Day 87
Luke 7:36-50
Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!”
And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” And 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. You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (NASB)
In today’s passage we see two main actors, other than Jesus: a woman (who is unnamed) and a Pharisee (named Simon). And it is the actions of these two different characters that we are going to be looking at. But more specifically we are going to look at three questions that arise out of the actions of all three characters in today’s passage.
- Why did this woman pour perfume on Jesus?
And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.—Luke 7:37-39 (NASB)
This woman was driven by a deep spiritual longing for cleansing and forgiveness from Jesus. Because of her reputation as a sinful women (it is believed she was a prostitute), she risked rejection by coming uninvited into Simon’s house. But she was intent on giving Jesus the best she could offer, and she wanted to express her love and appreciation for the hope she had received. And responding to her love and repentance, Jesus forgave her sins.
- Did Simon neglect common courtesy?
And 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. You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.—Luke 7:44-46
Many suggest that Simon, by failing to provide water for his guests feet, did not follow the typical customs of hospitality. Others say such practices were optional. But Jesus may not have been criticizing Simon so much as commending the woman and using her actions to make a point. Her special attention to Jesus showed her devotion and dedication to him. And the measure of her forgiveness was demonstrated by her expression of love.
- Why did Jesus pronounce her sins forgiven?
For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”—Luke 7:47-50
Because she had “loved much.” Though she had lived a sinful life, she was willing to repent and show her gratitude for Jesus’ help. Jesus taught an important lesson by publicly announcing that she was forgiven, contrasting the respectable Pharisee who was not. The Pharisee had not even extended common courtesies to Jesus, revealing that he loved little because he had experienced very little forgiveness.
Tomorrow’s Bible Readings:
Deuteronomy 9-10, Luke 8:4-21, Psalm 69:19-36 and Proverbs 12:2-3