Three Sets of Debtors

Introduction

As we continue our series through the life of Christ, going as chronologically in order as we can through the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we find ourselves in the second year of Jesus’ ministry. He has set up headquarters in Capernaum, and after His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been in and around Capernaum teaching and doing miracles.

This region, and possibly the city of Capernaum itself, is the setting for this next event in Jesus’ ministry.

We find it in Luke 7.

Luke 7:36–39 KJV 1900

36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

The story begins with Jesus being invited into a Pharisee's home. As they were eating, a woman, a sinner, and many commentators believe her to have been a prostitute, for it was a way to refer to such women of the day, comes in. When referring to men, the word sinner was often used to describe a tax collector, called a publican. Whether or not this woman was a prostitute is really irrelevant; the word translated sinner is a word that means someone who is devoted to sin. This woman was publicly known as someone whose life had been primarily devoted to sin in a way that was very noticeable to the unapproving public.

There are things we do that are sinful, but that the world may see as "not that bad." Doing these things may even earn a certain level of respect with some: fudging taxes to not pay as much or to get more back, lying about being sick to get a day off off work, tricking the insurance into thinking a repair cost more than it actually did to get more money in your pocket, telling off a supervisor who has been breathing down your neck unnecessarily for a long time. These acts, though wrong, are generally looked upon as something good by the public because in a way, we are "sticking it to the man."

This particular woman in this passage, however, was habitually involved in sin that even the world was ashamed of, to a degree where she was well known. Look at verse 39 again. Simon the Pharisee knew her, and the people around him knew what she was.

So Jesus, in a way that only He can, begins to tell a story, a parable. A parable is a story that illustrates heavenly meanings by using things and situations that are common on this earth. So Jesus begins to tell a parable of two debtors. Jesus is going to use this parable of one set of debtors, to illustrate another, very real set of debtors present at that table on that occasion and point out some spiritual meanings.

Two Sets of Debtors

Two Debtors in a Parable

Luke 7:40–42 KJV 1900

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

A. We first see that both of these individuals were debtors. They were different, but they were the same in the fact that both were debtors.

1. Not only that, but they were both debtors to the same person.

2. Next, we see that these two debtors, though both were debtors and both owed money to the same person, that was where their similarities stopped. They were debtors to the same person but to a different degree (and there was no confusion about it).

a. The first debtor that we see owes 500 pence. That may not mean a whole bunch to us right now, so let’s translate that to dollars. 1 pence= 1 denarius= 1 days wage for a laborer. At the minimum wage rate of $7.25/hr, this would be $145,000. So, a pretty significant amount. Another thing to note about this debtor was that he was not shocked to find out he owed that much. He knew well that 500 pence was the amount he owed.

b. The second debtor owed 50 pence (about $14,500). Just like the first debtor was not shocked that he owed 500 pence, this debtor was not relieved that he only owed 50 instead of 500 pence.

They both knew how much they owed.

B. And though they both knew how much they owed, they both were unable to pay for their debt. This is why the second debtor was not relieved that he owed ten times less than the first. If any of you have ever taken out a loan and not been able to make a payment on time, or had a credit card or even medical expenses that were not able to be paid on time, you know that it does not matter if you owe $10,000, $1,000, or $10, these companies will hound you for the money just the same. I had a coworker at the funeral home where I work part-time tell me one time that she was behind $9 on her mortgage and they called her for 4 days straight until she paid it! $9! Debt collectors can be pretty intense.

C. Both had the same punishment coming to them. This punishment was much more than just being called every day and being asked for a payment. This punishment was something that would drastically change their lives. If we look at the parable given in Matthew 18:23 of the compassionate lord and the wicked servant, we see that the punishment for not being able to pay your debts was to be imprisoned and tortured, and possessions and family sold until the debt was paid off. The degree of punishment (time imprisoned) would have been different for each debtor, but still, neither sentence would have been pleasant.

D. But we also see in this parable that both debtors were shown mercy and grace. Both were forgiven all of their debt.

E. And based on the question that Jesus asks Simon, we can say that both forgiven debtors reacted in the same manner - with love. "Which of them will love him most?" Both had love.

1. They had love toward the same person (the former creditor)

2. But they had love to a different degree Luke 7:42-43

Luke 7:42–43 KJV 1900

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

But why is Jesus telling this parable? Well, Jesus used this parable to illustrate the fact that there were 2 very real debtors right there at that very moment. Let’s read from verse 41 again, through verse 50.

Luke 7:41–50 KJV 1900

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 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. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

We have seen the parable that Jesus used, and in that parable there are two debtors. But Jesus now indicates with this parable that there are two other debtors that need to be considered.

Two Debtors at the Table

Two debtors at the table, Simon and the sinner woman; a Pharisee and a prostitute.

Let's compare the debtors at this table with the debtors in the parable.

A. We see that the people here at the table, like those of the parable, were both were debtors. Simon and the prostitute both had a debt.

