where are our twelve disciples? The text doesn’t say, but we do learn is that what God has done, Jesus has done! The man has be reconciled to God and Jesus wants him to go and be reconciled to others. To tell others what Jesus has done is to tell them what Jesus has done. As Paul says, “God was ‘in Christ’ reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor.5:19)!”

 

Rethinking American History, Church History and Preaching

Thinking Outside the Majority Culture Perspective.

I want to share a few reflections on the current crisis in the States. As a Christian minister who has served in Africa since 2003, for me the Christian gospel of love and non-violence is the answer. However, we also need to better understand the context and the history behind the issues. The problems revolving around race relations in America is apparently going to require a kind of re-education. If Carter Woodson, the “father of black history” published in 1903 a book, “The Mis-Education of the Negro”, then today we probably need a book entitled “The Mis-Education of the White American”.

My study of 'orality' and 'preaching' in the African context eventually led me to study African American Preaching. To understand the context of African American Preaching I was challenged to re-evaluate through study the little I knew and thought I understood about both African American history and African American Church history. The books, documentaries and films listed below (and many others) have shed light on my majority culture perspective and have increased my awareness of the concept of 'white privilege’. By further studying the history I feel that I now have a better understanding of how Christian African American history was after the 'first great awakening' (1740-80). Regrettably, it also seems that my own white majority culture was in many ways hypocritical to its Christian consensus. This, in all likelihood, has contributed to the decline of the church in States and to the rise of the number of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated.  

I recommend reading any of the books on the amazon list below or watching any of the documentaries and movies. My own white middle-class upbringing and somewhat one-sided education has been altered over the  past five years through a difficult and challenging process or journey. What I now see as the mis-education of the majority culture, among other things, has hindered America from living up to Martin Luther King's dream that our nation would, “live out the true meaning of its creed… we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” 

Reverend Jay Stoms (June 2020)

Videos (documentaries)

1) The African-Americans: Many Rivers to Cross w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jtI-ItO6LE

2) Abolitionist in America

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/abolitionists/

3) The Reconstruction Period: Post Civil War

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxKsA7ccq8M

4) Slavery by Another Name: Post Civil War Segregation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcCxsLDma2o

5) Eyes on the Prize: Civil Rights Movement in America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts10IVzUDVw&list=PLOwK3r1sMvSZVth7XGlcpfLSjS3tAp90T
6) Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkD7TIlcSd8&list=PLTvBcU5fynS47hC0i4DNTwHpX31li168J

7) The New Jim Crow and the 13^th Amendment: Current issues including mass incarceration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHq46zqCoDI;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krfcq5pF8u8;

List of Books on African American History, African American Church History and African American Preaching (I don't advocate everything in these books, but I do need to hear their perspective).

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/7CU111Q3NZGG?ref_=wl_share

Hollywood Films:

Amistad: In 1839 an African slave led a mutiny on the slave-ship Amistad. These slaves fell into the hands of the American justice system until former president John Quincy Adams takes up their cause.

12 Years a Slave: The true story of a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery.

The Birth of a Nation: In the antebellum South, Nat Turner is a slave preacher who witnesses countless atrocities against his fellow slaves and orchestrates an uprising.

Harriet: This is the inspirational story of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes.

Glory: The inspiring story of the first Black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War.

Free State of Jones: A defiant southern farmer leads an extraordinary rebellion with farmers and slaves to secede from the Confederacy during the civil war.

The Tuskegee Airmen: This is the story of the first squadron of African American U.S. Army Air Corps, the 'fighting 99th', who were combat fighter pilots in WWII.

Malcolm X: This film portray the life and times of the visionary leader.

Selma: A story of courage and hope from the Civil Rights movement that changed the world forever.

Ghosts of Mississippi: An assistant DA seeks justice for the 1963 murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers.

The Help: In 1960's Mississippi, a young journalist interviews the domestic staffs serving the town's wealthy white families who have remained largely invisible.
I Am Not Your Negro: This film is about the book James Baldwin never finished. It is a journey into black history that connects the Civil Rights movement to #BlackLivesMatter. 

Who is this? Luke 8:22-25

In video includes the story from Luke 8:22-25, and a personal testimony. 

In this story Jesus calls his disciples to follow him across the lake. So they obey Jesus and they sail out into the lake and into a furious storm. Jesus appears so unaware of the storm that falls into a deep sleep in the back of the boat. Jesus is able to find rest and is in such a deep sleep that even the turbulent seas and high winds don’t disturb him. For Jesus they were going to the other side of the lake and the journey was an opportunity to catch some much needed rest. Jesus wanted them to get into the boat and to cross the lake and they faithfully listened and set out in their boat to get to the other side.

Jesus must have been utterly exhausted. His messianic identity had been questioned by John the Baptist and his disciples. He had been mocked as being a glutton and drunkard and friend of tax-collectors and sinners. He had been shamed when Simon the Pharisee had invited Jesus to his house for dinner but gave Jesus none of the typical culturally acceptable greetings. He had become the object of the extravagant expression of devotion by a woman of questionable reputation and he had defended her actions to the dismay of Simon and his other guests. Evidently he was so emotionally and physically tired that he could fall asleep in a boat. Moreover, he could rest soundly in the midst of a violent storm with waves crashing against the boat and filling the boat. The wind is howling, they are sinking down and they and their boat is in danger of being swallowed up by the lake along with Jesus and all their aspirations.  

