A Fresh Start

A Fresh Start

Introduction

Luke 7:36-50 NRSV

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus [j] to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, [k] and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus [l] said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Footnotes

Luke 7:36 Gk him

Luke 7:41 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer

Luke 7:43 Gk he

Simon's invite of Jesus to a banquet shows that he has not yet formed a negative opinion about the Lord. Simon speaks of Jesus as a prophet. Jesus calls Simon by name. He attempts to teach him to accept the woman who Simon considers a sinner. The narrative begins and ends before the story does and o we do not know what comes before or how those in the story ultimately respond. In this text, Jesus is inviting those like Simon to love as he loves.

The open-endedness of the narrative at the beginning and the end seems to indicate that the woman had a prior encounter with Jesus and that Simon now has the opportunity to do the same.

"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." (Oscar Wilde)

If you live long enough, you will have some areas of life that you wish you could get a do-over on.

The old poem muses:

I wish that there were some wonderful placeCalled the land of Beginning Again,Where all our mistakes and all our heartachesAnd all of our poor selfish griefCould be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door,And never put on again.

The gospel teaches us that there is a place where we can have a fresh start. On this first Sunday of 2022 while people around us are making resolutions and determined to change their lives I would like us to look at what Scripture has to say about having a Fresh Start.

1. Every Saint Has A Past

The woman had a past. She had a reputation as a sinner. The implication of the way that Simon speaks about her in his heart is that she was involved in prostitution.

Her actions seem scandalous as she uses the tools of her trade to show hospitality to Jesus. Her hair is let down and uncovered, which was unheard of. She uses her kisses. She uses her tears. And she uses her perfume. All these things she uses in ways that are sanctified and not like what she has done before, but all the religious world can see is her past.

There were not many options for some women in their society. She may have been sold into prostitution as a child. She may have been widowed and the system failed. For whatever reason, she found herself among the poor, those whom Jesus said that he came to preach the good news to.