Luke 7:40
in Luke 7But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on.
KJV
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
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This verse in Luke 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The deeply interesting narrative contained in these verses, is only found in the Gospel of Luke. In order to see the full beauty of the story — we should read, in connection with it, the eleventh chapter of Matthew. We shall then discover the striking fact that the woman whose conduct is here recorded, most likely owed her conversion to the well-known words, "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden — and I will give you rest."
This site's exposition
Simon, I have something to tell you
on Luke 7:40-43
In Luke's shortest parable a moneylender forgave two debtors, one owing five hundred denarii and one fifty. The verb is echarisato, the grace verb, so both debts are cancelled as gift and the only variable left is the love of the forgiven.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 39) Look at the economy: in the house of the Pharisee, the sinful woman is glorified, in the house of the Law and the Prophets, not the Pharisee, but the Church is justified; for the Pharisee did not believe, he believed these things. Finally, he said: If this man were a prophet, he would surely know who and what kind of woman is touching him. But the house of the Law is Judea, which is not written in stones, but on the tablets of the heart.
Now our Lord bestowed great gifts through small means; that He might teach us of what they are deprived who have scorned great things. For if from the hem of His garment, healing like this was secretly stolen, could He not assuredly heal when His …
But the Lord not hearing his words, but perceiving his thoughts, showed Himself to be the Lord of Prophets, as it follows, And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have something to say unto thee.
The Medieval Church2 voices
(non occ. v. Lyra in loc.) And this indeed He spake in answer to his thoughts; and the Pharisee was made more attentive by these words of our Lord, as it is said, And he saith, Master, say on.
And Jesus answering said, etc. After the kind reception of the one approaching, here is added the still kinder approbation of the one loving. The Lord approves this loving sinful woman and her love, first by seeking out a general judgment; second by taking up …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. Some difference there is between this story of the cure of the centurion's servant as it is related here and as we had it in Matt. viii. There it was said that the centurion came to Christ; here it is said that he sent to him first some of the elders of the Jews (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And Jesus answering said unto him,....
Now Christ, in his answer to the Pharisee, reasons thus:--It is true this woman has been a sinner: he knows it; but she is a pardoned sinner, which supposes her to be a penitent sinner. What she did to him was an expression of her great love to her Saviour, by whom her sins were forgiven.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The two debtors are the woman and Simon; the criminality of the one was ten times that of the other (in the proportion of "five hundred" to "fifty"); but both being equally insolvent, both are with equal frankness forgiven; and Simon is made to own that the greatest debtor to forgiving mercy will cling to her Divine Benefactor with the deepest gratitude.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The deeply interesting narrative contained in these verses, is only found in the Gospel of Luke. In order to see the full beauty of the story — we should read, in connection with it, the eleventh chapter of Matthew. We shall then discover the striking fact that the woman whose conduct is here recorded, most likely owed her conversion to the well-known words, "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden — and I will give you rest." That wondrous invitation, in all human probability — was the means of the saving of her soul, and gave her that sense of peace for which we see her so grateful. A full offer of free pardon — is generally God's chosen instrument for bringing sinners to repentance. We see in this passage that men may show some outward respect to Christ — and yet remain unconverted. The Pharisee before us is a case in point. He showed our Lord Jesus Christ more respect than many did. He even asked Jesus to have dinner with him. Yet all this time he was profoundly ignorant of the nature of Christ's Gospel. His proud heart secretly revolted at the sight of a poor contrite sinner being allowed to wash our Lord's feet. And even the hospitality he showed, appears to have been cold and niggardly. Our Lord Himself says, "You did not give me any water for my feet. You did not give me a kiss. You did not put oil on my head." In short, in all that the Pharisee did, there was one great defect. There was outward civility — but there was no heart-love. We shall do well to remember the case of this Pharisee. It is quite possible to have a decent form of religion — and yet to know nothing of the Gospel of Christ. It is possible to treat Christianity with respect — and yet to be utterly blind about its cardinal doctrines.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀποκριθεὶς | apokritheis | answering | G611 → | 231 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτόν· | auton | him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| Σίμων, | simon | Simon, | G4613 → | 75 times |
| ἔχω | echo | I have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| σοί | soi | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τι | ti | something | G5100 → | 528 times |
| εἰπεῖν. | eipein | to say. | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δέ· | de | And; | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| διδάσκαλε | didaskale | Teacher | G1320 → | 58 times |
| εἰπέ, | eipe | do say [it], | G2036 → | 925 times |
| φησίν. | phesin | he says. | G5346 → | 66 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀποκριθεὶςanswering
apokritheisG611 →231 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
εἶπενsaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτόν·him;
autonG846 →5565 times
Σίμων,Simon,
simonG4613 →75 times
ἔχωI have
echoG2192 →707 times
σοίto you
soiG4771 →2973 times
τιsomething
tiG5100 →528 times
εἰπεῖν.to say.
eipeinG2036 →925 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δέ·And;
deG1161 →2765 times
διδάσκαλεTeacher
didaskaleG1320 →58 times
εἰπέ,do say [it],
eipeG2036 →925 times
φησίν.he says.
phesinG5346 →66 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 33:31So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
it leads to
- Matthew 13:22
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
- Psalms 78:36–37
But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
- James 1:22–24
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
- Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
- Matthew 13:22
Through
Luke 18:18Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
it leads to
- Mark 10:17–31
As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
- Mark 10:17–31
Through
John 3:2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were…
it leads to
- John 5:36
But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.
- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
- John 5:36
Through
Luke 5:31Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
it leads to
- Mark 2:17
On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- Mark 2:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 7; Ephrem the Syrian, Homily - On Our Lord, 14; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Titus of Bostra, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.