1. Not only that, but there debt was to the same person- God.

2. In the parable, the debtors had different degrees of debt, but here, that changes. Simon the Pharisee and this prostitute were in debt to the same degree.

a. The woman was a sinner. That was plain to everyone around here, and she was not blind to it herself either.

b. But there was another sinner at that table - Simon was a sinner.

The difference between this set of debtors and the last is that the fictional debtors, the ones in the parable, knew their own debt, but there seems to be confusion, at least on the part of one debtor at the table, as to what their debt was.

Simon viewed himself as better than this woman v.39 Luke 7:39.

Luke 7:39 KJV 1900

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

He didn't want to be even touched by this woman, lest her touch contaminate his supposed "cleanliness." I say "supposed" because the Bible clearly teaches that all of what we think is righteousness is just filthiness. Isaiah 64:6

Isaiah 64:6 KJV 1900

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Notice that phrase "we all." This is what Simon failed to understand. He thought he was righteous, but those "righteous" acts, every one of them, were like filthy rags before the Lord.

Later, the Apostle Paul would write to the Romans in Romans 3:23

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

B. Had Simon realized this, he surely would have realized that he could not have erased those sins in his life on His own, but perhaps the woman did. Just like the debtors in the parable, both Simon and the sinner woman had an inability to pay for their sin debt. Tit 3:5 -7

Titus 3:5–7 KJV 1900

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Perhaps Simon was wise enough to realize that he was not perfect. Being a Pharisee, he had at least a head knowledge of the Scripture and hopefully would have understood that no man is perfect, but if that was the case, he thought that he could erase his wrongs by doing enough right. For had he realized that he could not, he would have immediately bowed at Jesus' feet and begged for mercy from the Son of God.

C. For both he and the woman had the same punishment coming. Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The wages of sin, all sin, is death. It does not say only a certain type of sins have that wage, but sin in general. The wage, the punishment for sin is death. This refers to the second death which is described in Rev 20:14

Revelation 20:14 KJV 1900

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Revelation 20:15 KJV 1900

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Not only did they have the same punishment in the same place coming, but they, unlike the two debtors in the parable, had the same length in their sentence, all of eternity.

Luke chapter 16 makes it incredibly clear that once in Hell, there is no way to escape and absolutely no relief to be found.

D. But both the prostitute and the Pharisee could be forgiven. Grace and Mercy had come to Simon's house that day in the form of Jesus the Messiah, however, Simon did not accept the extended offer. He tried to dine with Jesus, but never intended to follow Him. Simon may not have held the same hostility toward Jesus that the majority of Pharisees did, but his curiosity never propelled him to follow Jesus.

The woman, on the other hand, fell at Jesus' feet, and in an act of humility she worshipped. She came to Jesus in faith, knowing that He had the authority to forgive sins. She gave up probably the most precious thing in her possession, the alabaster box of ointment. She humbled herself, disregarded what people thought and said of her, and repentantly fell at Jesus' feet. She accepted the gift of mercy and grace that day.

E. Though the two debtors in the parable ended up loving their forgiving creditor, albeit at different degrees, because of the differing view of who Jesus was, both the woman and Simon had differing actions toward him.

Simon: Probably was interested in Jesus as a curiosity. How could a carpenter's son know so much about the Scriptures? How did this penniless man gather so many followers? What are the meanings of the strange doctrines that differed so much from his own? Is this man really a prophet? But he did not see Jesus as special enough to even offer the common courtesies of the day.

Woman: She saw Jesus as the Saviour! She saw Him as worthy of sacrifice, praise, and even public humiliation on her part.

A.W. Tozer said this, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

How you view God is the most important and influential thing about you! It will dictate your actions and reactions and attitudes in EVERY situation.

I believe the second most influential viewpoint we can have is how we view ourselves in comparison to God. This woman knew who she was, what she was, and what was coming because she realized who she was in comparison to the Son of God. This is what drove her to His feet.

Simon, however, viewed himself as "not that bad." This is what kept him from seeking grace and mercy from Jesus.

But the title for today’s message is not, Two Sets of Debtors. It actually is

Three Sets of Debtors

Debtors In This Building

Every single person here today is a debtor in someway or another. You are either a debtor of gratitude or a debtor of sin. I want to speak to the saved first, to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior by placing all faith in Him alone. Our sin debt has been paid. That debt, the wages that we could not pay, was death and an eternity in hell. When we accepted the gift of eternal life through Jesus, by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone, He forgave the penalty of sin and extended mercy and grace to us. But don't think for a minute that we are not indebted to Him. We owe a debt of gratitude and of love.

To the Saved

A. As Christians, we must understand that we are all debtors. "But Jesus paid our debt, right?" Right, and now, instead of being indebted to God for our sin, and destined to an eternity in hell, we are indebted to His grace. This has turned from a sin debt to a love debt.

