John Dominic Crossan, “Distant Boy Cured,” The Historical Jesus, p. 326-328
Geoffrey Houshold, “The Eye of a Soldier,” The Enduring Legacy, p. 342

1 After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Capernaum.  2 Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death.  3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave.  4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he built us our synagogue.”  6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; 7 therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.  8 For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  9 When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”  10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

7:1 επει δε επληρωσεν παντα τα ρηματα αυτου εις τας ακοας του λαου εισηλθεν εις καπερναουμ 7:2 εκατονταρχου δε τινος δουλος κακως εχων εμελλεν τελευταν ος ην αυτω εντιμος 7:3 ακουσας δε περι του ιησου απεστειλεν προς αυτον πρεσβυτερους των ιουδαιων ερωτων αυτον οπως ελθων διασωση τον δουλον αυτου 7:4 οι δε παραγενομενοι προς τον ιησουν παρεκαλουν αυτον σπουδαιως λεγοντες οτι αξιος εστιν ω παρεξει τουτο 7:5 αγαπα γαρ το εθνος ημων και την συναγωγην αυτος ωκοδομησεν ημιν 7:6 ο δε ιησους επορευετο συν αυτοις ηδη δε αυτου ου μακραν απεχοντος απο της οικιας επεμψεν προς αυτον ο εκατονταρχος φιλους λεγων αυτω κυριε μη σκυλλου ου γαρ ειμι ικανος ινα υπο την στεγην μου εισελθης 7:7 διο ουδε εμαυτον ηξιωσα προς σε ελθειν αλλ ειπε λογω και ιαθησεται ο παις μου 7:8 και γαρ εγω ανθρωπος ειμι υπο εξουσιαν τασσομενος εχων υπ εμαυτον στρατιωτας και λεγω τουτω πορευθητι και πορευεται και αλλω ερχου και ερχεται και τω δουλω μου ποιησον τουτο και ποιει 7:9 ακουσας δε ταυτα ο ιησους εθαυμασεν αυτον και στραφεις τω ακολουθουντι αυτω οχλω ειπεν λεγω υμιν ουτε εν τω ισραηλ τοσαυτην πιστιν ευρον 7:10 και υποστρεψαντες οι πεμφθεντες εις τον οικον ευρον τον ασθενουντα δουλον υγιαινοντα

John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 102, 197
Rubén Darío, “Spes,” Divine Inspiration, p. 127
Thomas Merton, “The Widow of Nain,” Divine Inspiration, p. 125

16     Deuteronomy 18:18

11 Soon afterward he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.  12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”  14 And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”  15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.  16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”  17 And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

7:11 και εγενετο εν τω εξης επορευετο εις πολιν καλουμενην ναιν και συνεπορευοντο αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου ικανοι και οχλος πολυς 7:12 ως δε ηγγισεν τη πυλη της πολεως και ιδου εξεκομιζετο τεθνηκως υιος μονογενης τη μητρι αυτου και αυτη [ην] χηρα και οχλος της πολεως ικανος συν αυτη 7:13 και ιδων αυτην ο κυριος εσπλαγχνισθη επ αυτη και ειπεν αυτη μη κλαιε 7:14 και προσελθων ηψατο της σορου οι δε βασταζοντες εστησαν και ειπεν νεανισκε σοι λεγω εγερθητι  7:15 και ανεκαθισεν ο νεκρος και ηρξατο λαλειν και εδωκεν αυτον τη μητρι αυτου 7:16 ελαβεν δε φοβος παντας και εδοξαζον τον θεον λεγοντες οτι προφητης μεγας εγηγερται εν ημιν και οτι επεσκεψατο ο θεος τον λαον αυτου 7:17 και εξηλθεν ο λογος ουτος εν ολη τη ιουδαια περι αυτου και εν παση τη περιχωρω

18-23    John 1:29-39
22           Isaiah 35:5-6, 61:1
24-25    Thomas 78
27           Malachi 3:1
28           Matthew 5:20; John 1:12-13; Thomas 46
29-30    Matthew 21:32; Luke 3:12
33           Mark 3:22

18-23    Raymond Brown, John, Volume 1, p. 74

24-28    John Dominic Crossan, “Into the Desert,” The Historical Jesus, p. 236 f.
24-26    Elton Trueblood, The Humor of Christ, p. 58 f.
28           Chaim Potok, The Gift of Asher Lev, p. 286

31-35   John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 259 f.
31-35   John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed, Excavating Jesus, p. 153-156
31-35   J. Barrie Shepherd, “Children’s Games,” Seeing with the Soul, p. 43-47
31-35   Elton Trueblood, The Humor of Christ, p. 21
34         John Perceval, “Painting — Christ Dining in Young and Jackson’s,” Imaging the Word, Vol. 3, p. 146

18 The disciples of John told him of all these things.  19 And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.  22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.  23 And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.”

