Party Crasher Series

Luke 7: 36 – 50

Party Crasher

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.”

A few years ago a man wrote a book which quickly became a motion picture. In it the author developed a mystery that Mary Magdalene and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had a relationship which produced a lineage which became protected in order to survive the Roman Catholic pursuit to eliminate the offspring. He took his ideas from past heretical writings and masterly crafted a tale that identified Mary Magdalene as the ‘Holy Grail’.

Mary has been highlighted a lot even though she only listed briefly in the Scripture. Mary is mentioned though in each Gospel, I believe, because of her great devotion to our Lord Jesus after He was crucified. In the Gospel of Mark chapter 16 we see a good summation of her life, “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.”

Now why do I bring up Mary? It is because some teachers have tried to say that this Scripture passage that we are going to look at today is referencing her. I do not agree with that position. The woman in today’s study, I believe, is a totally different woman. We will explain why in a bit. In addition to some teachers taking on this idea there are other bible commentators who associate other passages with this event. In this case I also disagree. I believe the following Scripture references are talking about an entire different event. I thought you might be interested in what other portions of God’s word are talked about.

Matthew 26, “ 6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” 10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”