In Luke’s gospel Jesus had walked right through an angry mob that wanted to throw him down to his death (4:29-30). His disciples had seen Jesus heal many people and cure many of evil spirits (4:35, 40-41). Jesus had enabled them to catch two boat loads of fish with a net in the middle of the day (5:6-7). Jesus had healed a leper (5:13), enabled a paralyzed man to walk (5:25), a centurion’s dying servant to live (7:10), and a widow’s dead son was restored to life (7:15). They are in real danger of descending into a watery grave and with nowhere else to turn, they turn to Jesus. They turn in a panic to Jesus for their boat was being tossed back and forth by the wind and waves, and it was sinking down. How could this miracle working Rabbi who had called them to leave fishing business and everything else lead them into a storm only to drown in the lake. Jesus is at peace, but at their wits end they turn to Jesus.

His disciples rebuke Jesus, “Master, Master, we’re going to perish”! Jesus, having been disturbed from his rest by his panicking disciples, gets up and rebukes the wind and waves. This Rabbi who had told them to get into the boat to go to the other side, is now telling the wind and waves what to do! The wind and waves obey him and then Jesus rebukes his disciples saying, ²⁵ “Where is your faith?” But why did he rebuke them? Hadn’t they turned to Jesus and weren’t they calling on his name. Weren’t they looking to Jesus in utter dependency? Why does Jesus rebuke them saying, “where is your faith?” Well, in the storm their boat was in danger of capsizing and they thought they were going to drown.  Jesus had peace, but his disciples were in a panic and Jesus had wanted them to trust him in the storm.

Jesus gets up rebukes the storm and all his calm, and then he rebukes his disciples for not having faith. As fisherman they must have thought as fisherman they could handle the boat themselves. What does a ‘rabbi’ know about navigating a boat in the midst of a storm? Don’t bother Jesus, after all we’re fisherman… we know the lake! They wait until all else fails to wake Jesus. They may have only wakened him to help bail water out of the boat. Shouldn’t they have turned to Jesus before their boat was sinking down and they were about to drown?  The story tells me that following Jesus doesn’t insulate us from the storms of life! They followed Jesus and Jesus led them into a storm. They needed to trust Jesus in the midst of the storm. If Jesus says “let’s go over to the other side” that doesn’t mean lets go out into the lake and drown in obscurity along with all Jesus’ kingdom plans and purposes.

Jesus said let’s cross the lake, but he didn’t say it would be smooth sailing on the way. They were in danger of drowning, but why did they wait until they were afraid of dying before turning to Jesus. In their fear they turn to Jesus and when Jesus rebukes the storm and everything becomes calm, then they’re both afraid and amazed. They were afraid of dying, but when Jesus calms the storm then they’re really afraid! Simon’s guests had asked, “Who is this who forgives sins?” Now Jesus’ own disciples ask, “Who is this that speaks to the wind and waves and they obey him (Psalm 65:7, 107:27-29).

We can see this episode in the light of the parable of the sower from the previous passage in Luke. Jesus’ disciples are gathered around him in the boat, but what kind of soil are they? Will they listen to God’s word and produce a good crop? Will they trust Jesus in the midst of the storm and show themselves to be those Jesus calls his ‘mother and brothers’? God’s new family of those intimately related to Jesus consists of those who put God’s word into practice. The disciple’s lesson on the lake is the same for us. Will we exhaust all our resources before we discover we have nowhere else to turn but to Jesus? In our storms we must choose faith and trust Jesus. Luke uses this story to again ask the question, ‘Who then is this?’ At Simon the Pharisee’s house the guests ask, “Who is this that forgives sins?” Here we learn that the one who ‘forgive sins’ also has the power to ‘calm the wind and waves’. Following Jesus means facing storms and we're to trust him in the midst of the ‘storm’! 

Careful Listening (Luke 8:1-21).

Luke 8:4–21

In this story Jesus tells a large crowd, including his disciples, a parable about hearing and listening to God’s word. A farmer sows seed that falls on different soils. Some seed falls on the path; but is trampled and eaten by birds (8:5). Some seed falls on rock; but withers without moisture (8:6-7). Some falls among thorns that choke the plants. Other seed falls on good soil and produces a hundredfold crop (8:8). Then Jesus calls out, “He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Ironically, Jesus gives his disciples the ‘knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom’, but they fail to understand. Jesus spoke in parables to conceal his message from his enemies, but do his own disciples have ears to hear?

