36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Commentary
Vs. 36 “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.”
Having declared that “wisdom is justified by all her children” Luke 7:35 in the defense of John the Baptist and Himself. Jesus is now asked by one of the Pharisees there to come and eat with him. And so, Jesus graciously accepts the man’s invitation to dine with him, and goes to the Pharisees house.
Vs. 37-38 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Now in that city there was a woman who was sinner; meaning she was known throughout it as being a sinner. Nonetheless when she knew that Jesus sat at the table (more like reclined sideways on a couch) in the Pharisees house, she did something that was very extraordinary and contrite. For she came into the house, and having brought with her an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, she stood at Jesus’ feet behind Him weeping. And she began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now why did she kiss Jesus’ feet? because these same feet that walked into the Pharisees house; which she stood behind because she felt unworthy to see His face, which she washed with her tears, and wiped dry with the hair of her head, which she kissed before anointing them with the fragrant oil, will be the same feet which will walk to the Cross to redeem her soul. Thus, this woman understood who Jesus’ was, and who she had been, and thus she knew that she could do nothing to redeem herself, or make herself acceptable to God, and so all she could do was offer her tears and contrition at the feet and of the One who could.
Vs. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
Now rest assured though it was a common practice to have an “open door” policy when it came to hosting meals and feasts and such, since hospitality was a greatly regarded virtue amongst the Jews. Had not Jesus been known for His own courtesy and hospitality towards one and all, this woman may never have been permitted to stay. Nonetheless the Pharisee who invited Jesus when he saw her enter said nothing, and while she showed all manner of contriteness and humility, mixed with her great thanksgiving towards Jesus, also said nothing. And yet, having seen it all, and instead of being moved by it all, can now only find it in his heart to doubt Jesus’ Person by saying to himself, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
Vs. 40-43 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
Now as soon as Simon thought such things about the Lord Jesus Christ and the woman’s own displays of contrition and thanksgiving towards Jesus. Jesus knowing that Simon was speaking such things about Him in his heart now asks him a question about two debtors, one owes five hundred denarii and the other owes fifty, therefore Jesus asks him, “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” To which Simon reasons out and replies by saying: “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And with Jesus says to him, “You have rightly judged.” And yet in having judged the parable of Jesus rightly, Simon could not discern nor judge the very real manner in which the woman was behaving toward Jesus and the very real mercy that He was about to bestow on her because of her own faith in Him.
Vs. 44-46 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
With Simons right reply to His parable of the two debtors, and yet he remained spiritually blind to his own need, Jesus now turns to the woman, (who had previously been behind His feet) and now says to Simon: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.” vs. 44
Indeed, one of the first things that ancient hosts would do would be too offer water and towels for their guests to wash their feet. It was a very common gesture, and yet Simon in wanting to checkout Jesus for himself, and see if he was really a prophet, completely overlooked that. However, as Jesus notes the woman whom Simon condemned in his heart, when she saw Jesus, she immediately went to Him and washed His feet with her tears and wiped them dry with the hair of her head. In other words, she had no doubts about who Jesus’ Person was, and knowing who He was (and what she had been) she was exceedingly sorrowful before Him. Similarly then Jesus says to Simon that when He entered Simons house Simon gave Him no kiss of greeting (again a completely common congenially gesture that ancient hosts practiced by kissing their guests on the cheek upon greeting and receiving them), and yet Simon likely hedging his bets did not want to extend such a welcome and greeting to Jesus, just in case Jesus didn’t turn out to be who He was. Therefore, Jesus says to Simon: “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.” vs. 45 Thus Simon didn’t even think Jesus worthy of a greeting kiss on the cheek, and yet the sinful woman only thought herself worthy of kissing His feet!
Again, Jesus says in recalling Simons own actions towards Him, and that of the sinful woman’s, now says to him, “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.” vs. 46
Simon then didn’t even extend the courtesy of anointing Jesus head with just some common oil (again a common gesture of hospitality) while the sinful woman, not feeling worthy to touch Jesus’ head anointed His feet with the very costly fragrant oil. Quite a contrast then in how each one viewed Jesus and themselves in relation to Him.
Vs. 47-50 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Jesus then in concluding His rebuke of Simons evil judgment of Him, now says to him, Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Thus, revealing the true nature of those who belong to God and those who don’t. For though Simon had all the religion, and knew all its laws and practices, yet he had little faith in, and love for God, because he had never experienced the grace and love of God for him. For his faith was essentially on his keeping and observing his religion, as it was taught him, and thus he had never opened his heart to God, (as the sinful woman did) and so he never experienced the depths of God’s love and mercies and forgiveness and restorative power for him, which then spills over into how one sees and perceives others. Especially in how one sees and perceives God. For as Jesus says, “But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” vs. 47 Having said as much Jesus now turns to the sinful woman and says to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” vs. 48 Which then brings the immediate consternation of those who were sitting around the table (vs. 49). Nonetheless Jesus is unmoved by their unbelief, and continues from His heart to hers, by saying to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” vs. 50
Thus, not her morally “perfect’ life, nor her religion, nor her faithfully observing all its decrees and practices, as Simon likely held and did, but her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who has all Authority and Power to forgive sins, is what saved her, and will save you too, if you also repent and believe in Him as the Scripture has said.
