Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Luke
Book: Luke
Chapter: 7
Overview:
The
Centurion's servant healed.
(1-10) The widow's son raised.
(11-18) John the Baptist's inquiry concerning
Jesus.
(19-35)
Christ anointed in the
House of the Pharisee. The
Parable of the
two debtors.
(36-50)
1-10 Servants should study to endear themselves to their
masters. Masters ought to take particular care of their servants
when they are sick. We may still,
By Faithful and fervent
Prayer, apply to
Christ, and ought to do
So when sickness is in
our families. The
Building places for religious
Worship is a
good work, and an instance of
Love to
God and his people. Our
Lord Jesus was pleased with the
Centurion's
Faith; and he never
fails to answer the expectations of that
Faith which honours his
power and
Love. The cure soon wrought and perfect.
11-18 When the
Lord saw the
Poor widow following her son to the
Grave, he had compassion
On her. See
Christ's power over
Death
itself. The
Gospel Call to all people, to young people
particularly, is, Arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give you
Light and
Life. When
Christ Put Life into him, it appeared
By
the youth's
Sitting up. Have we
Grace from
Christ? Let us show
it. He began to speak: whenever
Christ gives us spiritual
Life,
he opens the lips in
Prayer and praise. When dead souls are
raised to spiritual
Life,
By Divine power going with the
Gospel,
we must
Glorify God, and look upon it as a gracious visit to his
people. Let us seek for such an interest in our compassionate
Saviour, that we may look forward with joy to the time when the
Redeemer's voice shall
Call forth all that are in their graves.
May we be called to the resurrection of
Life, not to that of
Damnation.
19-35 To his miracles in the kingdom of nature,
Christ adds
this in the kingdom of
Grace, To the
Poor the
Gospel is
preached. It clearly pointed out the spiritual nature of
Christ's kingdom, that the
Messenger he sent before him to
prepare his way, did it
By preaching
Repentance and reformation
of
Heart and
Life. We have here the just blame of those who were
not wrought upon
By the ministry of
John Baptist or of
Jesus
Christ himself. They made a jest of the methods
God took to do
them good. This is the ruin of multitudes; they are not serious
in the concerns of their souls. Let us study to prove ourselves
children of
Wisdom,
By attending the instructions of
God's
Word,
and adoring those mysteries and glad tidings which infidels and
Pharisees deride and blaspheme.
36-50 None can truly perceive how precious
Christ is, and the
Glory of the
Gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they
feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence
On account of
Sin, and admiration of his
Mercy, the self-sufficient will be
disgusted, because the
Gospel encourages such repenting sinners.
The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the
Woman's
Repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character.
But without free forgiveness none of us can escape the wrath to
come; this our gracious
Saviour has purchased with his
Blood,
that he may freely bestow it
On every one that believes in him.
Christ,
By a
Parable, forced
Simon to acknowledge that the
greater sinner this
Woman had been, the greater
Love she ought
to show to Him when her sins were pardoned. Learn here, that
Sin
is a
Debt; and all are sinners, are debtors to Almighty
God.
Some sinners are greater debtors; but whether our
Debt be more
or less, it is more than we are able to pay.
God is ready to
forgive; and his Son having purchased
Pardon for those who
believe in him, his
Gospel promises it to them, and his
Spirit
seals it to repenting sinners, and gives them the comfort. Let
us keep far from the proud
Spirit of the Pharisee, simply
depending upon and rejoicing in
Christ alone, and
So be prepared
to obey him more zealously, and more strongly to recommend him
unto all around us. The more we express our sorrow for
Sin, and
our
Love to
Christ, the clearer evidence we have of the
forgiveness of our sins. What a wonderful change does
Grace make
upon a sinner's
Heart and
Life, as
Well as upon his state before
God,
By the full remission of all his sins through
Faith in the
Lord Jesus!