That Jesus told parables so some would see but not see; and hear but not understand complicates the story (6:7, 8:10). Luke tells us the Pharisees and others came to hear Jesus only to discredit him. To them Jesus ate and drank with ‘tax-collectors and sinners’ so he was a glutton and drunkard (7:34). Even those in the Nazareth synagogue wanted to kill Jesus when he talked about God working through Elijah and Elisha among Gentiles (Luke 4:29). Parables made his message unclear to his enemies, but even his own disciples were confused about Jesus’ plans and purposes. Ironically, even the ‘great’ John the Baptist was uncertain about Jesus (7:18-19). Jesus spoke in a kind of code which confused his disciples, but they further sought Jesus’ explanation. Clearly, a Jesus would later say, genuine disciples are to ask, seek, and knock until the door of their understanding is opened (11:9).  

Jesus explains that the seed is God’s word (8:5, 11). Those on the path hear but the seed fails to penetrate path and is taken away by birds. The devil or Satan, who leads the ‘world astray’ (Rev. 12:9), removes the word from the heart, so they don’t believe and be saved. The seed on rock grows but withers for lack of moisture (8:6). These people receive the word with joy, but having no root when tested they fall away (James 1:12). Other seed falls among thorns which grow up and choke the plants (8:7). These people hear, but life’s worries, riches and pleasures hinder the work of the word and they fail to mature (8:14, John 16:33, 1 John 4:4).

Jesus tells his disciples that are forces and obstacles that seek to undermine the work of the word in the heart. The devil removes the seed on the path (2 Cor.4:4); blinding minds so they don’t believe the gospel. Others joyfully receive the word only to fall away when tested. Then there are the ‘thorns’ of life’s worries, riches and pleasures which choke the word. These forces and the devil obstruct the work of the gospel to undermine belief. Difficulties, hardships as well as the worries, riches and pleasure of life work to hinder spiritual maturity.

In contrast, Jesus talks of the good soil of a ‘good and honest heart’ (8:8, 15). Those who hear and retain God’s word end up persevering under temptation and produce a hundredfold crop. Others are overcome by temptation. For them the devil, as well as ‘good and bad times’ undermine the work of the word in the heart. What’s the difference? Ultimately, we need a ‘heart transplant’ (Luke 6:45, Ezekiel 36:26, John 3:3-8). We need the internal transformation by the Spirit. Jesus give us your heart… we pray! 

Then Jesus exhorts his followers by saying that no one lights a lamp only to hide it under a jar or bed. A lamp is to give light to others (8:16). Consequently, Jesus’ disciples are to be what Israel was intended to be ‘a light to the nations’ (Isa.49:6, Mt. 5:14). For Jesus everything would be exposed and brought out into the open (8:17). Therefore Jesus exhorts his disciples to be ‘careful how they listen’. Those who ‘hear and understand’ will receive more (8:10), but those who don’t really listen will have even what they think they have taken away (8:18).  Jesus’ followers are to hear his word, seek to understand it, retain it and persevere in faith. Moreover, those practice Gods’ word are intimately related to ‘King Jesus’. This is confirmed when Jesus’ mother and brothers are unable to see Jesus due to the crowd. When Jesus was told of this, he concludes by saying, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (8:19-21).

So what’s the point? Jesus is forming a new people around himself. They hear Jesus’ word as God’s word, and they seek Jesus’ explanation. They persevere in faith, overcome when tempted and by practice they produce a crop one hundred times what was sown. Many in Jesus’ day were expecting a king who would overthrow Herod and expel their Roman oppressors. Jesus was bringing about his kingdom primarily through his word. Yet, when Jesus preached in his hometown synagogue, his word was trampled on and snatched away. Simon the Pharisee was interested enough in Jesus to invite him for dinner. But when Jesus received the adoration of a disreputable woman, Simon’s interest withered (Luke 4, 7). Jesus’ kingdom comes through the seed of the word and our hearts are the soil. Do we have ears to hear? What sort of soil are we? Do we listen carefully and put it into practice (8:8)? LORD, enable us to persevere and produce a hundredfold crop! Amen?

(See 2 Corinthians 4:6, Luke 11:9, James 1:5) 

Deep Forgiveness, Deep Love (Luke 7:36-50).

Luke 7:36–50 

Jesus had been healing many sick people, curing many of evil spirits and even restored the life of a widow’s son from the dead. The religious leaders, however, were troubled by Jesus’ eating with tax-collectors and those they considered ‘sinners’. When Jesus told a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven then enabling him to walk they were further aggravated.  Jesus also healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day and he allowed his disciples to pick and eat grain on the Sabbath. Moreover, Jesus referred to himself as the ‘Son of Man’ and claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath. So the religious leaders are becoming increasingly concerned about Jesus who they called ‘a glutton and a drunkard’.

A Pharisee, named Simon, invites Jesus to his house for dinner. So Jesus goes and reclines at Simon’s table. Curiously, Simon fails to welcome Jesus with the customary greetings. He didn’t give Jesus any water to wash his feet, didn’t greet Jesus with a kiss and gave him no oil for his head. Why would Simon invite Jesus, and then fail to show him the customary hospitality? So Jesus seats himself at Simon’s table. Normally, the eldest and most respected ‘Rabbis were seated first. Jesus, not formally trained as a ‘Rabbi’, seems to have broken protocol by seating himself first at the table. What is happening here?

