10.05.08
Reception by a Sinner (Luke 7:36-50)
Reception by a Sinner (Luke 7:36-50)
Many Pharisees had listened to Jesus teach. Not many Pharisees invited Jesus to their home for a meal, so this is an interesting opportunity. Eating with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:10) we know about, but a meal with a Pharisee – one who was separate from sinners – here’s news!
Shepard writes of this scene – On this occasion came a woman, known by reputation and appearance to be a sinner, wearing her hair unbound, a sign of her sinful profession. Doubtless she had heard of the wonderful prophet who was reputed to be the friend of tax-gatherers and sinners. She may well have heard Him preach in the streets the sweet message whose burden was: ‘Come unto me all ye that are toiling and heavy laden.’ Was she not in a terrible struggle in her own conscience and was not the burden of her sinful past crushing her life out? She resolved to brave ridicule and come to Jesus. Knowing that He was reclining at the banquet table in the house of the Pharisee, and bringing and alabaster cruse of ointment – a very costly perfume – she slipped in through the curtained entrance and coming stood behind Jesus, near His feet, weeping. It was not customary for any woman to appear under any circumstances on such an occasion, much less unveiled as she. Her actions betokened a woman of generous, affectionate, and impulsive disposition, who was the victim of others depravity.
She stood weeping because of her wicked life, brought home to her the more by hearing the gracious words of Jesus. She also met with the icy scowl of Simon. ‘What was she doing there?’ Ashamed, repentant and grieved, she bent over to hide her confusion, and as she did a shower of tears fell upon Jesus’ feet. As if in apology and having no cloth, she began to wipe the tears from His feet with the long tresses of her hair. Among the Jews it was a shameful thing for a woman to let down her hair in public, but she made this sacrifice as did Mary of Bethany on the eve of His death (John 12:3). Next taking the flask of fragrant perfume she anointed His feet and kept on showering kisses upon them in deep repentance and reverence.
Notice the response from the Pharisee (Simon) in verse 39 – don’t miss it! Simon did not address the woman because of her lack of etiquette, instead he use the occasion as a basis for his own rejection of the person of Jesus Christ. Here’s his logic – this man claims to be the revealer of truth from God, but if He was a prophet, He would know this woman’s character and reputation. Because of this knowledge, He would spurn these evidences of her affection, these were not something that those who had been removed from sin would tolerate.
At this point Jesus indicates He has a lesson to teach, and then tells the story of two men who were in debt to a money lender. The story had only one right answer, and Simon gave it. And the point was easily noted – if there was much benefit, there would be much love; if little benefit, little love. And looking around at the greeting Jesus had been given told the back story. To wash the feet of a guest, to give him the kiss of welcome, and especially to anoint him, were not the normal things done at a feast. But they certainly told the story that cried out for all to see.
Simon had not acknowledged that he was a sinner nor in need of a Savior because of his sin. The woman, in stark contrast, demonstrated the reality of her faith by pouring out her love gifts on Him. And these were gifts that Christ received because they were rooted in the woman’s faith! So, Jesus declared that her sins were forgiven.
Put yourself in the midst of this feast. The home of a Pharisee, with other Pharisees in attendance no doubt. It’s the same response seen in Luke 5:21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Those words were uttered after the healing of a paralytic who had his sins forgiven by Jesus. Jesus Christ here had not only spoken the words of God and done the miracles of God, but now He even claimed the power of God to forgive sin. Now the Pharisees had to weigh this evidence about His person.
What would you have done? All your life you would have been taught as a ‘good Jew’ that only God could forgive sins. Was this blasphemy? Or … was this God? Peer pressure would have mounted, there would have been deacon meetings, business meetings, family forums to address the excitement (or disruption, depending on your take of the matter). Simon went away from this, as far as we can tell, with proof that Jesus was no prophet, much less the Messiah. A woman went away with the gracious gift of eternal life. What would you have left with?
