Luke 7:36-50 36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to 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. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Lord Jesus said that two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. This is equivalent to one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty days’ wages. Here the moneylender represents God and Lord Jesus, and the debtors are the people in the world. Some owe more to the Lord, and some owe less to the Lord. Here there are two debtors, one is this woman, a sinner, and the other is Simon, a Pharisee. Neither of them were able to pay back, and the moneylender graciously forgave the debts of both of them. This woman owed a lot of debts, sins were greater, and was forgiven by the Lord. Her love for the Lord was greater. Simon owed less debts and was forgiven by the Lord, and he loved the Lord less. How did this woman express her love for the Lord? She wet the Lord’s feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, kissed Lord’s feet and poured perfume on his feet.
When Lord Jesus said to the woman: Your sins are forgiven. Those who were sitting at the table said in their hearts: “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Here we see that although this woman was a sinner, she believed in Lord Jesus, she had faith in Lord Jesus, and loved Lord Jesus, so Lord Jesus said to the woman: Your faith has saved you. Because of her faith, and her love for Lord Jesus, she was saved. Those at the table did not know that Lord Jesus is the Son of God and has the authority to forgive sins.
May God bless you and your family.