Then we learn that even before Jesus arrived at Simon’s house there were people there other than those who were to eat at Simon’s dinner table. Commentators tell us that people moved in and out of a house like Simons so we shouldn’t impose our sense of privacy on this scene. Yet, there is something else odd going on here that’s difficult for me (anyway) to understand. Even before Jesus arrives at Simon’s house a woman known to have lived sinful life in that town was there (7:45). This woman, to those like Simon, was a ‘sinner’ who was excluded from the Jewish community because her lifestyle wasn’t consistent with the Mosaic Law.  We’re not told how she got in there or why she wasn’t discovered and escorted out of the house. We do know that in the stories traditional interpretation the woman is a ‘prostitute’.  

 When this woman learned that Jesus was eating at Simon’s house she went there with her alabaster jar of perfume to see Jesus (7:37-38).  She stood behind Jesus and being there since Jesus came in the room, she would have observed that Jesus hadn’t been properly treated by his host. She knows that Jesus had been ignored and she sees his dirty feet and her heart goes out to Jesus. She must have experienced something grace and forgiveness of God through the ministry of Jesus. She had her jar of perfume and she went to Simon’s house to see Jesus, who had extended God’s forgiveness and restorative love to her. But she hadn’t planned on seeing Jesus, who had extended God’s grace to her, being ignored and disrespected by his host. She knew the pain of being ridiculed and rejected when she sees it happening to Jesus she sees it happening to Jesus and her heart goes out to him. 

As she stood behind Jesus and witnessed the shameful treatment he received her heart goes out to Jesus and she bursts into tears. She is crying profusely, sobbing, and sniffling. Others would have noticed and wondered why was she there and why was she crying? She decides to make up for the poor treatment Jesus received from his host. In her own extravagant way she bestows upon Jesus the warmest possible welcome she can come up with. Seeing his feet and decides to wet them with her tears. Then what is even more surprising she loosens her hair and lets it down in public. For a woman to fully expose her hair in public would have been considered too provocative and socially unacceptable. She washes his dirty feet with her hair and then actually starts kissing Jesus’ feet. Those present would have been appalled and then they hear break the seal on her jar of perfume and she pours her fragrant perfume on Jesus’ feet. Now on top on the aroma of the spicy middle-eastern food the room is filled with the sweet-smelling perfume. 

When Simon, the other Pharisees and credentialed Rabbis there, are scandalized when they see this. With a look of disgust, Simon thought to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman was touching him—he would know that she was “a sinner” (7:39). In Simon’s view she was ‘unclean’ and ‘unacceptable to God’ and someone to be shunned and avoided. She was ‘sinful pagan’ whose inappropriate behavior made her an ‘outcast’ and for Simon no morally upright Jew would allow such a thing. So how will Jesus respond to this deliberate corrective of Simon’s inhospitality? What will Jesus do to save face before Simon and Simon’s colleagues?

To Simon Jesus these actions confirm that Jesus is no genuine prophet. Jesus doesn’t apologize for the woman’s behaviour, rather he responds by telling Simon a brief parable. Simon agrees to hear Jesus saying, “Tell me, Rabbi… teacher.” Jesus tells Simon of two people who owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed five hundred denarii, the other owed fifty.  Neither debtor could repay, so the moneylender forgave both their debts. Then Jesus asks Simon which one of the two would love the moneylender more?  Simon thought the one with the bigger debt forgiven would love more and Jesus affirmed the Simon had judged correctly. Then Jesus turns towards the woman and says, “Do you see this woman?” Then Jesus reminds Simon that he hadn’t given any water to Jesus for Jesus to clean his feet. Yet, the woman had wet Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Simon hadn’t greeted Jesus with a customary kiss, but the woman hadn’t stopped kissing Jesus feet. Simon failed to give Jesus some olive oil for his head, but the woman had poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. Jesus concluded from the great love she showed Jesus that her many sins had been forgiven. By contrast, Jesus said that whoever had been forgiven little loves little (7:40-47).

⁴⁸ Then Jesus told the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Simon’s guests question among themselves saying, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” At the ‘heart of the story’ is this parable of the two debtors and the moneylender. One owes ten times more than the other, but neither one can repay. The moneylender cancels their debts and the one who is forgiven much loves much, but the one forgiven little loves little. In the parable the moneylender appears to be God. The woman is the one who was forgiven much and Simon is the one who loves little! The meaning is clear love for Jesus is directly related to our knowledge of sins forgiven. Deep forgiveness is the source of deep love! Ironically, the woman’s extravagant love towards Jesus authenticates that she had been forgiven. This The story ends with Jesus taking on the role of the moneylender, forgiving sin, praising the woman’s faith and sending her out free to go in peace. Ironically, Simon fades from the scene while the woman is portrayed as an ‘ideal follower of Jesus’. The story ends leaving Simon’s asking the question that we must all answer, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

"Extreme Lock-down!" (Luke 7:18-35)

Luke 7:18–35 
John’s disciples tell John what Jesus had been doing. They could have told John about Jesus forgiving and healing a paralyzed man. They may have told John how Jesus healed the dying servant of a Roman centurion by his spoken word. In fact, Jesus had healed many and cured many of evil spirits; he even restored the dead son of a widow back to life. Yet, John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was “the one to come or should they expect someone else?”  (Luke 7:18-19).

