Whom He Forgave The Most

Luke 7:36-50

Once again, I find myself bringing some of my study for Wed. night Bible study into the Sunday message. Although this was not discussed Wed. night, I was led to this account and this event flooded my mind and heart. I believe I have preached on this event before but not sure when it was.

We read of Mary, Lazarus’ sister, anointing Jesus at Simon the ex-leper’s house in Bethany which is near Jerusalem.

Today, we will read of a lady at a man named Simon’s house. It is not the same Simon. This Simon is a Pharisee, from the region of Galilee. Some mix these 2 accounts, but the evidence points that these are 2 different events, in two different places, with two different people, but with the same Jesus!

The disagreement is because of the similarity of the elements involved.

Alabaster box of perfume.

Wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair

However, there is a different message in these accounts.

The cost of the perfume

The sinner among them

So, you see the differences far outweigh the similarities. One more thing, I do not believe this is Mary Magdalene of chapter 8, because it seems Luke would of introduced her here in chapter 7.

Whoever you want to believe this woman is, do not lose sight that she was a sinner.

This is a pretty long scene. It is filled with opposition, love, faith, forgiveness, worship, and Jesus!

Let’s get right to it..........Vs. 36-50...........

The scene is Simon’s house (Pharisee). Jesus was invited.

More than likely, this was a setup. As we read on down, Simon does not seem to be sympathetic to Jesus. Possibly his motive was to either attempt to entrap Jesus or to find a reason to accuse Him.

It was custom in this time period to have a supper and recline around the table. This would make it easier for conversation.

People would sit around the table, reclining on their elbow, with their feet stretched out or either tucked up under them, either way the feet would be exposed.

The feet was a big issue back in those days, muddy or dusty, either one.

When you are invited to a dignitary’s house, your feet would be washed because the feet would out for all to see at the meal and during the conversation.

I called them “piggly wiggly feet” Wed. night, but I was corrected, today it is called “grocery store feet”.

It was also customary in those days, for these dinners, to attract the town’s people. Many would come to hear news from other places or to catch up on the latest gossip.

Enter this sinful woman, this is more than likely a prostitute.

Now, she must have slipped in, because the Pharisees would not have a sinful woman in their home.

More than that, they did not want to even brush by them. They would have their clothes washed and cleaned if their clothes actually brushed by a woman like this.

This woman being in this home was very unusual. She must have went to great lengths to come near to Jesus!

It reveals of this woman reveals great courage and also desperation!

As she is behind Jesus, she begins to anoint His feet with this ointment from the alabaster box. She wipes them with her hair.

She is weeping this whole time, much tears come from her! Martin Luther called her tears “heart water”.

She used that “heart water” to wash Jesus’ feet and kissed those precious Feet of Jesus!

This was an overwhelming moment of worship, by this woman! Extreme Worship!

As it is throughout the Bible/history, great opposition arose because of this extravagant worship!

Simon, thought within himself,..........You can hear the disdain that he has for Jesus, challenging Who Jesus was.....If He were a prophet, He would know what kind of woman this was!

She is a sinner...........This man has no idea, nor does he want to have any knowledge of why Jesus came.

Jesus answered Simon......meaning Jesus read his mind! They ought to give good evidence to Jesus’ authority right there, but it didn’t.....or maybe it did, but Simon didn’t want Jesus to be his prophet.

Jesus challenges Simon, I have somewhat to say to you........Simon tells Jesus to say what He has to say......with that Jesus tells a very easy to understand parable.

Even someone with a darkened heart can understand this parable.

Now, we get to the heart of the message......

The amount is the difference in the parable......it makes the difference in the love!

50 pence is not much when you compare it to 500 pence.

It 300 pence was a year’s wage.........it is the difference in 4 months pay and 2 years pay.

It is said that in those times, with the taxes like they were, it would be near impossible for an everyday Joe to repay 500 pence.

The amount is the difference....let’s let this story run it’s course, then we will talk further about this!

Simon answered rightly......it is who was forgiven the most, that is and would of been common sense.

Who is forgiven the most? Or, maybe the question is, who has sinned the most?

That answer is easy, sin has caused us to come short of the Glory of God, therefore classifying sin as the most, either how you have sinned!

