The Woman Who Annointed Jesus Feet Series

The woman who anointed Jesus feet Luke 7:36-50

Just about every second Saturday, a man called Ken who was especially given to neatness went to the barbershop for a haircut. He liked this particular barber but this barber had a way of really getting under his skin. And this one Saturday he told the barber he was flying to Ottawa for a week. The barber asked what airline are you going on and Ken replied "WestJet" and the barber yelled, "WestJet? Are you crazy?! Their food is awful and you’ll never be able to relax because their planes shake so much when they’re taking off and landing!"

After a moment of silence, the barber politely asked, "So, what hotel are you staying at?" And Ken said, "The Chateau Laurier" and the barber yelled again, "Why on earth are you staying there? That hotel is not only infested with cockroaches but the mattresses are as hard as a rock!"

Then after another moment of silence, Ken said, "Oh, and guess what else I’m going to do!?" "What?" asked the barber? "I’m going to see the Prime Minister!" The barber literally screamed, "You’ll never get near the Prime Minister! No one ever gets to see the Prime Minister up close!"

Well, two weeks later Ken was back and he said the plane and the hotel were great and the barber was really surprised and then he asked if he got to see the Prime Minister and Ken stretched his arms about two feet and said, "I not only got to see the Prime Minister but I was only this far away from him and then he spoke to me personally." "No way," said the barber. "What did he say to you?" He said "Where’d you get that awful haircut?"

“And one of the Pharisees desired Him that He would eat with him. And He went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden Him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, this man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner.

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, “Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.” And he saith, “Master, say on.”

41 “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?”

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.” And He said unto him, “thou hast rightly judged.” 44 And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, “seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” 48 And He said unto her, “thy sins are forgiven.”

49 And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, “who is this that forgiveth sins also?” 50 And He said to the woman, “thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”

This is the first account where Jesus is having dinner in a Pharisees home and the second one is found in Luke 14. I always wondered why would Jesus bother going to a Pharisees home knowing how hypocritical these men were and how they used their religion to make money and control people. They had also been Jesus’ critics from day one and Jesus knew that these Pharisees combined with the other religious groups; the Sadducees and Herodian’s would one day not only arrange for but also pay for His crucifixion.

So, He had every reason in the world to stay away but I think He accepted this invitation and others like it because it was His desire to reach into every part of society whether they were receptive of His message or not.