Jesus · c. AD 28
Chapter 23
Are You the One?
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
For parents
John the Baptizer is in prison as this chapter begins. Jesus speaks out against Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, which saw his mighty works and did not repent: on the day of judgment it will be easier for Tyre, Sidon and Sodom than for them, and Capernaum will go down to Hades (Matthew 11:20–24). At a Pharisee’s table a woman the text calls a sinner weeps at Jesus’ feet, and he forgives her sins (Luke 7:36–50); the text doesn’t say what her sins were, and neither does the Story.
was in prison when he heard about what was doing. His own told him about all these things.
John called two of his disciples and sent them to with a question: “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?”
When the two men reached Jesus, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?’”
In that same hour Jesus cured many people of diseases, plagues and evil spirits, and he made many blind people see.
Jesus answered John’s messengers, “Go and tell John what you’ve seen and heard. Blind people receive their sight, the lame walk, people with become clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is the one who finds nothing in me to stumble over.”
As John’s messengers went on their way, Jesus began to talk about John to the crowds. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Or what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Look, people who are richly dressed and live in comfort are in kings’ palaces. So what did you go out to see? A ? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
“This is the man it is written about: ‘Look, I send my messenger ahead of you. He will get your way ready for you.’
“I tell you for certain, no one born of a woman has ever been greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least one in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
“From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. If you are willing to receive it, this is , who is to come. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
In Luke, Jesus says that no one born of a woman is a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet the one who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.
When all the people and the heard this, they declared that God was in the right. John had them. But the and the rejected what God wanted. They themselves had not been baptized by John.
Jesus went on, “What should I compare the people of this generation to? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call out to their friends, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t cry.’
“John the Baptizer came, and he didn’t eat bread or drink wine, and you say, ‘He has a .’ The has come, and he eats and drinks, and you say, ‘Look, a man who eats too much and drinks too much wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But all of wisdom’s children show that she is right.”
Then Jesus began to speak out against the towns where he had done most of his mighty works, because they hadn’t .
“ to you, ! Woe to you, ! If and had seen the mighty works done in you, they would have repented long ago in and ashes. But I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will find it easier to bear on the day of judgment than you will.
“And you, , who are lifted up to heaven, you will go down to . If had seen the mighty works done in you, it would still be standing today. But I tell you that the land of Sodom will find it easier to bear on the day of judgment than you will.”
At that time Jesus spoke up: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the wise and the clever and showing them to little children. Yes, Father, this was what pleased you. My Father has put everything into my hands. No one knows the Son except the Father. No one knows the Father but the Son and anyone the Son wants to show him to.
“Come to me, all of you who work hard and whose loads are heavy, and I will give you rest. Put on my and learn from me, for I am gentle and my heart is humble, and your souls will find rest. My yoke is easy to wear, and my load is light.”
One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.
There was a woman in that city who was a sinner. She heard that Jesus was reclining at the Pharisee’s table, as guests did at a meal, and she brought an jar of ointment.
Weeping, she stood behind him at his feet and began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed his feet, and put the ointment on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw it, he said to himself, “If he were a prophet, this man would know who is touching him. He would know what sort of woman she is. She’s a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “, I have something to tell you.”
“Go on, Teacher,” said Simon.
“There was a lender who had two people in debt to him. One owed five hundred , and the other fifty.” A denarius was about a day’s pay for a laborer. “When they couldn’t pay, the lender forgave them both. Which of them, then, will love him most?”
“The one he forgave the most, I suppose,” Simon answered.
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus told him.
Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you didn’t give me water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss, but she has kept on kissing my feet from the moment I arrived. You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
“So I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But someone who is forgiven little loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Those at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”