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| White Synagogue, Capernaum, Israel |
Jesus heals the slave of a soldier, because Jesus understands how power and authority work. It is not to be used selfishly, or abused for selfish purposes. Power and authority comes with responsibility. In this story, a slave is ill and the Centurion seeks Jesus for help. He goes to Jesus on behalf of another, his slave. More than recognizing Jesus' power and authority, the soldier uses his power to acquire health care for his slave! And Jesus heals the slave because the soldier understands that power is best used to serve the vulnerable. This is a story about advocacy and justice, as the Centurion sought care for his slave. Slavery is always wrong. But in this case we see that a vulnerable and weak slave is supported by a powerful soldier (commander of 100 men). Power is to be shared to lift up those suffering at the bottom of the human pyramid.
And again Jesus demonstrates this use of power by raising a widow's dead son to life. In so doing, he restores her life and her support system. This story is also similar to the story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath. (1 Kings 17:17-24). Luke he aligning Jesus' ministry with the prophet Elijah. It was said that Elijah would return to prepare the way for the Messiah to come. Could Jesus' acts be a sign that Messiah was coming soon? Or could they be acts of the Messiah himself? Disciples of John the baptist go to Jesus to ask him, while John is in prison. Jesus tells them to tell John what they see and hear. Good news for poor; healing for the sick; recovery of sight for the blind; the dead are being raised. These were all signs of God's powerful presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Surely, Jesus is enacting the words of promise recorded in the Hebrew Prophets---words that suggested that God's power would come to save, to heal, to forgive, to restore life. And Jesus was embodying these words in his actions.
Luke has Jesus talk about John as a way of talking about himself. John is not the messiah, though some thought he was. He suggests that John is the messenger sent to prepare the way of the LORD. John prepared for another. And where John fasted, Jesus feasts. A party has begun with Jesus, because with him God is acting.
Finally, the chapter ends with Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee. A woman kisses Jesus' feet, bathes them with her tears, and anoints them with costly oils. Simon chastises Jesus for allowing a sinful woman to do such a thing to him. But Jesus sees her differently. He sees her as someone who is in need of love and forgiveness in her life, not scorn and ridicule. The one who is forgive much loves much, Jesus says.
In this chapter we see Jesus healing sick neighbors, forgiving sins, raising the dead, and responding to questions. He is demonstrating his power as the son of God. And he is reminding us that we can go to Jesus with our shame, with our concern for others, with our grief, with our envy, with our questions and doubts, our wonder and hopes. We can ask Jesus to heal and expect that he will. We can ask Jesus to carry our grief. We can ask Jesus for forgiveness and love.
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