Commentary
Vs. 36 “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.”
Having declared that “wisdom is justified by all her children” Luke 7:35 in the defense of John the Baptist and Himself. Jesus is now asked by one of the Pharisees there to come and eat with him. And so, Jesus graciously accepts the man’s invitation to dine with him, and goes to the Pharisees house.
Vs. 37-38 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Now in that city there was a woman who was sinner; meaning she was known throughout it as being a sinner. Nonetheless when she knew that Jesus sat at the table (more like reclined sideways on a couch) in the Pharisees house, she did something that was very extraordinary and contrite. For she came into the house, and having brought with her an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, she stood at Jesus’ feet behind Him weeping. And she began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now why did she kiss Jesus’ feet? because these same feet that walked into the Pharisees house; which she stood behind because she felt unworthy to see His face, which she washed with her tears, and wiped dry with the hair of her head, which she kissed before anointing them with the fragrant oil, will be the same feet which will walk to the Cross to redeem her soul. Thus, this woman understood who Jesus’ was, and who she had been, and thus she knew that she could do nothing to redeem herself, or make herself acceptable to God, and so all she could do was offer her tears and contrition at the feet and of the One who could.
Vs. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
Now rest assured though it was a common practice to have an “open door” policy when it came to hosting meals and feasts and such, since hospitality was a greatly regarded virtue amongst the Jews. Had not Jesus been known for His own courtesy and hospitality towards one and all, this woman may never have been permitted to stay. Nonetheless the Pharisee who invited Jesus when he saw her enter said nothing, and while she showed all manner of contriteness and humility, mixed with her great thanksgiving towards Jesus, also said nothing. And yet, having seen it all, and instead of being moved by it all, can now only find it in his heart to doubt Jesus’ Person by saying to himself, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
Vs. 40-43 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
Now as soon as Simon thought such things about the Lord Jesus Christ and the woman’s own displays of contrition and thanksgiving towards Jesus. Jesus knowing that Simon was speaking such things about Him in his heart now asks him a question about two debtors, one owes five hundred denarii and the other owes fifty, therefore Jesus asks him, “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” To which Simon reasons out and replies by saying: “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And with Jesus says to him, “You have rightly judged.” And yet in having judged the parable of Jesus rightly, Simon could not discern nor judge the very real manner in which the woman was behaving toward Jesus and the very real mercy that He was about to bestow on her because of her own faith in Him.
Vs. 44-46 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
With Simons right reply to His parable of the two debtors, and yet he remained spiritually blind to his own need, Jesus now turns to the woman, (who had previously been behind His feet) and now says to Simon: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.” vs. 44
Indeed, one of the first things that ancient hosts would do would be too offer water and towels for their guests to wash their feet. It was a very common gesture, and yet Simon in wanting to checkout Jesus for himself, and see if he was really a prophet, completely overlooked that. However, as Jesus notes the woman whom Simon condemned in his heart, when she saw Jesus, she immediately went to Him and washed His feet with her tears and wiped them dry with the hair of her head. In other words, she had no doubts about who Jesus’ Person was, and knowing who He was (and what she had been) she was exceedingly sorrowful before Him. Similarly then Jesus says to Simon that when He entered Simons house Simon gave Him no kiss of greeting (again a completely common congenially gesture that ancient hosts practiced by kissing their guests on the cheek upon greeting and receiving them), and yet Simon likely hedging his bets did not want to extend such a welcome and greeting to Jesus, just in case Jesus didn’t turn out to be who He was. Therefore, Jesus says to Simon: “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.” vs. 45 Thus Simon didn’t even think Jesus worthy of a greeting kiss on the cheek, and yet the sinful woman only thought herself worthy of kissing His feet!
Again, Jesus says in recalling Simons own actions towards Him, and that of the sinful woman’s, now says to him, “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.” vs. 46
Simon then didn’t even extend the courtesy of anointing Jesus head with just some common oil (again a common gesture of hospitality) while the sinful woman, not feeling worthy to touch Jesus’ head anointed His feet with the very costly fragrant oil. Quite a contrast then in how each one viewed Jesus and themselves in relation to Him.
Vs. 47-50 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Jesus then in concluding His rebuke of Simons evil judgment of Him, now says to him, Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Thus, revealing the true nature of those who belong to God and those who don’t. For though Simon had all the religion, and knew all its laws and practices, yet he had little faith in, and love for God, because he had never experienced the grace and love of God for him. For his faith was essentially on his keeping and observing his religion, as it was taught him, and thus he had never opened his heart to God, (as the sinful woman did) and so he never experienced the depths of God’s love and mercies and forgiveness and restorative power for him, which then spills over into how one sees and perceives others. Especially in how one sees and perceives God. For as Jesus says, “But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” vs. 47 Having said as much Jesus now turns to the sinful woman and says to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” vs. 48 Which then brings the immediate consternation of those who were sitting around the table (vs. 49). Nonetheless Jesus is unmoved by their unbelief, and continues from His heart to hers, by saying to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” vs. 50
Thus, not her morally “perfect’ life, nor her religion, nor her faithfully observing all its decrees and practices, as Simon likely held and did, but her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who has all Authority and Power to forgive sins, is what saved her, and will save you too, if you also repent and believe in Him as the Scripture has said.
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
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