This reminds me of Matthew 9:12 “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.”

Then add to that what Paul tells us in Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” and Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

This is enough evidence to convict all of us and to classify us as the “sick”, worthy of death, as was this woman!

Let me read again what Jesus says here...........He looks at this sinful woman...............

Simon had done nothing for Jesus and she had not ceased worshipping Him!

A clear sign of her love for Jesus and an understanding of her pardon!

Somewhere at sometime before this, this woman and Jesus crossed paths and she believed that Jesus was the Son of God and He has the power to forgive sins!

She believed in the forgiveness of God through Christ and therefore she loved much!

Didn’t care who knew it!

I heard a preacher talking about 3rd generation Christian, who has never strayed away, not knowing about this much forgiveness producing much love!

I am not sure if they are even a Christian if that is the case!

If you read about Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God and you cannot see the magnitude of your sin, then I will say you do not have a right view of God nor Jesus!

Romans 5:20 “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”

I heard some say, let’s do away with the OT, but if we didn’t have that we would not know our sin, we wouldn’t know the fallen nature of man!

By the law, we see that sin abounds in us, but I hope you see today, just as the woman saw, that where sin abounds, grace much more abounds!

Simon saw an unclean woman, touching a, in his mind a so-called prophet! As I said, in their day they would of considered the touch of the sinner to have made Jesus unclean!

What they were ignorant to, was that instead of her making Jesus unclean, He was the only One that could make her clean!

I have talked a lot about teaching about Jesus rather than teaching life classes.....how many of us has either within our own self or with others, try and to teach how to do right! That is the unholy trying to clean up the unholy!

I have learned if we want to stop this or that, or be better at this or that, let us just go to Jesus!

At that point we come to the point of this woman, I am so wretched and I have continually sinned against God and everything about me seems to pull away from Him! O wretched human that I am.......when we get there and look to find refuge in Jesus Christ.....then our love will be much!!!

Then we will be motivated by a love that is greater than any humanistic love!

Galatians 5:6 “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”

Faith works by love.......the greatest motivation in our life was said by Jesus.... “Your sins have been forgiven” When you see the cross, do you realize the pardon that has been granted to you?

That realization should be our motivation!! We have sinned against God, but He loves me and has made a way through His Son Jesus to be forgiven!

Perfect Scripture: Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

This is our motivation: 1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”......... 1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”

Your faith has saved you, go in peace! What you believe about Jesus saves you! Nothing else saves, just what you believe!!

Upon that belief produces a love that is the motivation to continue to walk after Jesus Christ!

Has your sin ever brought you to the place of this sinner woman? Has your sin against God ever caused you to disregard all human order and worship Jesus Christ in this fashion! It was all about Who Jesus was and what she was not!

This has nothing to do with humanistic success and failure. This woman’s praise did not come from a place that God is going to make my earthly life better, but it came from a sincere heart that knew she had sinned against God and through Christ she saw pardon for her offenses!

We get caught up in breakthroughs and we put people in prison waiting on some kind of earthly breakthrough, when all the time Jesus has already, once for all, done what was needed for us!

Those kind of breakthrough teachings are for the Simon’s who didn’t believe he had much to be forgiven for and just wanted to be delivered from and earthly oppressor!

They are false and have no heart for God whatsoever!

Jesus ends the chapter with “Go in peace”, the greatest peace is forgiveness!

In your heart and mind, is your debt 50 or 500? Is your love little or much? You see, our love for Christ is not based on what he might or might not do in our life. Might I say, that is just a minor occurence when it is held into the light of how much I have been forgiven! If my love is based on God moving mountains, then I am going to be left alone! My love must be based on the debt I owed and the pardon I have received!

Ezekiel 36:25-32.......God is delivering this to the nation Israel and to us, as well. He speaks of Himself cleansing Israel from their iniquities, but I want you to notice in verse 32....He says, not for your sakes do I this.....be ashamed and confounded because of your own way (SIN)..........What God is saying is that we do not deserve this cleansing, there is nothing that we have done to deserve this........be ashamed that we ever desired our own way..........Once this is clearly seen and believed, then we see His great love and through that, produces much love in us!