When the Lord saw her
This phrase highlights Jesus' awareness and attentiveness to individual needs. In the context of Luke 7, Jesus is entering the town of Nain, a small village in Galilee. The term "Lord" signifies His divine authority and recognition as the Messiah. This moment reflects Jesus' omniscience and His ability to perceive the suffering of others, aligning with His role as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep (John 10:14).

He had compassion on her
Compassion is a recurring theme in Jesus' ministry, demonstrating His deep empathy and love for humanity. The Greek word used here, "splanchnizomai," conveys a visceral, heartfelt response. This compassion is consistent with God's character throughout Scripture, as seen in Exodus 34:6, where God is described as "compassionate and gracious." Jesus' compassion often precedes miraculous acts, underscoring His divine nature and fulfilling prophecies of the Messiah who would heal and restore (Isaiah 61:1-2).

and said, “Do not weep.”
Jesus' command not to weep is both comforting and authoritative. In the cultural context, mourning was a public and communal activity, often involving professional mourners. Jesus' words indicate His intention to change the situation, offering hope and foreshadowing the miracle of raising the widow's son. This mirrors other instances where Jesus brings comfort and life, such as in John 11:25-26, where He declares Himself the resurrection and the life. His words here are a precursor to the ultimate hope found in Revelation 21:4, where God promises to wipe away every tear.

1. Jesus (The Lord)
Central figure in this passage, demonstrating His divine compassion and authority.

2. The Widow
A woman who had lost her only son, representing deep personal loss and societal vulnerability.

3. The City of Nain
A small town in Galilee where this event takes place, highlighting Jesus' ministry in various regions.

4. The Crowd
A group of people accompanying the widow, witnessing Jesus' miraculous intervention.

5. The Deceased Son
The young man whose death prompted the widow's grief and Jesus' compassionate response.Compassion in Action
Jesus' compassion is not passive; it leads to action. As followers of Christ, we are called to actively respond to the needs of others with empathy and support.

Understanding Grief
Jesus acknowledges the widow's grief and addresses it directly. We should be sensitive to the emotional pain of others and offer comfort and hope.

Divine Authority Over Death
Jesus' command to "Do not weep" is backed by His authority over life and death, reminding us of His power to bring hope in seemingly hopeless situations.

Presence in Suffering
Jesus' presence with the widow in her time of need illustrates the importance of being present with those who are suffering, offering them the comfort of companionship.

Faith in Jesus' Compassion
Trust in Jesus' compassion and care for us, knowing that He sees our struggles and is moved to act on our behalf.(13) And when the Lord saw her.--The words are noticeable as being one of the comparatively few instances in which the term "the Lord" is used absolutely instead of Jesus. As far as it goes it confirms the view suggested in the previous Note, that the narrative came from those who had a profound reverence for the Master they had followed, and at a time when they had learnt thus to speak of Him. (Comp. the language of Mary Magdalene in John 20:2; John 20:13.) It may be noted further that this use of "the Lord" occurs more frequently in St. Luke and St. John than in the other Gospels. Comp. Luke 7:31; Luke 10:1; Luke 11:39; Luke 12:42; Luke 17:5-6; Luke 19:8; Luke 22:61; John 4:1; John 6:23; John 20:18; John 20:20; John 20:25; John 21:7; John 21:12. The last three or four references show that the disciples habitually used the same mode of speech, but it would not follow that in their lips it necessarily meant more at first than our "Sir," or "Master." After the Resurrection, doubtless, it rose to its higher meaning, as in the exclamations of St. Thomas (John 20:28; comp. John 20:25), and of St. John (John 21:7). . . . Verse 13. - And when the Lord saw her. It is rare in the Gospels to find the expression, "the Lord," used by itself, "Jesus" being the usual term. It agrees with the unanimous tradition in the Church respecting the authorship of this Gospel - neither Luke nor Paul had been with Jesus. These had always looked on Jesus, thought of him, as the Lord risen from the dead, enthroned in heaven. At the period when St. Luke wrote, not earlier than A.D. , this title had probably become the usual term by which the Redeemer was known among his own. He had compassion on her. In this instance, as in so many others, our Lord's miracles were worked, not from a distinct purpose to offer credentials of his mission, but proceeded rather from his intense compassion with and his Divine pity for human sufferings.

Parallel Commentaries ...


When
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Lord
Κύριος (Kyrios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

saw
ἰδὼν (idōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

her,
αὐτὴν (autēn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

He had compassion
ἐσπλαγχνίσθη (esplanchnisthē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4697: To feel compassion, have pity on, be moved.

on
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

her
αὐτῇ (autē)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

said,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“{Do} not
Μὴ (Mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

weep.”
κλαῖε (klaie)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2799: To weep, weep for, mourn, lament. Of uncertain affinity; to sob, i.e. Wail aloud.


Luke 7:13 NIV
Luke 7:13 NLT
Luke 7:13 ESV
Luke 7:13 NASB
Luke 7:13 KJV

Luke 7:13 BibleApps.com
Luke 7:13 Biblia Paralela
Luke 7:13 Chinese Bible
Luke 7:13 French Bible
Luke 7:13 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her he had (Luke Lu Lk)