LUKE 7      Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  meaning  -  Luke  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

Luke Chapter 7

1. BUT when he had completed all His sayings in the ears of the people, He entered into Capernaum.
2. But the servant of a certain Centurion, who was dear to him, being sick, was about to die.
3. But hearing of Jesus, he sent to him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him to come and heal his servant.
4. But when they came, to Jesus, they besought Him instantly, saying that he was worthy for whom He should do this.
5. For he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue.
6. But Jesus went with them, and when He was now not far from the house, the Centurion sent friends to him, saying to Him, Lord, trouble not yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.
7. Wherefore thought I myself not worthy to come to you; but say in a word, and my child shall be healed.
8. For I also am a man set under authority, having soldiers under myself, and I say to this, go, and he goes; and to another, come, and he comes; and to my Servant, do this, and he does [it].
9. But Jesus hearing these things wondered at him, and turning said to the multitude that followed Him, I say to you, I have not found such faith in Israel.
10. And they who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant restored that had been sick.
11. And it came to pass on the day following, He went into a city called Nain, and a sufficient number of His disciples went with Him and much multitude,
12. But when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was carried out, the only-begotten son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable multitude of the city was with her.
13. And the Lord seeing her, had compassion on her, and said to her, Weep not.
14. And coming He touched the bier, but they that bare him stood still; and He said, Young man, I say to you, arise.
15. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak; and He gave him to his mother.
16. But fear seized all, and they glorified God, saying, that a great Prophet is risen up among us, and that God has visited His people.
17. And this saying went forth throughout all Judea concerning him, and throughout all the region round about.
18. And His Disciples showed to John of all these things.
19. And John calling two of his disciples, sent [them] to Jesus, saying, Art You He that should come, or do we expect another?
20. But when the men were come to Him they said, John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, are You He that should come, or expect we another?
21. But in that same hour He healed many of diseases, and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many that were blind He granted the favour to see.
22. And Jesus answering said to them, go tell John what things you have seen and heard, that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf  hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the Gospel preached to them;
23. And blessed is he whoever shall not be offended in Me.
24. But when the messengers of John departed, He began to say to the multitudes concerning John, what went you out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
25. But what went you out for to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold they who are respectably clothed and nourished are in king's courts.
26. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27. This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send mine angel before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.
28. For I say to 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.
29. And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God towards themselves, being not baptized of him.
31. But the Lord said, To what then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
32. They are like children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, we have piped to you, and you have not danced, we have mourned to you, and you have not wept.
33. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread, nor drinking wine, and you say, he has a daemon.
34. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and you say, behold, a gluttonous man and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.
35. And wisdom was justified of all her children.
36. But a certain one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and entering into the Pharisee's house He sat down to meat.
37. And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, knowing that He sat down in the Pharisee's house, brought a jug of ointment.
38. And standing at His feet behind Him weeping, she began to moisten His feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39. But when the Pharisee which had invited Him saw [it], he said in himself, saying, This [Man], if He were a Prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.
40. And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have somewhat to say to you; but he says, Teacher, say.
41. A certain creditor had two debtors; the one owed five hundred pence, but the other fifty.
42. But having nothing to pay, he kindly forgave them both. Tell Me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43. But Simon answering said, I suppose that he to whom he kindly forgave most. But he said to him, you have rightly judged.
44. And turning to the woman, He said to Simon, see you this woman? When I entered into your house, you gave Me no wafer for My feet, but she has moistened my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46. My head with oil you did not anoint, but this woman has anointed My feet with ointment.
47. Wherefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are remitted, because she loved much; but to whom little is remitted, he loves little.
48. But he said to her, your sins are remitted.
49. And they that sat at meat with Him began to say in themselves, who is this that forgives sins also?
50. But He said to the woman, your faith has saved you: go into peace,

Chapter VII.

OF

THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

VERSES 14, 15. And coming He touched the bier, &c. B y touching with the hand is signified to communicate and transfer to another what appertains to himself, and likewise to receive from another, the reason of which is, because all power of man from the body is transferred to the hands, wherefore what the mind wills that the body should do, is done by the arms and hands, hence it is that by the arms and hands in the Word is signified power. AE 79.

Verse 21. But in that same hour He healed many of diseases, and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many that were blind He granted the favour to see. By plagues of evil spirits are understood obsessions and calamitous states inflicted on men, in such case by evil spirits, which yet all of them signified correspondent spiritual states; for all healings of diseases effected by the Lord signified spiritual healings, hence the Lord's miracles were Divine, as this, that He gave to many blind the favour to see, by which was signified, that he granted to those who were in ignorance of truth to understand the truths of doctrine. AE 584.