24 When the messengers of John had gone, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind?  25 What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.  26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  27 This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”  29 (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?  32 They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, ‘We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.’  33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon.’  34 The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

7:18 και απηγγειλαν ιωαννη οι μαθηται αυτου περι παντων τουτων 7:19 και προσκαλεσαμενος δυο τινας των μαθητων αυτου ο ιωαννης επεμψεν προς τον ιησουν λεγων συ ει ο ερχομενος η αλλον προσδοκωμεν 7:20 παραγενομενοι δε προς αυτον οι ανδρες ειπον ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης απεσταλκεν ημας προς σε λεγων συ ει ο ερχομενος η αλλον προσδοκωμεν 7:21 εν αυτη δε τη ωρα εθεραπευσεν πολλους απο νοσων και μαστιγων και πνευματων πονηρων και τυφλοις πολλοις εχαρισατο το βλεπειν  7:22 και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις πορευθεντες απαγγειλατε ιωαννη α ειδετε και ηκουσατε οτι τυφλοι αναβλεπουσιν χωλοι περιπατουσιν λεπροι καθαριζονται κωφοι ακουουσιν νεκροι εγειρονται πτωχοι ευαγγελιζονται 7:23 και μακαριος εστιν ος εαν μη σκανδαλισθη εν εμοι

7:24 απελθοντων δε των αγγελων ιωαννου ηρξατο λεγειν τοις οχλοις περι ιωαννου τι εξεληλυθατε εις την ερημον θεασασθαι καλαμον υπο ανεμου σαλευομενον 7:25 αλλα τι εξεληλυθατε ιδειν ανθρωπον εν μαλακοις ιματιοις ημφιεσμενον ιδου οι εν ιματισμω ενδοξω και τρυφη υπαρχοντες εν τοις βασιλειοις εισιν 7:26 αλλα τι εξεληλυθατε ιδειν προφητην ναι λεγω υμιν και περισσοτερον προφητου 7:27 ουτος εστιν περι ου γεγραπται ιδου εγω αποστελλω τον αγγελον μου προ προσωπου σου ος κατασκευασει την οδον σου εμπροσθεν σου 7:28 λεγω γαρ υμιν μειζων εν γεννητοις γυναικων προφητης ιωαννου του βαπτιστου ουδεις εστιν ο δε μικροτερος εν τη βασιλεια του θεου μειζων αυτου εστιν 7:29 και πας ο λαος ακουσας και οι τελωναι εδικαιωσαν τον θεον βαπτισθεντες το βαπτισμα ιωαννου 7:30 οι δε φαρισαιοι και οι νομικοι την βουλην του θεου ηθετησαν εις εαυτους μη βαπτισθεντες υπ αυτου

7:31 τινι ουν ομοιωσω τους ανθρωπους της γενεας ταυτης και τινι εισιν ομοιοι 7:32 ομοιοι εισιν παιδιοις τοις εν αγορα καθημενοις και προσφωνουσιν αλληλοις και λεγουσιν ηυλησαμεν υμιν και ουκ ωρχησασθε εθρηνησαμεν υμιν και ουκ εκλαυσατε 7:33 εληλυθεν γαρ ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης μητε αρτον εσθιων μητε οινον πινων και λεγετε δαιμονιον εχει 7:34 εληλυθεν ο υιος του ανθρωπου εσθιων και πινων και λεγετε ιδου ανθρωπος φαγος και οινοποτης φιλος τελωνων και αμαρτωλων 7:35 και εδικαιωθη η σοφια απο των τεκνων αυτης παντων

Fleur Adcock, “Mary Magdalene and the Birds,” Divine Inspiration, p. 197
Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 72
Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 42
George Herbert, “Mary Magdalene,” The Selected Poetry of George Herbert, p. 237

