Luke 7:36-50 (NKJV)
The Saviour and a Sinful Servant
April 7, 2024
There are two servants here, the Pharisee serving dinner and a Prostitute serving kindness. There are also two sinners here, Simon the Pharisee in contempt and arrogance and this unnamed Sinner who was well known in her community. This event and parable that follows is found only in the Gospel according to Luke. We should not confuse this incident, which occurred in Galilee, with the anointing of Jesus by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, which is recorded in the other three gospels. That anointing occurred in Bethany in Judea just days before the crucifixion. This event occurs just after Jesus chooses the twelve apostles. In context, Jesus has just challenged the Pharisees and the lawyers because they rejected the will of God by not submitting to John the Baptist and his baptism of repentance. He said, For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
The Pharisee - Simon was a Pharisee, which means "separated one." It refers to a group of Jews committed to keeping the Law. They had separated themselves and commonly looked down on anyone not keeping the Law. Today we have a very low opinion of Pharisees. However, in Jesus' day, they were among the most respected people in town. They believed the Old Testament (Torah) was the Word of God. They went to synagogue every Sabbath, tithed, and prayed daily. But the bible teaches us that many of them suffered from arrogance and pride. In chapter 18 Jesus told a parable of how they thanked God they weren't sinners like other people. They boasted to God about fasting and tithing of all their income. And the way Simon treats our Lord reveals his motive for inviting Jesus to his home. It was customary for a host to do three things. First, the guest was given the customary greeting of a kiss of peace. Second, the guest's feet were washed upon entering the home. In Jesus' day, roads were dusty, and everyone wore sandals. So, as people traveled, their feet would become covered with dirt. Third, a sweet-smelling perfume was placed on the guest's head. Simon obviously omits the common courtesies of his day, perhaps to show his friends what he thought of Jesus. Although we would be quick to condemn Simon for his lack of reverence, we do similar things. We come to church with pride and arrogance instead of humbly confessing our sins. I have learned over the past 30 years that the number one reason for sad faces in The House of Worship is unconfessed sin. Forgiven people are happy people who worship God with gladness.
As Simon's group of distinguished friends are having dinner, a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house and came to worship Him. It is clear what she is about to do is not on the impulse of the moment, for she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. Alabaster jars were beautifully carved gypsum and were very expensive. "She began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them." She was a sinner, but she came seeking salvation. She was a sinner, but she came to serve the Lord. Typically, perfume was used to anoint the head, but this woman must have felt unworthy to touch the head of Jesus. The room is filled with silence as Simon's distinguished guests sit stunned that a woman with such a past would touch a Jewish man and make him unclean. At that moment Simon said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him.” Jesus not only knows who is touching him, but He also knows what Simon is thinking. Jesus knows our thoughts. He knows what is in our hearts right now. He knows when we have pride in our hearts and look down on other people for how they worship. Someone may ask, “Does it take all that?” But a songwriter once wrote, “We don’t know the cost of the oil.” Sometimes it takes all of that! If you knew what the Lord has done for me you would not question why I pray like I pray – why I preach like I preach – why I scream hallelujah and shout like I shout!
The Parable - Jesus knows Simon's thoughts and says, "Simon, I have something to tell you." In his arrogance Simon says, "Master, Say On." Therefore, Jesus tells a parable, "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both." A denarius was about a day's wages. The first debtor owes five hundred denarii, which would equal about two years’ wages. The second debtor owes fifty denarii or about two months’ wages. Their indebtedness is vastly different, but being unable to pay their debts makes them the same. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Then, the Lord asks Simon, "Now which of them will love him more?" It wouldn't be difficult for Simon to see which one would love the moneylender more, so he reluctantly and begrudgingly answers, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." In his answer Simon is placed in the position of judging himself, and thus Jesus responds, “You have judged correctly.” Simon, "Do you see this woman? - I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet." Though no one tells Him, Jesus knows this woman is guilty of many sins, and He does not overlook her sin. He forgives her sin. Forgiveness is never an excuse to sin! Paul asked, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The Pardon – Jesus says to the woman, “Thy Sins are forgiven thee” – the men at the table ask themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Only God could forgive sins! He already taught us the lesson with the paralyzed man. Do you remember when Jesus asked was it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or was it easier to say, “Take up your bed and walk”? But that you might know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sin, I’ll say that your sin is forgiven. Now take up your bed and walk! Jesus does not let the woman leave thinking that forgiveness is somehow tied to her service. So, Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." It wasn't the woman's tears or good works that saved her; it was her faith in the only One who could forgive her sins and save her soul. In John 14:27 Jesus says, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. When you have peace with God, He gives you the peace of God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. How do I get this peace? The bible says, in Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Place your trust in Jesus Christ. For He alone can give you peace.
