Luke 8:22-39 comments: a man possessed

Luke 8:22 ¶  Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23  But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25  And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. 26  And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27  And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. 28  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. 29  (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) 30  And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. 31  And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. 32  And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. 33  Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. 34  When they that fed them saw what was done,

they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. 35  Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 36  They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. 37  Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. 38  Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39  Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

God, being the author of all weather events, is not unaware of the storm through which He, in human form, is sleeping. As Psalm 107 says;

Psalm 107: 23 ¶  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

The disciples call for Christ to save them. The first part of Psalm 44:23 says;

23a  Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise...

As Psalm 107 continues;

Psalm 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of

the elders.

Gadarenes from the Greek is said by commentators to be the same location as Gergesenes, a word of Hebrew origin, used in Matthew. As I am not studying to make a harmonization of the gospels of which there are many good ones we won’t discuss why Matthew mentions two men. Certainly only the one the Holy Spirit is concerned about is the focus of this story.

This devil-possessed man lived naked among the tombs. The characteristics of devil-possession or oppression was part of God’s arguments against the Israelities during the time of Isaiah as they had let themselves become enraptured with the religions of devils.

Isaiah 65:3  A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4  Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

When Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to leave the man the devil acknowledged who Christ was, that He had the authority to destroy the unclean spirit. Here we see in the context that devil and unclean spirit are synonymous. Compare verse 27 with 29. Go back to chapter 4, verse 33.

Luke 4:33  And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

I’ve mentioned previously about connecting the word spirit to the word mind. It bears repeating here.

For contexts where the Spirit of God or the spirit of man can be synonymous with mind please see the following;

Romans 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

1Corinthians 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Ephesians 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Philippians 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

2Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

These devils have one unclean spirit. They call themselves Legion because they are many. Modern man has a great difficulty with wrapping their mind around the idea of spiritual entities influencing behavior. Of course, this has been used too often in history blaming unseen forces for crimes. Horror movies and stories have also foolishly suggested in their modern humanism that some kind of arcane ritual performed by a man can remove a devil. Of course, this is nonsense even if it is fun entertainment.

When is blind ambition or lust impacted by spiritual entities? It is doubtful that you would know. We do know that;

Matthew 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

So, be careful with this information. It is best left up to God to deal with. We can usually only deal physically with what we see. Notice that this person under these devils’ influence is very, very strong, strong enough to break chains. Here is another example.

Acts 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

We should only ask that God rebuke. Jude warned of men who come into the church of God and challenge the unseen world with ungracious and carnal speech, claiming power they do not have personally.

Jude 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

    8 ¶  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

So, beware of preachers who shout from the pulpit, “I bind Satan with the power of the Holy Ghost,” or some such thing, as they may be issuing a challenge their congregation would not appreciate the consequences of.

The question in verse 31 is what is the deep? Is the deep the lake? Or is it something else? It seems odd that they would plead not to be sent into the lake when that is where they went when they entered the swine, an unclean animal that the Jews were not permitted to eat. There is plenty here for several sermons on that.

At least one commentator I read insisted that the deep was outer space, the habitation of those unseen powers.

Ephesians 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

But, keep in mind the immediate  context, and while I am not a Greekophile or think it is necessary in most cases to examine the Greek word, the word for the deep (the abyss) is translated as the bottomless pit elsewhere, another term for Hell, being at the center of the earth, a pit that has no bottoms, only sides, a circle. Here is the word for abyss again from the Greek.

Revelation 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Here are references from the Hebrew tongue in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

As the devils drove the man into the wilderness, into the tombs, so they drove the swine to die in the lake. Perhaps, this gives us a key to some self-destructive behavior we see in people around us that makes no sense. Their primary problem is a spiritual, not a physical one, not one of disease or mental illness primarily but of other forces that should be dealt with first. If they are not dealt with the person’s future estate may be worse than their former.

Matthew 12:43  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. d45  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

The Gadarenes, herding swines for the Gentiles, something that those Jews were forbidden to eat but willing to provide to non-Jews, wanted Jesus to leave, out of fear the text says, perhaps a little bit regarding their livelihood. Many swine was a lot of money to lose as well as being a frightful scene.

Jesus sends the man He has delivered to be a witness to his city. How willing are we to spread the news of what great things He has done for us? It is a shame how close-mouthed some of us can be. You don’t have to be obnoxious or a public nuisance. But, letting others know what Christ has done for you is very important as far as your tasks on earth are concerned. 

Luke 8:4-21 comments: the parable of the sower

Luke 8:4 ¶  And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5  A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6  And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 16  No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. 17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. 18  Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. 19  Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20  And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

Starting with verse 10 notice that those who follow Christ are stewards of the mysteries of God’s kingdom, things that people are not capable of understanding unless they are submitted to Christ.

1Corinthians 4:1 ¶  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Christ gives lessons in parables for a very important reason. Their understanding requires spiritual discernment and a desire to obey God.

Psalm 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Isaiah 44:18  They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Read Ephesians, chapter 3 to see one discussion of the mystery of Christ, not revealed until this time, among other things, including that God’s people, the Jews, and Gentiles alike are welcomed before the throne of God.

