Luke 7

This time I took the questions and posted them here below with the answers right behind them highlighted in a different color.  I hope it works for you:

• 7.1 "...all His discourse..." is this talking about His "sermons" in the previous chapter?  And it doesn't mention here that the crowd followed him.  I was thinking He'd left them behind... but then in v.9 he turns and addresses them... so I guess they followed him from ? to Capernaum.

 Yes, Luke was writing about Jesus’ sermon on the plain.  Remember that in Luke’s original writing there were no chapters and verses, so it was just one continuous thing. 

Jesus had gone off to a mountain to pray (6.12), and apparently it was no secret where he’d gone, because his disciples were close enough nearby for him to summon them (6.13).  Then when they came down from the mountain, a huge crowd had gathered.  It seems they’d been waiting for Jesus to come down.  So when Jesus finished his sermon, he went back to home-base, which was Capernaum, and that’s where the Centurion’s people found him. 

• 7.3 Jewish elders?  They'd be conservative religious guys, but not Pharisees, right?  Someone well-respected in the community and well-taught in the Torah? 

Yes, Jewish elders were probably leaders of their local Synagogue.  Local men who were respected within their community and probably served as counselors, decision makers and guides. 

• 7.4-5 This verse really bugs me.   The elders told Jesus who was worthy of healing?!?!   Do they think the should be able to influence or tell or instruct this "young hooligan" how He should handle his healing powers? 

 Jesus was Jewish, and just like all “good” Jews in those days, they had no dealings with Gentiles, especially Gentiles who were Roman soldiers who were occupying forces in their land.  Imagine if the USA were defeated by China, and they sent troops here to keep the peace and make sure we paid our taxes to the Chinese government and to keep us in line with their laws.  Not only do they have a different religion, we’d despise them just for invading and conquering our country.  That’s one reason why “tax collectors” are seen as bad guys by the religious folks – they were Jews who collected taxes for the Romans.  So doing something good for a Roman soldier would be a shocking thing, and they suspected it might be offensive to ask Jesus to do such a thing without him first hearing that this particular Roman happened to be a good guy.  

• 7.6-8 This guy gets it!   Does he just comprehend Jesus' control/power/authority?  Or does he get the full picture of Jesus as God's Son?   He has faith, so...?

Yes, the Roman officer has great faith!  Apparently one of his local Jewish friends had been telling him about Jesus, and he didn’t want to put Jesus in an awkward situation of coming to his Roman house, and he also believed so strongly in Jesus’ power, he figured he’d just say that it was cool for Jesus to heal remotely.  Wow!