AS WAS noted in last month's study, the events recorded in Luke, chapters 6 and 7, occurred between the first and second tours of Galilee--right after the second Passover of our Lord's ministry mentioned in John, chapter 5.

In Luke 7:2-10 we have an account of our Lord's healing the servant of the centurion, who probably lived in Capernaum. The parallel account of this incident is found in Matthew 8:5-13. The reader would do well to turn to the Book of Matthew and read the account there in connection with the record of Luke. There are certain things mentioned in each narrative that are not given in the other. Thus one account supplements the information found in the other.

A study of the centurions of whom we read in the Scriptures reveals the fact that they were men of a very high type, officials who had high standards, and practically all of whom were living up to the light they had. And they were seeking more light in order that they might come to the God in whom they lived, moved, and had their being. As an excellent illustration of just such a person, read Acts, chapter 10.

The servant of the centurion mentioned in Luke, chapter 7, had won his master's heart. When he became sick, evidently he was in a critical condition; for the centurion doubtless having heard of the miraculous power of Jesus, and having faith in Him, sent for the Lord Jesus.

The delegation which the centurion sent to Jesus came to Him saying:
"... He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him; 5 for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our synagogue" (7:4,5). The fact of his building a synagogue for the Jews showed a great interest in their religion and the true God, whom they worshiped. The archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of this very synagogue in Capernaum. It was also in this synagogue that Jesus preached the sermon on the Bread of Life recorded in John, chapter 6.

Jesus heeded the call and started to the centurion's home. While He was still afar off, the centurion, knowing that He was approaching and feeling his own unworthiness, sent a message to Him saying: "Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: 7 wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed" (vss. 6,7). Explaining himself further, he stated: "For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it" (vs. 8). All Jesus, therefore, would have to do was to rebuke the fever, or say the word, and the servant would be healed.

When Jesus heard this message, He marveled at the centurion, and said to the multitude that followed Him: "... I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Upon the company's reaching the centurion's house, He found that the servant was well, Jesus having restored him to perfect health.

In verses 11-17 we have a record of our Lord's raising a young man from death to life. The city of Nain nestled at the foot of the hill of Moreh in the Plain of Esdraelon. It is located on the northern side of the hill, near its western extremity. It is not very far from the village of Endor, where the witch of Endor, whom Saul consulted, lived. As Jesus was approaching the city, a funeral procession came out the gate. The dead person was the only son of a widow of Nain. It seems that mother and son were held in high esteem by their fellow citizens. The Lord looked upon the bereaved mother with compassion and said to her, "Weep not." Then He drew near the bier on which the corpse lay and touched it, whereupon the bearers stood still. Looking steadfastly upon the corpse, Jesus said: "... Young man, I say unto thee, Arise" (vs. 14). Then the young man sat up and began to talk and Jesus naturally committed him to his mother. This was such a great miracle that it gripped the people with fear "... and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us: and, God hath visited his people" (vs. 16). The report of this miracle was spread throughout the whole country.

Death was lying motionless, lifeless, in the presence of Life, the Son of God who alone has life. At His majestic word the spirit of the dead returned and reunited with the body and the young man was restored to his accustomed place.

We who are very inquisitive concerning life after death could wish that we had a report from the young man, telling us what experiences he had when his spirit left the body, and where it went. But God did not see fit to reveal to us anything of that nature in this instance. Neither did the young man leave his testimony.

Another notable example of Christ's raising one to life is found in the case of Lazarus, of whom we read in John, chapter 11, which the reader should study in this connection.

In Luke 7:18-35 we have an account of John's having heard of the miracles which Jesus performed, as the former went among the people preaching the kingdom of God. John, of course, became very much interested in the reports which reached his ears. After his arrest and incarceration by Herod, John was cut off, largely, from the world and knew little of that which was going on. But the report of these marvelous things which Jesus did and taught stirred in the heart of John an intensified interest in Jesus, to whom he had borne testimony at the baptism of Jesus that He was the Son of the living God and the Messiah of Israel. So long as things went well with John and the people were coming to him and apparently accepting his messages, John had no doubts. But after he had been incarcerated and was lying in the dungeon at Machaerus, things doubtless looked different to the Forerunner. He began to doubt the testimony which he bore to Jesus, as he talked to the multitudes. Doubtless John could not see why, if Jesus was the Messiah as he had testified, He allowed him to languish in prison, and why the Lord Jesus did not manifest His great power in subduing the devil and setting up His kingdom of righteousness on earth. He therefore had his messengers to ask Jesus: "... Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?" (vs. 20). Jesus' message to John is found in the following verses: "And he answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good tidings preached to them. 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me" (vss. 22,23). Jesus therefore relied upon the miracles which He performed and His preaching the gospel to the poor as absolute proof that He was the long-promised Messiah. He concluded His message with a mild rebuke to John by saying: "And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me."

After the messengers of John had left, Jesus spoke in the highest terms of him. There had never arisen any man who was comparable to John, or who was greater than John. God had had His noblemen at various times who had served Him faithfully. But never was there a greater one than John the Baptist. Nevertheless, the one who is least in the kingdom of God which Jesus was announcing is greater than John. We are born by the second birth into the kingdom of God now, when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Every born-again believer at the present time who is in the kingdom as it exists today, is greater than John the Baptist. He is greater than John in that he occupies a position that is higher than that occupied by John under the old economy.

John had appeared upon the scene, announcing the nearness of the kingdom of God. He called the people to repentance and to faith in God and the Messiah who would, said he, shortly appear. The great masses of the people believed the message of John and accepted his teachings. They confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan. But the leaders of the people, the Pharisees and the lawyers, "rejected for themselves the counsel of God, being not baptized of him."

In speaking of the people of that generation, the Lord Jesus compared them to children sitting in the market places. When one played to them, they would not dance. Then again, when people wailed, they did not weep. Thus, regardless of circumstances and conditions, they would not accept the message. John came, neither eating nor drinking, and the religious leaders said that, because he did that, he had a demon. When Christ, concerning whom John bore testimony, came eating and drinking and engaging in the social life of the people to whom He ministered, with their eyes closed they called Him "a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" Thus the religious leaders of that day and time would not accept the message from God. When people do not want the truth, they will reject it, regardless of how much proof there is in favor of the message. (The reader is urged to read the parallel account of John and what Jesus said about him in Matthew 11:2-19.)