Verse 22. And Jesus answering said to them, go tell John what things you have seen and heard, that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the Gospel preached to them. These things were said for the external and at the same time for the internal man; for the external, that such miracles were worked; for the internal, that the Church was to be established amongst such, who in the spiritual sense are blind, lame, leprous, deaf, and poor; thus amongst the nations who are in ignorance of what is good and true, and yet in the desire thereof; for they are called blind who are in ignorance of truth; lame, who are in good, but not genuine, by reason of the ignorance of truth; leprous, who are unclean, and still desire to be cleansed; deaf, who are not in the faith of truth, because not in the perception of it; but poor, who have not the Word, and thus know nothing concerning the Lord, and yet desire to be instructed: hence it is said that to these the Gospel is preached. AC 9209. See also extract at chap 6:20, 21.

Verses 24 to 29. But when the messengers of John departed, He began to say to the multitudes concerning John, what went you out into the wilderness to see? &c. &c. How these words are to be understood it is impossible for any one to know, unless he knows that John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he knows from the internal sense at the same time, what is signified by the wilderness in which he was ; also what by a reed shaken with the wind, likewise by soft clothing in king's houses; and next what is signified by his being more than a prophet, and that none amongst the sons of women was greater than him, and yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than him; and lastly that he was Elias. For all these things, without a deeper sense, are mere sounds grounded in a kind of comparison, and not in any thing of any weight: But it is altogether otherwise when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively; in which case by the wilderness of Judea, in which John was, is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely that it was in the wilderness, that is, in such obscurity, that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was any thing known concerning His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied concerning Him, and concerning His kingdom, which was to endure for ever. The Word therefore is compared to a reed shaken with the wind, when it is explained at pleasure, for a reed in the internal sense is truth in the ultimate, such as the Word is in the letter; that the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, before the view of men, is as somewhat rude and obscure, but in the internal sense is soft and shining, is signified by their not seeing a man clothed in soft clothing, behold they who wear soft things are in king's houses. That such things are signified by these words, is evident from the signification of clothing or garments, as denoting truths; and that on this account the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining, according to the truths derived from good belonging to them; also from the signification of king's houses, as denoting the abodes where the angels are, and in the universal sense the heavens, for houses are predicated of good, and kings of truth, on which account the angels are called sons of a kingdom, sons of a king, and likewise kings by virtue of the reception of truth from the Lord. That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea I say to you and more than a prophet, for among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; for prophet in the internal sense is doctrine, and they that are born, or the sons of women, are truths. That the Word in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by the least in the kingdom of the heavens being greater than him; for the Word perceived in heaven is of such wisdom as to transcend all human apprehension. AC 9372.

Verse 25. But what went you out for to see? A man clothed in soft clothing; behold they who are respectably clothed and nourished, are in king's courts, denoting that they are not in externals of doctrine and worship, but in internals, wherefore it is added, "What went you out to see? A prophet? I say to you, even more than a prophet," verse 26, where prophet denotes the external things of doctrine and worship. AC 2576.

Verse 27. This is he of whom it is written, behold I send mine angel before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You. That by these words is signified the Divine [Principle] of the Lord, from which is the Church and its worship, is evident from the signification of an angel, as denoting in the supreme sense the Lord as to the Divine Human [principle], and in the respective sense the Divine [principle] of the Lord in heaven with angels, also in the Church with men; and from the signification of sending before Your face, as denoting to prepare. That an angel in the supreme sense denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human [principle], see AC 1925, 3039, 6280, 6831, 9303, and that in the respective sense it denotes the Divine [principle] of the Lord in heaven with angels, see AC 1925, 2821, 4085, 6831, 8192; hence it follows that an angel also denotes the Divine [principle] of the Lord with men who receive it ; for men, who are in the good of love, and in the truths of faith to the Lord from the Lord, become angels after death, and they who become angels also are angels as to their interiors whilst they live in the world; hence it is that John the Baptist is called an angel in the word, as in Luke, "This is he of whom it is written, behold I send Mine angel before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You"; and that angel in this passage denotes the Divine [principle] of the Lord belonging to Him, is plain from Malachi, "Behold I send mine angel, who shall prepare the way before Me; and suddenly shall come to his temple the Lord whom you seek, and the angel of the covenant whom you desire," Mal. iii.1; the reason why the Divine [principle] of the Lord is there meant by angel is, because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the word, like Elias, and the word is the Divine Truth which is from the Lord. AC 10528.

Inasmuch as by angels in the word are signified Divine Truths, therefore men, from whom are Divine Truths, are occasionally in the word called angels; as in Malachi, "The lips of the priest ought to guard knowledge, and they shall seek the law from his mouth, because he is the angel of Jehovah," Mal 2:7; he is called the angel of Jehovah from this, that he teaches Divine Truth, not that he is the angel of Jehovah, but the Divine Truth, which he teaches. It is also a known thing in the Church, that no one has Divine Truth from himself; lips also in this passage signify the doctrine of truth, and law the Divine Truth itself; hence also it is that John the Baptist is called an angel, since by him in the spiritual sense is signified the Word which is Divine Truth, ie like manner as Elias. AE 130.

