A Note of Inference
H. Macmillan, LL. D. Luke 7:47 Why I say to you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. But are they ignorant of this; the "for" is often times a note of inference or consequence, and as well an argument of the effect from the cause, as of the cause from the effect. We say it is spring-time. Why so? "For," or "because" the fig-tree puts forth and buds. The putting forth of the fig-tree argues the spring-time, but the budding and putting forth of the fig-tree is not the cause of spring-time. I say this child is alive, because it cries; or this man lives, because he moves; will any so understand me as if I meant the crying of the one and the moving of the other is the cause of life and motion in the one or in the other? Our Saviour Himself useth this kind of arguing, as we find: "I have called you friends, for all things I have heard of My Father, I have made known unto you" (John 15:15), where declaring of those things to them is the effect not cause of His love. And that our Saviour here reasoneth from the effect to the cause is evident enough from the whole discourse. (H. Macmillan, LL. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. WEB: Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."