The two went and told Jesus that John the Baptist wanted to know if they should expect someone else?’ Jesus doesn’t answer directly, but we’re told that Jesus healed many, cured many with evil spirits and gave sight to many blind people. Jesus sends the two back to tell John what they had observed and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. So Jesus sends them back to tell John that he was doing what he had he said in his Nazareth sermon (Luke 4:18) and what Isaiah had said he would do (Isaiah 26:19, 29:18, 35:5, 42:18, 61:1). 

Remember that John was given his message by God and John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Moreover, John had said that the 'Messiah’ would bring God’s wrath and that the ax was already at the root of the trees. People were to produce the fruit of repentance and non-fruit producing trees would be chopped down and thrown into the fire (Luke 7:7-9).  Messiah would also baptize with the Spirit and with fire. So they were expecting God to come in judgment and gather his wheat (the faithful) and burn the chaff (unfaithful) with unquenchable fire (Lk 7:16-17; 3:1–20).

Jesus, in Nazareth, preached from Isaiah 61, that the Spirit had anointed him to preach the gospel to the poor, freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, liberation for the oppressed, and the year of the Lord’s favor.” But Jesus stopped short of Isaiah 61:2 which referenced the coming “day of vengeance of our God”. Also when Jesus sent John's messengers back he made no reference to ‘freedom for prisoners’ (4:14–30). 

John had been locked-up by Herod and would have been wondering if Jesus was the ‘one to come’ then why was John in prison! In his Nazareth sermon Jesus had said that 'prisoners would be freed' and John was in prison. Moreover, John had preached God's imminent judgment; a message John had received from God. John had preached about 'chaff being thrown into unquenchable fire’, but Jesus seemed to be only bringing the restorative love and grace of God! This could explain John’s comment about expected someone else other than Jesus.

At that very time Jesus enabled many blind to see, many lame to walk, he cleansed many lepers, enabled deaf to hear, and even restored the dead back to life. So Jesus sends the two back to John to report how Jesus was further fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesies. Jesus also talked about those being 'blessed who did not stumble or were not 'scandalized’ because of Jesus.' It seems that John was stumbling over what Jesus wasn’t doing. There hadn’t been a ‘genuine prophet’ in Israel for 400 years and John was the genuine article. But had John gotten Jesus’ identity wrong? Jesus sends these messengers back to John with more reports of miracles. He also includes the comment, ‘blessed are those who don’t stumble because of me'; but he gives John no assurace that he would be released from Herod's prison.   

To apply these words to ourselves; we are blessed if we don’t 'stumble or fall away' when Jesus doesn't do what we expected or act according to our timetables. We are 'blessed’ when we remain faithful having ‘tasted of the goodness of God’ and we do not waver in unbelief (Ps 34:8, Rom.4:20). We are 'blessed' when we fix our eyes on Jesus and to trust him with all our hearts (Heb.12:2, Prov.3:5-6). Yes, we are blessed if we are persuaded deep down in our hearts that Jesus is the God’s anointed who alone has the words of ‘eternal life’ (John 6:68). 

John’s messengers leave and so Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John (7:24-28). Jesus had sent the back with a subtle rebuke which would have been a difficult message to receive in prison. Then Jesus speaks to the crowd on John’s behalf and asks the crowd, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? John preached God’s word with conviction and his message couldn’t be altered by the offer of reward or by the threat of punishment. John spoke ‘truth to power’ despite the consequences and he was certainly not a ‘reed swayed by the wind’. Neither did they go out to see a man dressed in ‘fine clothes’. John lived in the desert, ate locusts and honey and dressed like Elijah. No, John wasn’t the kind of preacher that played up to the influential or who catered to the elite. If John was that kind of preacher he would have been welcomed into Herod’s palace and not thrown into Herod’s prison (7:26-27).  

So what did they go out to see? John was a prophet like Elijah, and more! John received God’s word and faithfully proclaimed it. Moreover, according to Jesus, John was the one who both Isaiah and Malachi had foretold would prepare the way for the ‘Lord’s Messiah’. John was Isaiah’s voice calling out in the wilderness to prepare the way for the LORD (YHWH = JESUS?). John was the one calling out in the desert make a straight highway for God (Elohim, Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1). This, said Jesus, made John the greatest man who had lived up to that time! Jesus was saying that John was greater than Abraham, Moses, or David; which is high praise! John was the greatest, but in another sense Jesus said that the least in the kingdom of God was greater than John. Jesus was bringing in the ‘messianic age’ and even the least in the ‘coming kingdom’ would be greater than John. So Jesus praises John, and gives hope to all who would follow Jesus and enter the kingdom that Jesus would live, die and rise again to establish! 

