Luke 7,1-17
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.
2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.
3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him,
5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”
6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.
8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son
11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.
12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”
17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Hello everyone, I am Kiki.
The Chinese name for the second phase of our program is “读经大讲堂”. The English name is Bible Study.
We will adopt a relaxed and enjoyable learning mode to introduce you to a new world of learning.
Each time, I will give a personal summary and analysis from a learner’s perspective, and then Sister Ingrid will help me with in-depth learning and discussion.
I hope that such an interesting and interactive process will bring a new learning experience to all of you.
The following is my interview with Sister Ingrid on related issues. Today is the fourteenth lecture on the Gospel of Luke.
Everyone is welcome to leave a message in the comment area for discussion!
2. My Summary of Luke – Fourteenth Study
Well, everybody! Here is my personal study summary for today:
After teaching in Capernaum, Jesus meets a Roman officer (a centurion) whose beloved servant is near death.
The centurion sends Jewish leaders to ask Jesus for help.
When Jesus agrees to go, the centurion sends word that he isn’t worthy to have Jesus under his roof and believes that Jesus can heal with just a word—just as the centurion gives orders to his soldiers and they obey.
Jesus is amazed by this great faith, and the servant is healed before they even arrive.
Soon after, Jesus travels to Nain, where He encounters a funeral procession for a widow’s only son.
Moved by compassion, Jesus tells her not to weep, touches the bier, and says, “Young man, arise.”
The dead boy sits up and speaks, and Jesus returns him to his mother.
Everyone is filled with awe, praises God, and word of this miracle spreads throughout the region.
Now Sister Ingrid will give a further summary.
3. Sister Ingrid’s Comment on My Summary
Here we see two very serious miracles, because they involve death — the end of earthly life.
In the first miracle, we meet a Roman centurion. Normally, the Romans were enemies of the Jewish people, but this centurion was different: he had done many good works for them and even built their synagogue.
In this story, we see two examples of intercession:
- The Jewish elders ask Jesus for help.
- The centurion himself asks Jesus to heal his servant but says it is not necessary for Jesus to come to his house.
From this we learn that we can intercede for people around us, giving thanks by praying for them and presenting them to Jesus.
In serious and hopeless situations, we can cry out to God and ask for a word of healing or help — and because of our faith, Jesus will act.
In the second miracle, death had already done its work: the only son of a widow had died. Many people were with her at the funeral, showing sympathy, but nothing could be done. Her future would be very difficult, as she had no one left to care for her.
Don’t we all know funerals like this — where the family gathers to speak about the person who has passed away? It is always a very sad situation, because we were created for life, not for death.
But in this case, Jesus saw the widow, had compassion, touched the bier, and gave her back her son — and, in a sense, her life.
After reading about these two miracles, we should remember that Jesus hears our intercessions for others and has mercy on those who are in hard situations and have nothing.
4. Q&A (Based on Luke, Fourteenth Study)
1. What problem did the centurion face, and why did he turn to Jesus?
His servant was near death. He had heard about Jesus and wanted to ask Him for help.
2. How did the centurion show respect for Jesus before meeting Him in person?
He said he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his home.
3. What example from his own life did the centurion use to explain Jesus’ power?
He explained that, as a man under authority with soldiers under him, he gives orders and they are obeyed. In the same way, Jesus could simply speak a word and the healing would happen.
4. Why was Jesus amazed at the centurion’s faith?
Most people in Israel wanted to be physically close to Jesus to be healed. This centurion, however, had firm faith that Jesus could heal from a distance.
5. How did the healing show Jesus’ power and authority?
Jesus spoke the word, and the servant was healed immediately.
6. Where did Jesus go after Capernaum, and what did He see?
He went to Nain, a small village in the north near Lake Gennesaret, about 40 km from Capernaum. There, He saw a funeral procession.
7. Who was the widow in Nain, and why was her situation so sad?
She had lost her only son and now had no one to care for her or provide for her.
8. What did Jesus say and do for the widow?
He told her, “Do not weep,” then raised her son from the dead.
9. How did the crowd react?
They were amazed, glorified God, and said, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” Many people, even today, see Jesus only as a prophet and not as the Son of God.
10. What two miracles show both Jesus’ compassion and His divine authority?
- Healing the centurion’s servant.
- Raising the widow’s son.
From these we learn: When we are in trouble, we can talk to Jesus, and He will do what is best for us. And, like the centurion, we can intercede for others — even for those far from God — and He will hear.
