One of the first questions on a Roman mind in the First Century would be, "What authority?" Luke offers four events to highlight the authority carried by Jesus. Instead of blunt statements, Jesus simply shows His authority. Again, it is not a matter of His divinity, but the authority of faith over mere law.
In Capernaum was stationed a Roman centurion, rather like an army captain of today. In the New Testament, centurions are distinguished by their intelligence and understanding. This one is no exception. First, he cultivated a positive regard for the local Jews. In particular, he provided the means to build or renovate a synagogue in the city. If nothing else, this endeared him to the Jewish civic and religious leaders. We cannot say why he had not fully converted, but it was obvious from the context he had not accepted circumcision. Still, he had a good rapport with the synagogue leadership.
We would call him "a good man" today, and so would Romans, for he was even fond of some of his servants. One servant was about to die from some ailment. Hearing Jesus was a healing rabbi, this centurion asked the local Jewish leaders to see if Jesus could help him save his servant's life. The leaders made a strong case with Jesus, and He appeared willing to act. This was not a small thing, for it would mean ceremonially defiling Himself by entering a Gentile home. On this point, the centurion proved wise, for he sent a message which provided a most powerful lesson.
Not wishing to inconvenience this rabbi, the centurion indicated he understood authority. His own was delegated from Rome, and included a great deal of latitude. He didn't have to physically show up to exert his authority. If Jesus were a rabbi of truth from God, surely His authority was similar. It would be enough for Jesus to give the command from any distance, and healing would take place. Jesus noted no one in the Nation of Israel seemed to understand this. As expected, the messengers who came to Jesus returned to find the servant recovered.
As Jesus traveled the next day, His path brought Him toward the village of Nain. Most ancients would insist on burying their dead outside the city, and Jews were no exception. Jesus' path likely brought Him past the graves which have been found in modern times outside the site of ancient Nain. He encountered a funeral procession coming in the other direction. It was a young man, the last relative of a local widow. It seemed the whole town was in attendance, to commiserate with her on this tragedy, since widows without family to support them fared poorly in that time and place.
The procession would have typically included a large number of women wailing loudly with the mother. Jesus told them to hush for a moment, which would have been regarded as quite rude. When they were quiet, Jesus commanded the young man to arise. To everyone's stunned amazement, he did. The ultimate sad occasion became the ultimate celebration, with many exclamations about a mighty prophet. Few prophets of old demonstrated the power to raise the dead. This was clearly a visit from God, clearly an act upon His authority. News of this spread everywhere.
The news even went to John the Baptist. Luke doesn't mention at this point where John was at the time, in prison far south, halfway down the east shore of the Dead Sea, at Fort Machaerus. However, Luke had covered that in chapter 3. Upon hearing this news from his disciples, John sent a message to his cousin, Jesus. When they found Him, John's disciples asked Jesus if He was, indeed, the Messiah. We can't see into the mind of John, but it's hard to imagine he's suffering major doubts. The nature of Jesus' answer -- the demonstration of Messianic miracles promised by the prophet Isaiah -- indicates John's need for confirmation before he faces death. It's no less faith than Jesus showed in the Garden of Gethsemane, where it was needful to make sure before taking that final, ultimate step. Upon the authority of Jesus' assurance, John would be ready for anything.
This interview prompted Jesus to address the authority of John the Baptist. Was he like a reed in the wind, easily moved from his message? Was John after creature comforts? By no means. He was a prophet, the real thing, a true messenger of God Almighty. More than that, he was the promised forerunner of the Messiah. No prophet of the Old Testament was greater; John was the pinnacle of the Covenant of Moses. Yet, in the Kingdom which would follow soon, everyone would find themselves in a position John would have envied. At this, a great crowd of former sinners and rejects from Jewish society rejoiced loudly. These who had answered John's call to repent stood a chance to enter the Kingdom for which John was the herald.
Naturally, the Pharisees and lawyers had rejected John's call to repentance, so sure they were of no need to repent. Jesus made the inevitable contrast between the penitent and the proud. The partisans and lawyers compared well to petulant children. They were implacable. If it wasn't their idea in the first place, it had to be wrong. On the one hand, John the Baptist came with the austerity of strict obedience to the Law of Moses, and the Jewish leaders called him a madman. Jesus came with the relaxed latitude built into Mosaic Law, reaching out the sinners, and leaders called Him a hedonist. John emphasized the entrance into repentance, while Jesus emphasized the joy of living it. The truth was obvious by the results.
Jewish leaders had stood God's revelation on its head, totally confused about sin and repentance. For them, it was necessary to live in fear of crossing that invisible line, never mind avoiding the obvious prohibitions of the Law. They made God a nearly implacable Judge. Luke showed this was a very low view of God by relating an incident where Jesus accepted an invitation from one of the Pharisees who opposed Him, by coming to the man's home for dinner. We deduce the motive was trickery, or at least mockery, for Jesus notes the host, named Simon, had neglected the common courtesies of that day.
Nor do we know what sort of sinner was the woman who dared intrude on this formal occasion. There was scandal all around. With the men following Jewish custom in reclining on large cushions at an angle around the low table, Jesus' feet were extended out with everyone else's. This woman came and wept, washing His feet with her hair and tears, then anointed them with an obscenely expensive perfumed oil. The symbolic gesture was larger than life. By Law, Jews could not require Jewish slaves to wash feet, only pagan Gentile slaves. Jesus could have washed His own, but the host failed to offer that option. This woman not only did this most degrading service, but obviously was worshiping Him.
Letting that obvious act of devotion pass, the host focused his thoughts on the woman's social status, not just as a woman forbidden to speak in public to men not related, but a notorious sinner, a reject who was past redemption in his eyes. In Simon's mind, a real prophet would know she was filth, and reject her touch. Jesus responded to the man's thoughts with a parable. When someone forgives debts, surely those with larger debts will love him more. Since this Pharisee host wallowed in smug self-righteousness, his sense of gratitude for God's grace would always be small. Why, he had earned his approval! No surprise Simon expressed contempt for Jesus, under the polite veneer. This woman was fully aware she deserved death and Hell, and didn't need Simon to tell her. So she more than made up for Simon's neglect by her extravagance.
This outward symbolic act demonstrated the depth of her repentance. No one would imagine she was faking it, unlike Simon. Her absolute and total embrace of Jesus' message actually was more demanding than the fussy details of Pharisaical rules. She gave her whole self, and for this, Jesus told her she was forgiven of her sins. When the other Pharisees in attendance balked at that idea, Jesus went further, explaining her faith was the key, the authority to access salvation. Her demonstration had served its purpose, and Jesus told her to go and claim the life of spiritual peace which would be denied the impenitent Pharisees.
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By Ed Hurst
19 July 2008
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