The people, even tax collectors, heard and acknowledged Jesus because they were baptized by John. But the Pharisees and the experts in the law heard rejected Jesus, because they had not been baptized by John. John’s message prepared the way so that those who believed John's message identified with Jesus (7:29-30). Then Jesus spoke of that present generation of religious leaders; I say this because the ‘people’ even 'tax-collectors' had believed John and identified with Jesus. The ‘religious leaders’ had their own perceived ideas and refused to accept Jesus. They were like children crying out in the marketplace. When they heard a wedding song they didn’t dance and when they heard a funeral song they didn’t cry. In other words, they rejected John and his ascetic life saying he had a demon. Then they also rejected Jesus because he came 'eating and drinking' and they called him a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners (7:31-34). 

As great as John the Baptist was, his imprisonment and his own preconceived ideas created doubts for him about Jesus. Yet, John was the one spoken of by both Isaiah and Malachi, who would prepare the way for the Lord (Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 40:3). John announced ‘God’s anointed’ and was the greatest man up to his day, but according to Jesus even the least in God’s kingdom would be greater than John. Surely, John preached the ‘gospel’ and was part of the inauguration of God’s kingdom (Luke 3:18). Yet, John lived before the death, burial, resurrection, ascension and greater realization of the kingdom that would come at Pentecost. So John pointed to Jesus which marked the beginning of God’s kingdom and he was the last and greatest of the old era.

Greater than Elisha (2 Kings 4, Luke 7:11-17)

2 Kings 4:8-37 

Elisha Restores the Shunammite’s Son.

The woman had never asked Elisha for a son and she was deeply distressed. Yet, she was also sure that only Elisha could help her. She laid her dead son on Elisha’s bed (4:21), had their donkey saddled and headed out to find Elisha. Elisha has his servant, Gehazi, greet her but she passes by Gehazi. She come to Elisha and she falls at Elisha’s feet (4:26). After discovering her problem, Elisha sends Gehazi with his staff back to Shumen to lay Elisha’s staff on the boy’s face, but to the Shunammite woman (4:29-30) only Elisha could help her. The Lord hid the reason for her distress from Elisha (4:27). When he finds out he sends Gehazi on ahead with his staff to raise the boy, but to no avail (4:31). Elisha followed behind with the Shunammite and when he arrived Elisha prays, lies on the child, and the boy’s body becomes warm. Elisha repeats the process; then the boy sneezes seven times and opens his eyes. Finally, Elijah tells the Shunammite that she can take her son. But Elisha’s struggle to restore the boy and the Shunammites humble but silent response gives the story a strange feel (4:37).

This is a great miracle – and this is one of three incidents in the Old Testament where someone is restored from death they are all relevant to our story. 

1) The first is involves the prophet Elijah. Elijah is staying at the house of a widow in Zarephath and the widow's son dies. She accuses Elijah of exposing her sin and killing her son. Elijah carries the boy to the upper room where he was staying and lays the boy on his bed. Elijah stretches himself out on the boy three times and cries to God to restore the boy's life. God answers; restores the boy’s life and Elijah carried him downstairs. The woman declares that Elijah is a man of God who speaks the truth (1 King 17:17-24).

2) The second is this one involving prophet Elisha. Elisha would stay in the upper room of a couple in Shunem. The woman was childless and Elisha prophesies that she would have a son within a year. Years later, the boy complained of a pain in his head then died. The woman races to see Elisha at Mt. Carmel. Elisha sent his servant ahead with his staff to heal the boy, but the boy didn’t respond. Elisha arrives, cries out to Lord, lies directly upon the dead body and the boy's body grew warm. Elisha did this again and the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha gives the boy back to his mother, and she bowed to the ground (2 Kings 4:18-37).

3) The third is after Elisha the prophet dead and buried. Moabite raiders attacked Israel and interrupted a funeral. Those burying the body feared for their lives so they threw the body into the first convenient place; which happened to be Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the dead man came to life and stood up on his feet (2 Kings 13:20–21).

With these events in mind, it’s significant that this miracle of Jesus happened just a few miles from where Elisha preformed a similar miracle.

The City of Nain.

Some 800 years later, in Jesus’ time Shunem was gone. Much of the population likely moved on to the city of Nain which was a few kilometres from that same main trade route. Surely, the story of Elisha’s healing of the Shunammite’s son would have been part of their folklore.

In this story Jesus is followed by a crowd as he approaches the city of Nain. As they come to the city gate they discover another crowd. This crowd is a funeral procession from Nain on its way out of the city. The procession is led by a woman whose only son has died not unlike the Shunammite woman in the story with Elisha. Luke tells us that Jesus’ heart of compassion went out to this mother (Luke 7:11-17). Then after stopping the procession Jesus spoke directly to the dead man and the young was restored to life.

The story of the Shunammite Woman and the story of the Widow at Nain.