Verses 33 to 35. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread, nor drinking wine, and you say, he has a demon; the Son of man came eating and drinking, and you say behold, a gluttonous man and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. See Extract at chap. Verses 29, 30.

Verses 37, 38. And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, knowing that He sat down in the Pharisee's house, brought a jug of ointment, and standing at his feet behind Him weeping she began to moisten His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, &c. Washing the feet was an act of charity, inculcating that the evils of another ought not to he reflected on; and it was likewise an act of humiliation, denoting the cleansing of another from evils, as from filth, as likewise may be manifest from the Lord's words, Luke 7:37, 38, 44, 46. Every one may see that washing does not purify any one from evils and falses, but only from the filth which adheres; but whereas it was amongst the ceremonies commanded in the Church, it follows that it involves something peculiar, namely spiritual washing, that is, purification from those filthy things which inwardly adhere to man. they therefore, who knew these things, and thought about the purification of the heart, or the removal of the evils of the love of self and of the world from the natural man, and endeavoured to effect this with all their might, observed the ceremony of washing as an external act of worship grounded in command; but they who did not know these things, nor were willing to know them, but thought that the mere ceremony of washing garments, the skin, the hands, the feet, would purify them, and that, provided they did such things, it was allowed them to live in avarice, in hatred, revenge, unmercifulness, cruelty, which are spiritual filth, they worshiped this ceremony as idolatrous. AC 3147.

Verse 46. My head with oil you did not anoint, but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. From these words it is evident, that it was a usual custom to anoint themselves and others with oil; not with the oil of holiness, with which the priests, the kings, the altar and tabernacle were anointed, but with common oil, by reason that this oil signified the gladness and festivity which is of the love of good. AE 375.

Verse 50. But he said to the woman your faith has saved you. From these words it is evident, that when sins are remitted, thus when they exist no longer, faith saves. Doc. Life. DLife 51.

From the above words it is also evident that the faith of the Lord's omnipotence healed the above woman, and likewise that the same faith remitted, that is, removed sins; the reason was, because this woman not only had the faith of Divine omnipotence respecting the Lord, but also loved him, for she kissed His feet, wherefore the Lord said, "Your sins are remitted to you, your faith makes you whole;" for faith makes the Divine [principle] of the Lord present with him who believes, and love conjoins; for the Lord may be present, but not be conjoined; hence it is evident, that faith grounded in love is saving. AE 815. See also the Doctrine of Life, DLife 51.

Chapter VII. Translator's Notes and Observations.

VERSE 1. But when He had completed all His sayings in the ears of the people, &c. The term here rendered completed is expressed in the common version of the New Testament, by the term ended, but the original Greek is eplerosa, from plero, which signifies to fill, or to fulfill, and is thus applied to denote what is complete. It is added, in the ears of the people, because the ears are figurative of obedience, and therefore the combined sense of the Words is, that full instruction was given to those who were in a disposition to obey it.

Verse 30. But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God towards themselves, &c. In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered towards themselves, is expressed against themselves, but the original Greek is eis eautas, which literally means to, or towards themselves, and is thus meant to aggravate the guilt of the Pharisees and Lawyers, by suggesting the awful idea, that they rejected the counsel of God which was intended to favour them, by promoting their eternal welfare.

Verse 44. And turning to the woman, He said to Simon, see you this woman? It is evident, from the tenor of the question here proposed to Simon by the blessed jesus, that it did not relate to bodily sight and personal aspect, for it cannot be supposed possible that Simon's bodily eye could be a stranger to the outward form and appearance of the woman here recorded. We are forced then to conclude, that the question had reference to those higher and interior principles of mind, which formed the proper and excellent character of this woman, and that in this view it is an important and edifying enquiry addressed by the Divine querist to every member of His Church, in all ages and places. For what can be of more importance, or tend more to edification, than to note, as in the present instance, the operation of Divine love in the human mind, converting a sinner into a saint, by establishing its own blessed empire over transgression long persisted in, and by so thoroughly purging away defilement, as to be enabled to accost the penitent offender in the consolatory language, "Your sins are remitted."

Verse 50. But He said to the woman, your faith has saved you, go into peace. In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered go into peace, is expressed by go in peace, but the original Greek is, pogeua eis eirenen, which is literally go to, or into peace, thus suggesting the instructive idea, that peace is a heavenly principle, into which every sincere penitent, who looks up to the incarnate god, is admitted, and in which he makes progress, by advancing from one degree to another, and thus not only going in peace, but going into peace, more and more interiorly, in proportion as he advances in the great work of purification, and thus enters daily into closer and more intimate conjunction of life with his redeeming lord.