Jesus tells this parable to make a point. Some will hear Him but will not believe. Soil is used as a type of the human heart.  The point here is that it is Satan who is permitted to keep the word from having any impact.

2Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Is the heart prepared to receive the truth or are we so proud and full of Self that we can believe in no god greater than ourselves, playing right into Satan’s hands?

There are some who have a shallow belief based perhaps on pure self-interest, but when something comes along to oppose their faith they crumble immediately. They retreat in the face of persecution and the fact that faith is inconvenient to approval of the world.

Matthew 10:33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

2Timothy 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Some don’t bear fruit because the worries, the quest for money, and the pleasures of this life overcome them.

Luke 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

1Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1John 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

But, the simple and honest person who receives the word with a good heart will bring forth much fruit.

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

It is impossible to hide these attitudes and beliefs from God. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Psalm 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

1Corinthians 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

The Bible itself, Christ in book form, knows everything about you and God reveals it.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Should you be led to doubt the divine nature of the Bible note this. Paul said that the Scripture said to Pharaoh…

Romans 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

But it was God Himself who said what was delivered.

Exodus 9:16  And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Also, see Paul’s reference to what God said in Genesis.

Galatians 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Genesis 22:18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

And one thing is made very clear in Psalms regarding God’s words.

Psalm 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Verse 18 is a clear warning about the foundation of our faith. Upon what foundation does your faith rest? Is it shallow or deep? Were you brought to Christ by the enthusiasm of a preacher, the simple faith of other Christians, or by what means? Are you grounded in the Bible’s truths or just some politically driven or social agenda of a pastor? Are you prepared when storms assail your faith, either from the world or from your own flesh?

Paul warned the Corinthians about the foundation of their faith and how their faith would be judged.

1Corinthians 3:11 ¶  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Our faith must be founded on the belief in the resurrection of Christ, that Christ is the Son of God, or God walking in human flesh, what Christ said about Himself, and it is on the rock of that profession that God has built His church upon which the judgment of Hell, the meaning of the phrase gates of hell, shall not threaten it.*

Matthew 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

[For gates as a reference to a place of judgment see Deuteronomy 16:18]

The family of God consists of those who believe in Him.

Ephesians 3:14 ¶  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

There are those whose hearts are hardened and they will not hear Christ. There are those of a shallow profession of faith who fall away at the first difficulty. There are those whose faith is choked by the cares and pleasures of the world. Then, there are those whose foundation is solid, whose soil is fertile, who go on to bear much fruit for Christ. And God surveys them all.

The Bible is the place where the foundation of your faith rests. You are not saved because you feel saved. Some days and after some things you do you might feel far from God. You are saved because you believe and the Bible says that is the basis of your salvation. Salvation is predicated upon belief. If you want to build your faith read the Bible from cover to cover over and over again. Pray about it. Study it. Write about it or record your thoughts and discoveries on audio. But, make the Bible your main food. Food for the ear and the eye. It is in the Bible, not in our twisted consciences, deluded minds, or wicked hearts that we find the answers to our questions. God will speak to you through His words, words that He has preserved for us. The Bible is not a textbook, is not like the user’s manual for your computer or Emily Post’s Book of Etiquette. You know, put your fork there and your knife there. It is a conversation between you and your Creator.

Luke 8:1-3 comments: women were important to the spread of the gospel of Christ

    Luke 8:1 ¶  And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2  And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3  And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Tidings is news, information, a message. Glad tidings or good tidings is happy or good news. Glad tidings is another phrase for the Gospel. The Gospel that the kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus Christ is the glad tidings.

Isaiah 61:1 ¶  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

The kingdom of God, or Heaven, does not come across the border as an army carrying spears and swords led by generals. It comes to the world through the spirit; mind and heart of every believer in whom God has implanted the Spirit of God and Christ.

Luke 17:20 ¶  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

To enter into it one has to be born again by faith in Christ, trusting in His righteousness and not one’s own, that He was God in the flesh and that He rose from the dead. By this faith and belief that Spirit enters into us to live.

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

That new birth is a work of God, not of man nor of a priest or pastor.

John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Mary called Magdalene, about whom much myth has been written, much of it deplorable and disgusting like the Broadway show, Jesus Christ Superstar, had been delivered of a terrible torment which we moderns deny is possible today. Of course, much of our thinking has become corrupted and modern people, especially in western countries, are like the person who denies they hear a burglar in their house at night or refuses to accept they have cancer.

A short list of our corrupted thinking that has departed from the Biblical narrative is that moderns think that God is not the author of all reality either by permission or by direct action, that there are laws of physics and natural processes that act independently of God, that there is only the material world and there are no spiritual entities all around us, life-forms of a distinctly different type than our carbon-based flesh, that can have an impact on our lives, etc. etc.

Verse 4 shows us that the apostles and Christ did not just walk around by themselves but that there were influential people, at least women, who helped support them. This is an important point, well, two rather. First, no sane Christian would believe that there was anything untoward or improper about the relationship between Jesus, His disciples, and their supporters. The second and most important thing is a statement about how God works. God works through people, among other things. He did not miraculously leave breakfast and supper somewhere for the “team” to use although He could, as in the case of Elijah’s supernatural feeding by ravens in 1Kings 17. He did not necessarily leave little bags of coins around miraculously for the team to pick up to pay for things although He could have as He provided a coin for taxes to prove a point to Peter in Matthew 17.