These miracles are both similar and different. The Shunammite woman has an older husband but her only son also dies. When her only son died she rushed back to the unaware Elisha. By contrast, Jesus openly approaches the widow from Nain whose only son has died. At first Elisha speaks only to his servant, Gehazi, until the boy is restored. Elisha was aware of the Shunammites distress but the Lord initially hides the reason from Elisha. Jesus knows what has happened and he is filled with compassion. His heart goes out to her and he speaks directly to the woman: ‘Do not weep’. Elisha looks to the power of his staff in Gehazi’s hands to raise the boy, while Jesus goes right up and touches the coffin halting the funeral procession. Elisha prays to God and lies on the boy (twice) and then the boy is restored. Jesus just speaks and says ‘Young man, arise’. Elisha’s miracle was dependent upon prayer, while Jesus merely spoke and the miracle was done according to his own powerful word. Then the result of Elisha’s miracle is strangely muted, in contrast those who witness Jesus’ erupt in praise and awe of God. They reason that ‘a great prophet like Elisha has arisen among them’ and that God had come to help his people.

But, Jesus is far greater than even the great Elisha. Yet, it is only when Jesus himself is raised from the dead that some realise just how much greater than Elisha he really is! 

'Social Distance?' (Luke 7:11-17)

Backstory: Jesus, was announced by John, anointed by God’s Spirit and confirmed to be the ‘Son of God’ by the voice from heaven. He was led into the desert where he fasted 40 days and overcame the temptations of Satan. He returned in the power of the Spirit and went around proclaiming the kingdom of God in the towns and villages. He gathered a new twelve around himself (common people, fishermen, a zealot and eve a tax-collector) and he went around teaching and exercising authority, over evil spirits, and over sin and death. There also developed a growing conflict between Jesus’ concept of God’s kingdom and with that of the Pharisees which escalated when he claimed to have authority on earth to forgive sins and by claiming to be the ‘Lord of the Sabbath’. In Luke 7, Jesus has re-entered Capernaum and he heals the ‘servant’ of a Roman centurion who he has recognized before those following him to be a shining example of ‘great faith’.                                                                                                              

Here in this story, we find two crowds. One crowd is following Jesus and another that is following a widow and her ‘young son’ who has just passed away. We don't find anyone in this story demonstrating faith. Jesus sees the woman and his heart went out to her. We then find Jesus stopping a funeral procession and telling this mother whose only son has died "not to cry". We also find Jesus touching a coffin and then of all things he speaks to a dead person and tells him to "get up!" Evidently, Jesus is so sure the ‘young man’ will actually do this that he wants the grieving woman not to cry. Jesus sees the woman and is moved by compassion. 

Nain City Gate

The large funeral procession would have been mourning with the woman over the loss of her son. They would be making plenty of noise to help this poor mother grieve and feel her pain. So as the mourning crowd moves through the city gate towards the grave site the funeral procession is suddenly stopped by another crowd. This crowd has been following Jesus all day as they have followed him from Capernaum. Moved by compassion, Jesus speaks directly to the woman and tells her "not to cry". But she is a widow who has now lost both her husband and now her only son!. Then Jesus surprises everyone by touching the coffin and stopping the procession. Touching a 'dead body' or even in 'a coffin' would normally make someone unclean (Numbers 19:11-21). Jesus would have known to keep his ‘social distance’ for appropriate cultural and religious reasons! So Jesus tells a grieving mother of a dead young man not to cry. He stops a funeral procession by touching a coffin and making himself unclean. What is even more strange is that Jesus speaks to a dead person and tell him to ‘get up’ (7:14-16). 

What is the most astonishing thing of all in this story is that ‘dead man’ evidently hears Jesus and ‘gets up’! Now the whole combined crowd erupts in astonishment and praise! Moreover, the people conclude that God has come to help his people. They say that God has come to rescue them for God has obviously sent a prophet who does 'miracles' that are like the miracles of the great old prophets, Elijah and Elisha. This story is clearly similar to the healings of Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kings 17 and 2 Kings 4. Like Elijah and Elisha, Jesus is moved with compassion and in this story, Jesus steps right into the sorrow, grieve, frustration, the bitterness and anger of this tragic scene and says and does what no one expected. In fact, none of what Jesus does is either expected or is ‘socially acceptable’. Jesus does something greater than Elijah and Elisha did, for Jesus merely speaks to this 'dead young man' and by the power of his word he is restored to life.  

Jesus breaks the traditions and he doesn't keep his appropriate 'social distance'. What Jesus does is to break into the 'grief and sorry' of these painful lives in this tragic world and he changes everything (2 Cor.5:17). Note that this boy is 'restored back to life' and we should refer to this as a 'resuscitation'. He isn't restored to a 'resurrected body' as Jesus clearly is at the end of Luke's gospel (Luke 24). This 'young man' is restored to life and to his mother, but he would go on to eventually taste death again. But what the story depicts that Jesus is ushering in God's restorative reign and that Jesus is beginning to make all things new (Rev.21:5). This story of the widow’s son, like the previous story of the centurion’s servant (Luke 7), demonstrates that the redemptive love of God is at work through Jesus in unexpected ways. These stories should move us to ask just who does Jesus think he is and then to ask ourselves if we believe him?

"Approaching Jesus!" (Luke 7:1-10)

COVID-19 has people washing their hands more than ever and many are praying more than ever as well. Some have prayed for the first time, others are praying more than ever before. Entire countries have even set apart days for prayer and fasting. Yet, as we make our requests to God in Jesus’ name this story in Luke 7 can help us.

