The Gospelof Luke
The SinningWoman
and
Self-RighteousSimon
Luke 7:36-50
[36] One of the Pharisees asked himto eat with him, and he went into thePharisee's house and reclined at thetable. [37] And behold, a woman ofthe city, who was a sinner, when shelearned that he was reclining at tablein the Pharisee's house, brought analabaster flask of ointment, . . .
[38] and standing behind him at hisfeet, weeping, she began to wet hisfeet with her tears and wiped themwith the hair of her head and kissedhis feet and anointed them with theointment. [39] Now when thePharisee who had invited him sawthis, he said to himself, . . .
“If this man were a prophet, he wouldhave known who and what sort ofwoman this is who is touching him, forshe is a sinner.” [40] And Jesusanswering said to him, “Simon, I havesomething to say to you.” And heanswered, “Say it, Teacher.”
[41] “A certain moneylender had twodebtors. One owed five hundreddenarii, and the other fifty. [42]When they could not pay, hecancelled the debt of both. Nowwhich of them will love him more?”[43] Simon answered, “The one, Isuppose, for whom he cancelled thelarger debt.”
And he said to him, “You havejudged rightly.” [44] Then turningtoward the woman he said to Simon,“Do you see this woman? I enteredyour house; you gave me no waterfor my feet, but she has wet my feetwith her tears and wiped them withher hair.
[45] You gave me no kiss, but fromthe time I came in she has not ceasedto kiss my feet. [46] You did notanoint my head with oil, but she hasanointed my feet with ointment. [47]Therefore I tell you, her sins, whichare many, are forgiven—for she lovedmuch.
But he who is forgiven little, loveslittle.” [48] And he said to her,“Your sins are forgiven.” [49] Thenthose who were at table with himbegan to say among themselves,“Who is this, who even forgivessins?” [50] And he said to thewoman, “Your faith has saved you;go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50
Jesus is Touched by the Sinning Woman
(vv. 36-38)
“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him”
“Behold, a woman . . . who was a sinner”
“She wept, wiped, kissed and anointed”
Jesus is Questioned by Self-righteous Simon
(v. 39)
“when the Pharisee . . . saw this . . . ”
“If this man were a prophet, he would have known”
“the woman who is touching him, is a sinner”
Jesus has Something to Say to Simon
(vv. 40-47)
“Say it, Teacher”
“Now which of them will love him more?”
“Do you see this woman?” “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven”
Jesus Confirms the Woman’s Faith
(vv. 48-50)
“Your sins are forgiven.”
“Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Jesus is Approachable
Faith ~ Forgiveness ~ Love ~ Peace
“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile tosomeone's face? Did I say words of healing?Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did Iforgive? Did I love? These are the real questions.I must trust that the little bit of love that I sownow will bear many fruits, here in this world andthe life to come.” ~ Henri Nouwen