Let me put it this way, I am indebted to my in-laws. That's a horrible debt to have! But I have great in-laws, and I am not saying that just because my wife is here. Throughout the years, they have loaned us money, bought us things we needed and even some things we did not that were just nice to have. There is no way we could possibly pay back all the money they have lent us and given us. There was a time when we were trying to pay it back little by little, and one day, my in-laws said, "Don't worry about it. You don't need to pay it back." That released me from that debt, but I incurred another debt that day, a debt of grattitude. Since there is no way that I can make it up to them, I will forever be in there debt. They do not expect money back from me because they have forgiven that. There is no amount of work that I can do for them that will make us "even." And they don't expect that either.

It is a similar situation for Christians. Our sin debt was paid at the cross and applied to us the moment we believed on Jesus' name and received Him in our hearts. And it is impossible for us to pay that back with money or with works, and God does not expect us to either. But we are now in a debt of gratitude. The full realization of what Jesus did for us demands our love and our praise and our service.

1. We are indebted, all those that are saved, to the same person- The Godhead: The Father, for sending His Son; The Son, for paying our sin debt and offering free salvation; The Holy Spirit for dwelling in our hearts and sealing us to the day of redemption.

2. We are indebted to the same degree. This is where I think a lot of confusion happens. Just like Simon and the woman. You might say, "Well, before I got saved, I wasn't really a bad person. I went to church or did good things. I sinned, but not that much. I never killed anyone, was never addicted to anything, and all my sins were small sins, nothing really bad, like other people's sin."

But the thing is, this is where we oft times go wrong. We think that our sin debt is the same thing as our categorization of sin. We must understand this: the drug addict's sin debt is not that of drug addiction, the payment required is the lake of fire. That is the same payment required for rebellion, for lying, for adultery, for withcraft, for running the red light, for cheating on our taxes, and every sin that we consider above, below, or in between those. The debt is Hell. And we all deserve it.

B. We must also remember that we couldn’t pay our sin debt. Romans 3:20

Romans 3:20 KJV 1900

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

C. The debt was forgiven and applied the moment we got saved. Romans 10:9, 13

Romans 10:9–13 KJV 1900

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 8:1 KJV 1900

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

E. But unfortunately, our reactions are not always the same. Even though we all have the same debt, to the same degree, to the same person, our reactions to being forgiven are not always the same. Some love little, some love much. Why is that?

Because there is confusion as to the degree of our debt. Just like Simon, there are Christians who have not realized the full extent of the pardon God gave unto them. Have you ever looked at a person and thought, "They have a great testimony that will influence others greatly. They have been saved from alcoholism, the were saved from prostitution, they were saved from a gang lifestyle, he committed murder and now is saved, etc. They can influence others, but I can't because I don't have that testimony. They serve God with a deeper love than I ever could because they were forgiven so much."

Understand this today, fellow Christian, WE WERE ALL SAVED FROM A DEVIL'S HELL THAT IS BURNING NOW AND WILL BE FOR ALL ETERNITY! We can have and demonstrate a deep love for the Lord, not because of the types of sins that God liberated us from, but because the punishment of a raging hell was where we were going and THE SAME GRACE THAT SAVES THE ADDICT AND THE MURDERER IS THE SAME GRACED THAT SAVED ME!

I was forgiven just as much as anyone, and so were you. When we appropriate that, when we apply that statement to our lives, we will love more in the light of the realization that we have been forgiven so much.

To the Unsaved

You have a debt too. It is a sin debt. You can try to pay that debt on your own, but the cost will be your soul spending an eternity in a lake of fire. Or you can accept today the payment for your sin that Christ already made. You can have that applied to your heart today.

You may never have realized that you were in such a desperate need of a savior before now. You may have thought that you are good enough to get to heaven.

Maybe, you like Simon the Pharisee, are just trying to hang out with Jesus. You think that it is enough to be at church, sing some songs, read your Bible. Let me share with you one more verse before I close. Titus 3:5

Titus 3:5 KJV 1900

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

If you have never made a personal, purposeful decision to ask Jesus into your heart and to forgive your sins, you are not saved and you still have a sin debt. But today is the day when you can be free of that debt by God's grace. In a moment we will have an invitation, this will be your chance to get that settled with God.

Invitation

Life Groups

Compare the debts that Simon and the Woman had toward God.

Whose debt was greater?

Who was forgiven? Why?

Who was not forgiven? Why not?

How does society’s perception of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” sins compare to the biblical understanding of sin?

What does the parable of the two debtors teach us about who is able to receive forgiveness?

Why do you think Simon the Pharisee failed to see his own need for forgiveness?

How can self-righteousness hinder our relationship with God and others?

The debtors in the parable are the first set of debtors, Simon and the Woman are the second set of debtors, we are the third set of debtors. Discuss the concept of being a debtor to God. How does this affect your view of your relationship with Him?

How does understanding the magnitude of our debt and forgiveness change the way we live our lives?

Why is it important for Christians to have a deep understanding of the grace they have received?

What are some practical ways we can show our gratitude to God for His forgiveness and grace?

What steps can you take to ensure your heart remains humble and grateful like the woman’s?