Luke 7:1–10 (NIV84)

Jesus comes to Capernaum where we find a Roman centurion with a servant whom he highly respects. But his servant is ‘sick and dying’. The centurion has heard of Jesus who is purported to work miracles. So the centurion sends some Jewish elders he knows to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. He’s a powerful Roman military man who believes that Jesus could heal his valued servant who was dying (7:1-3).

The Jewish elders go and plead with Jesus to heal the centurion’s servant. They reason that Jesus should heal this servant because the centurion deserved the favor. They say that the centurion loved Israel and he had built their synagogue (7:4-5). These Jewish elders believed that the centurion loved Israel and had demonstrated his love by building their synagogue. This was a Roman military officer of army that was occupying Israel. He was on the side of their oppressors, but he was different. He had gone so far as to build their synagogue, or at least fund its construction. According to these Jewish elder the centurion deserved to have his servant healed because his benevolent actions made him worthy of Jesus’ help. We don’t what Jesus thought of their argument, we only know that Jesus went to the centurion’s home.

When Jesus was on his way, the centurion sent a message with his friends to intercept Jesus. They tell Jesus how the centurion doesn’t think he deserves to have Jesus come under his roof. The centurion’s friends tell Jesus not to come to the centurion’s home.  He didn’t want to trouble Jesus because he wasn’t worthy to come to Jesus. In fact, this is why he hadn’t come to Jesus in the first place (7:7). Why should Jesus to come into a Gentile home and upset other Jews and become ‘unclean’. More importantly he didn’t want Jesus to think he felt entitled to receive Jesus’ personal attention. He didn’t think that he was worthy of Jesus’ favor. Contrary to what the Jewish elders had argued, he did not consider himself worthy or deserving of a personal visit from Jesus.

This foreign military man approached Jesus in a way very differently than the Syrian general Naaman had approached Elisha (2 Kgs 5:10). This man believed that all Jesus had to do was say the word and his servant would be healed. The centurion’s friends inform Jesus that the centurion believed that Jesus had authority to merely speak and word and his servant would be healed. For the centurion was a man under authority, with soldiers under him. The centurion was under the authority of Rome and his soldiers were bound to obey his commands and his servant also obeyed his word. Evidently, the centurion believed that God had given Jesus authority over ‘sickness and death’ and all Jesus had to do was speak the word and the servant would be healed (7:8-9). Hearing this, Jesus was amazed!

This is one of only two places in the gospels where we are told directly that Jesus was amazed. Amazed, Jesus turns to the crowd following him and says, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith and Jesus had not found a Jew in all of Israel that had such ‘great faith’. Jesus praised him, but not because he loved Israel and built a synagogue. His ‘great faith’ was exhibited in his humble profession of inadequacy and in his complete confidence in the power and authority of Jesus. He believed that Jesus didn’t even need to see the servant; all Jesus had to do was to say the word! When the friends of the centurion returned to the centurion’s home they found the servant well (7:10).

The story contrasts two ways of approaching Jesus; two ways of bringing our requests of Jesus. The first approach is represented by the Jewish elders. They go to Jesus and they plead with Jesus to do something for this worthy centurion. Sure he was a soldier in the oppressor’s army, but he loved the Jewish people and had built a synagogue.  This is radically contrasted by what the centurion had friends tells Jesus. The centurion didn’t want Jesus to trouble himself for he didn’t think of himself worthy. This is why the centurion hadn’t come to Jesus in the first place (Luke 7:7). The Jewish elders thought the man was worthy, but this is not what the centurion thought about himself. He had a low view of himself, but he had an high view of Jesus.  In sharp contrast to the Jewish elders, he begs Jesus, "Lord... I am not worthy... but say the word, and my servant will be healed".  The centurion was a man under Rome’s authority and the soldiers under him were bound to obey him and his servant obeyed him as well. Evidently, the centurion believed that God had given Jesus authority over ‘sickness and death’ and all Jesus had to do was say so and his servant would be healed.

When Jesus heard this he was amazed (7:9). This is one of only two places in the gospels where we’re told directly that Jesus was amazed. Here Jesus turns to the crowd and in amazement he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith! Jesus hadn’t found a Jew in all of Israel that had such ‘great faith’. According to Jesus this Gentile soldier of the occupying Roman troops was the model of genuine faith. But this was not because of what he had done; Jesus praised him because of his humble dependence and unwavering confidence in the power and authority of Jesus. Jesus didn’t even need to be present; he just had to say ‘the word’.  

The other place where we are told directly Jesus was amazed is in Mark’s account of Jesus’ Nazareth sermon. There Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith (Mark 6:4-6). What a contrast this Gentile soldier is to those in Jesus’ home synagogue! How shocking this story would have been to its original observers. According to Jesus this Gentile army officer of the occupying Roman troops was the model of genuine faith. The religious leaders missed the mark, but the centurion made his humble request and his confidence in Jesus and Jesus spoke a word and the dying servant was healed!