He used people and continues to use people to effect His will just as He uses weather, the animal world, and microscopic processes in each cell He directs, and other things.

It is interesting to note that the wicked Herod’s steward’s wife supports Christ out of her own substance, which was probably abundant due to her husband’s position as Mary Magdalene’s was most likely pretty limited. Women on all social levels were extremely important in the spread of Christianity.

Luke 7:36-50 comments: Jesus' again declares authority to forgive sins

    Luke 7:36 ¶  And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37  And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38  And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash 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  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41  There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43  Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50  And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

The fact that this woman was called a sinner shows that she was probably one of the class of people that the Pharisee’s viewed with contempt. For instance, they hated publicans, tax collectors, Gentiles, and prostitutes. This woman is adoring Christ, worshipping Him in humility and submission. Jesus then gives a parable about debt expressing that the person who has the most sin that is forgiven will be the most grateful. This plays into the Pharisee’s view of himself as above the woman and, if you think about it, is sort of a backhand accusation. It is actually the self-righteous Pharisee who has much to be forgiven of but doesn’t realize it. The religious person who depends on his own righteousness and not Christ’s for salvation is committing a greater sin than the carnal man or woman who humbly comes to God for mercy. What Jesus does next by stating that the woman’s sins are forgiven shows that He is expressing His right and power to forgive sins, something only God can do. Again and again Jesus declares His deity in this manner, doing things that the Jews acknowledge only God can do.

He forgave others their sins as in chapter 5 with the man with palsy lowered on his bed through the roof. Jesus is asserting authority over forgiveness of sins, which is very disturbing to the Pharisees as it carries implications of His deity.

5:21  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

The woman has been saved from eternal condemnation and the torments of Hell, some of which Luke will describe later. The truly repentant person will worship and adore the Lord who bought them from their bondage. This is why it is so important to make the new believer understand that what they are entering into is not a business deal with God. Salvation and forgiveness are free gifts of God that must be received and God owes them nothing while they owe Him all their worship and adoration, coming to Him in humility and submission.

Luke 7:24-35 comments: Jesus' testimony about John the Baptist

Luke 7:24  And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25  But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26  But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27  This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28  For I say unto 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 that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. 31  And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? 32  They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 33  For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34  The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 35  But wisdom is justified of all her children.

In proclaiming who John the Baptist is Jesus quotes Old Testament prophecy in verse 27.

Malachi 3:1 ¶  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me…

Verse 28 leads us to a controversial point. First, though, Christ says that the least person in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist although John the Baptist was the greatest prophet to that time. The logical conclusion and interpretation of that in context is that each Christian has a greater revelation of Christ than John had, based on the previous exchange with John’s disciples. From a prophetic standpoint each Christian has a greater advantage and a greater access to the truth than John did. 

The controversy for us comes from interpreting the meaning of phrases in the New Testament. If we compare 28 with;

Matthew 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

The question then begs itself, what is the relationship between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Heaven, which is mentioned only in Matthew? Let’s compare verse with verse, the most reliable way to interpret scripture.

Matthew 19:23 ¶  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Then, starting with the verses we just mentioned.

Matthew 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

With;

Luke 7:28  For I say unto 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.

…then…

Matthew 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

With;

Mark 4:10  And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

And…

Matthew 13:31  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32  Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

With…

Mark 4:30  And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32  But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

  

Luke 13:18 ¶  Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

And…

Matthew 13:33  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

With…

Luke 13:20  And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

And…

Matthew 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

With…

Mark 10:14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Luke 18:16  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

And…

Matthew 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

With…

Mark 1:14 ¶  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

And…

Matthew 5:3 ¶  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

With…

Luke 6:20 ¶  And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Honestly, without relying on what you’ve been taught outside of the Bible text, would you say that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Heaven are synonymous or are they two different things like some evangelicals and fundamentalists insist upon by stating that a difference must exist between them to prove the millennial reign of Christ. I would say that there are plenty of verses to prove that without twisting the text to make distinctions and divisions where there are none.

Verse 29 tells us there were two distinct parties; the common people having submitted to John’s baptism and the elite who had not. One accepts Jesus’ testimony about John the Baptist and one rejects. But wisdom is justified of all her children it says.

Those who are wise in that generation accepted the baptism of John and the testimony of Christ. Jesus states that some will simply not respond to joyful or mournful music and they will either accuse John of being too severe and strict or Christ of being too inclusive and open-armed. Those people will neither dance for joy nor weep for sorrow. They will hear neither John the Baptist nor will they receive the testimony of Christ.  

This reminds me of Old Testament words of Jeremiah…

Jeremiah 5:3  O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

God visits people and chastises them but they will not receive rebuke from God or even act as if they are aware it is from Him. He visits them and blesses them but they will not acknowledge His hand in it. It is so with many Christians today, sadly.