Shame and Gratitude
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Big Idea: Proper understanding of sin should bring shame, and realization of forgiveness should bring gratitude and LOVE.
Jesus came to save sinners
Pride keeps many from believing on Jesus
All believers have been forgiven much
How long have you been a Christian?
In almost every church are:
Older Christians who have somewhat forgotten their sinful state when Jesus saved them
Younger Christians who are still in awe that they are forgiven
Those who judge others that have not felt the need for forgiveness
Those who understand their need for Jesus but have not yet trusted in Him
Those who attend to please someone else and would rather not be there at all.
As we look at the story in scripture this morning, may we find a new and profound sense of what we were saved from, so that our gratitude and love for Jesus be renewed.
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then 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 from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
This Pharisee’s motives to invite Jesus are not mentioned
he liked having a celebrity at his table?
he was curious about Jesus?
This could have been at an inner courtyard
they would recline and lean towards the table, so their feet were away from the table.
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
Almost every commenter on this passage agrees her sin was probably prostitution or adultery.
In these days, if a rabbi was visiting, or even if there were a gathering of the elite, people from the area could come in and listen to the conversation
That she brought the flask with her shows she seems to have already decided to anoint Jesus with it.
and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
Standing behind
remember his feet would have been away fro the table
She began weeping
Likely she had experienced forgiveness already, and was reminded once again of her sinful behavior
Shame and gratitude
She realizes her tears have made his feet wet, and having no towel, bends down to wipe them with her hair.
Kent Hughes
Luke, Vol. 1—That You May Know the Truth Jesus Anointed (vv. 36–38)
I would be embarrassed if I saw such a display. Yet, though it was clearly passionate, it was not erotic. It was a beautiful and fully proper outpouring of love by a redeemed soul. Slaves were assigned to attend the feet of others, but she washed his feet at her own command. It was an act of desperately joyous humility.
She stood behind him weeping; her eyes had been the inlets and outlets of sin, and now she makes them fountains of tears. Her face is now foul with weeping, which perhaps used to be covered with paints. Her hair now made a towel of, which before had been plaited and adorned. We have reason to think that she had before sorrowed for sin; but, now that she had an opportunity of coming into the presence of Christ, the wound bled afresh and her sorrow was renewed. Note, It well becomes penitents, upon all their approaches to Christ, to renew their godly sorrow and shame for sin, when he is pacified, Eze. 16:63.
This was a very moving display! Yet Jesus’ host was disgusted by it.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
We all have thoughts like this at times
We must repent of our arrogance when we look down on other forgiven sinners
This Pharisee thinks even less of Jesus than he already did. He rejects him as a prophet who would allow this display of affection and touch.
And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
Jesus is about to show he is a prophet, by knowing the thoughts of his host
Not Simon Peter (simon is a common name in this time and place)
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
One denarii is about one day’s wage.
Both debts would take time to pay, but one is ten times larger
Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
“I suppose” Did Simon realize he was caught in his bad attitude towards the woman, or is this continued disrespect towards Jesus?
Then 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 from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
Simon was a bad host
He should have at least provided water to his guest to wash his feet
Customary greeting was to kiss the cheek.
A good host would provide some oil, as the hair and face would get dry in that climate
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
Luke, Vol. 1—That You May Know the Truth Closing Reflections
Like the woman, unlike Simon, forgiven people love God and God’s people. Those who are forgiven much, love much.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (7:44–50)
But the woman was not forgiven because of her love; rather, she loved because she was forgiven (vv. 47–48). Her faith brought her salvation;
And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
What comforting words!
What blessed words!
David knew of the comfort of forgiven sins:
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
This made the people wonder
No has heard a man speak this way before
And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
And what peace! This is the peace that passes understanding, granted by the Prince of Peace. This is the sort of command, to go in peace, that Jesus gives to one who is going to have that peace, not because they build it up within themselves, but because he has already granted this peace to her.
Big Idea: Proper understanding of sin should bring shame, and realization of forgiveness should bring gratitude and LOVE.
Jesus came to save sinners
Pride keeps many from believing on Jesus
All believers have been forgiven much
Jesus came to save sinners:
Why are people often disgusted when someone is saved?
Do we sometimes look down on the ones we deem more sinful than ourselves?
Do we desire to see this sort of thing?
Do we want to see a person so overcome with their guilt and shame and sense of sinfulness that they cling to Jesus?
Ought we not to do the same?
Pride keeps many from believing on Jesus
Are we willing to completely expose our sinfulness?
Will we bow before Jesus?
All believers have been forgiven much
Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Luke 7:36–45, 47–50)
Hence we again learn, that ignorance of Christ’s office constantly leads men to conceive new grounds of offence. The root of the evil is, that no one examines his own wretched condition, which undoubtedly would arouse every man to seek a remedy. There is no reason to wonder that hypocrites, who slumber amidst their vices, should murmur at it as a thing new and unexpected, when Christ forgives sins.
A Walk with God: Luke 35. Jesus Rebukes Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:44–50)
If you have but slightly experienced the forgiveness of God, is that because your sins are slight? Or is the slightness of your experience of forgiveness a reflection of the degree or measure of your repentance? If you have experienced the forgiveness of Christ, in equal measure to the reality of your sin, then you have been forgiven much, because our sins have indeed been many, and so we are candidates to be great lovers of Christ, if we would but experience his forgiveness.
Our proper response is to look at our own vile sin.
As Matthew Henry said in the earlier quote, We would do well to renew our godly sorrows and shame for sin
“For thus says the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant,
yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.
Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you.
I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord,
that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”
Just as God promised Israel he would remember his covenant, and atone for all they had done, so it was fulfilled on the cross of Christ, and now as believers we may have the confidence to know
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
This is the work Jesus completed on the cross, and He delights to apply that work to all who believe on Him.
Weep for your sins, you have sinned much. Love Jesus much, because you have been forgiven much.
If we love Jesus, we must likewise love his church. You cannot claim to love Christ and hate his people, or even some, or even one.
We all who believe have recieved the great grace of God, so we must show this grace to others.
Big Idea: Proper understanding of sin should bring shame, and realization of forgiveness should bring gratitude and LOVE.
Jesus came to save sinners
Pride keeps many from believing on Jesus
All believers have been forgiven much