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Luke 7:36-50 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
36A certain one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him.
Jesus entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
37Just then a sinful woman from that town learned that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house.
She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38stood behind him near his feet weeping, and began to wet his feet with her tears.
Then she began to wipe them with her hair while also kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would realize who is touching him and what kind of woman she is, because she is a sinner.”
40Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
He said, “Teacher, say it.”
41“A certain moneylender had two debtors.
The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42When they could not pay, he forgave them both.
So, which of them will love him more?”
43Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the larger debt forgiven.”
Then he told him, “You have judged correctly.”
44Turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?
I entered your house, but you did not give me water for my feet.
Yet she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45You did not give me a kiss, but she, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.
47Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that is why she loved so much.
But the one who is forgiven little loves little.”
48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
49Those reclining at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you.
Go in peace.”
Giving Thanks
I.
Simon the Pharisee was a moral upright kind of person.
He was someone that everyone wanted to be around.
He knew how society functioned.
He was intimately acquainted with every protocol imaginable for interacting with all sorts of different people; he knew exactly how to behave in every circumstance.
There were no skeletons in Simon’s closet.
There were no seedy stories about his personal life.
If he were to apply for a loan for his Mediterranean vacation home, his credit score would be found impeccable.
As a card-carrying member of the Pharisees, his card was marked: “Pharisee in Good Standing.”
It was this Simon—this fine, upstanding Pharisee—who invited Jesus and some of “his people” to dinner.
The invitation was proof of what a wonderful fellow Simon was.
Though there had been bad blood between Jesus and the Pharisees, this olive branch would prove there were no hard feelings.
It was quite a generous offer, he thought.
Jesus’ reputation would be enhanced by dining at the home of Simon.
Jesus arrives.
He didn’t come in a stretch limo.
The dusty trails would have left a fine coating of dust all over his SUV, if he had one.
Jesus arrived at Simon’s house walking on his own two feet.
No matter how cautious a traveler was, walking along the roads would leave you covered in dust, especially your feet.
No wonder it was customary to provide guests a bowl of water to wash off the residue of the dusty trail.
It may not sound very refreshing to us, but a little oil was offered to put on the head, too.
As many cultures do, even today, guests were greeted with a kiss.
These things were all matters of common courtesy.
Everyone knew that this is what one did when welcoming guests.
Steeped in culture as he was, Simon knew it, too.
But he thought he was greeting an inferior.
He greeted Jesus as “teacher” instead of the more honorable “Lord” that would have been used to greet a guest of honor.
Simon didn’t think he needed Jesus.
He though Jesus needed him.
II.
“Jesus entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table” (Luke 7:36, EHV).
In those days, one didn’t sit on a chair at the table, but reclined on dining couches.
The heads of the guests were toward the table with their feet stuck out behind them.
“Just then a sinful woman from that town learned that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house.
She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38stood behind him near his feet weeping, and began to wet his feet with her tears.
Then she began to wipe them with her hair while also kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume” (Luke 7:37-38, EHV).
A woman snuck in to the dinner party.
Her every treatment of Jesus was deferential—quite a contrast to the host.
A kiss on the cheek would have been a typical greeting; she didn’t feel worthy, so she kissed his feet instead.
Instead of using water to wash his feet, she cried over them.
It makes me think of the passage: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news of peace, who preach the gospel of good things!”
(Romans 10:15, EHV).
She understood that he was the One bringing the good news that God had remembered all his promises to his people.
A woman’s hair was her pride and glory, typically kept wrapped up; she wouldn’t display it for just anyone.
She considered Jesus with such reverence and respect that she let her hair down and wiped his feet dry with it.
Jesus was far too special in her eyes to use common oil to anoint his head.
She used an expensive jar of perfume, instead.
In fact, she anointed his feet with the perfume.
Jesus’ feet were far more valuable than anyone else’s head would be.
He deserved the very best.
She understood that.
III.
Jesus said nothing as this woman performed her acts of love.
He just sat there.
Simon seethed inside.
“When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would realize who is touching him and what kind of woman she is, because she is a sinner’” (Luke 7:39, EHV).
His mind raced at how this dirty, rotten scum had invaded his party.
Everyone knew this woman was a sinner.
Jesus obviously couldn’t be much of a prophet if he couldn’t even recognize this woman for what she was.
“Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you’” (Luke 7:40, EHV).
How could Jesus answer when Simon hadn’t even spoken aloud?
Jesus told the parable of the two debtors.
Each owed a lender some money; one owed much more than the other.
If the lender were to cancel both debts, which one would be more grateful?
Simon’s mind raced again.
Was this some sort of trick question?
Voice dripping with sarcasm, he replied: “I suppose the one who had the larger debt forgiven” (Luke 7:43, EHV).
After recounting the differences of host and sinner in their treatment of him, Jesus says: “Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that is why she loved so much.
But the one who is forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47, EHV).
Jesus had cancelled her debt.
The sinful woman recognized him as that One promised by God.
She wanted to demonstrate to him her thanks.
IV.
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