Luke 7:36-50 (ESV)
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 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 wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Explanation:
Imagine that room.
✔️ The Host ✔️ The Guest ✔️ The Condemned
…and dinner. …and cringing onlookers. …AND humility upstaging piety.
We have no idea why Simon invited Jesus to dinner but he certainly was not effusive in honor. He literally just did dinner and skipped the customs that showed basic respect for his guest. He tips his hand by what he didn’t do.
BUT we know without a doubt why Mary was there. She was there for Jesus.
She heard where Jesus was and went to Him. Grateful people want to thank Jesus. She had wept at Jesus's feet before in a lack of faith when her brother died, and now she had an opportunity to weep at His feet in gratitude for doing something greater than raising her brother Lazarus from the dead…He forgave her many sins. She had a history with Jesus.
John 11:2 defines her as “the Mary who…” John 11:32-33 finds her weeping at Jesus's feet. John 12:3 shows her pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiping them with her hair.
In Simon’s house, Mary responded again by kneeling at the feet of Jesus, with palpable gratitude. Jesus was her Redeemer. She had a tender heart. Think how many tears she had to cry to be able to wash Jesus’s feet. In a loving act of faith, she broke a costly jar of perfume and anointed Jesus. In a tender expression of humility, she cried at His feet. In a beautiful moment of serving, she dried His feet with her own hair.
She loved him from the deepest parts of her soul against the backdrop of her fallen nature, and her tears flowed unabashedly. She kissed the feet that Simon hadn’t bothered to wash.
Simon and Mary both had souls. Both had spiritual needs. Both had longing. Both had brokenness. Both weren’t meant to be perfect, but both were meant to be whole.
Simon stays rigid in pride while Mary basks in her freedom. Simon had the answer for wholeness at his dinner table, but his natural heart resisted. He stood firm in his religion and judgment.
Mary, however, is formidable in her embrace of grace and lack of pretense. She is lavish with love and thanks.
Every cell in Mary’s body understood___ a life troubled by the ravages of sin can become a life of opulent peace, when grace is accepted.
Application:
Perhaps instead of a message of how bad sin is, we should share a message of how great forgiveness is! What do you think?
Critics like Simon will come and go, but the peace of God lasts forever. Surround yourself with forgiven people, and see the dimension it adds to your life. Forgiven people are fun and gracious and add value to your life. Mary taught us that Jesus enjoys forgiven people who celebrate. Will you celebrate with a physical response?
Prayer:
Please help me to open my heart to accept I am not a compilation of my failures, but instead, I am what You give me. What You give me is unconditional, everlasting love. What I want to give You in return, is a life of gratitude. Amen