X. J. Kennedy, “A Scandal in the Suburbs,” Divine Inspiration, p. 196
R. A. K. Mason, “Oils and Ointments,” Divine Inspiration, p. 199
Malcolm Muggeridge, Jesus: The Man Who Lives, p. 124 ff.
Virginia Stem Owens, “Get the Guest,” Looking for Jesus, p. 181-187
James L. Resseguie, “Expository Article,” Interpretation (July 1992), p. 285-290
J. Barrie Shepherd, “Of Debts and Credits,” Seeing with the Soul, p. 48-52
Zenkei Shibayama, “The Mop,” Tales of the City of God, p. 228

Helmut Thielicke, “Shattered Values: Overcoming Dangerous Judgments,” Faith: The Great Adventure, p. 72-82
W. B. Yeats, “Calvary,” Selected Poems and Plays, p. 197

William Butler Yeats, “The Travail of Passion,” Divine Inspiration, p. 195
Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 218-221

37-38    Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3; John 12:3
49          Mark 2:7

36-38    Rainer Maria Rilke, “Pieta,” New Poems, p. 42-43
40-49    George A. Buttrick, “Forgiven and Forgiving,” The Parables of Jesus, p. 92-103
41-43    Joachim Jeremias,”Two Debtors,” Rediscovering the Parables, p. 98 ff.
47          Elie Wiesel, Somewhere A Master, p. 65

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and took his place at table.  37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”  40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  42 When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”  44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.  46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.  47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

7:36 ηρωτα δε τις αυτον των φαρισαιων ινα φαγη μετ αυτου και εισελθων εις την οικιαν του φαρισαιου ανεκλιθη  7:37 και ιδου γυνη εν τη πολει ητις ην αμαρτωλος [και] επιγνουσα οτι ανακειται εν τη οικια του φαρισαιου κομισασα αλαβαστρον μυρου 7:38 και στασα παρα τους ποδας αυτου οπισω κλαιουσα ηρξατο βρεχειν τους ποδας αυτου τοις δακρυσιν και ταις θριξιν της κεφαλης αυτης εξεμασσεν και κατεφιλει τους ποδας αυτου και ηλειφεν τω μυρω 7:39 ιδων δε ο φαρισαιος ο καλεσας αυτον ειπεν εν εαυτω λεγων ουτος ει ην προφητης εγινωσκεν αν τις και ποταπη η γυνη ητις απτεται αυτου οτι αμαρτωλος εστιν 7:40 και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν προς αυτον σιμων εχω σοι τι ειπειν ο δε φησιν διδασκαλε ειπε 7:41 δυο χρεωφειλεται ησαν δανειστη τινι ο εις ωφειλεν δηναρια πεντακοσια ο δε ετερος πεντηκοντα 7:42 μη εχοντων δε αυτων αποδουναι αμφοτεροις εχαρισατο τις ουν αυτων ειπε πλειον αυτον αγαπησει 7:43 αποκριθεις δε ο σιμων ειπεν υπολαμβανω οτι ω το πλειον εχαρισατο ο δε ειπεν αυτω ορθως εκρινας  7:44 και στραφεις προς την γυναικα τω σιμωνι εφη βλεπεις ταυτην την γυναικα εισηλθον σου εις την οικιαν υδωρ επι τους ποδας μου ουκ εδωκας αυτη δε τοις δακρυσιν εβρεξεν μου τους ποδας και ταις θριξιν της κεφαλης αυτης εξεμαξεν 7:45 φιλημα μοι ουκ εδωκας αυτη δε αφ ης εισηλθον ου διελιπεν καταφιλουσα μου τους ποδας 7:46 ελαιω την κεφαλην μου ουκ ηλειψας αυτη δε μυρω ηλειψεν μου τους ποδας 7:47 ου χαριν λεγω σοι αφεωνται αι αμαρτιαι αυτης αι πολλαι οτι ηγαπησεν πολυ ω δε ολιγον αφιεται ολιγον αγαπα 7:48 ειπεν δε αυτη αφεωνται σου αι αμαρτιαι 7:49 και ηρξαντο οι συνανακειμενοι λεγειν εν εαυτοις τις ουτος εστιν ος και αμαρτιας αφιησιν 7:50 ειπεν δε προς την γυναικα η πιστις σου σεσωκεν σε πορευου εις ειρηνην