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Weekly Message | September 6th, 2009
Passage: Luke 7:36-50
Key Verse(s): 47
The title of today’s message is “Jesus, Simon, and a Woman.” This woman was “a sinful woman.” In the time of Jesus, “a sinful woman” was mostly referring to a prostitute. So this story is about Jesus and a prostitute. Yet, the dialogue in the story is mostly between Jesus and Simon. Jesus spoke with this woman—but mostly indirectly. Much of Jesus’ attention was paid to Simon. It occurred in a very unlikely place─the house of a deeply religious man. There “a sinful woman” came and did something quite unusual. However, Jesus welcomed, defended, and blessed her. Most of all, Jesus taught about profound human needs to Simon and all people at the dinner party—including his disciples. Now, let’s go to this dinner party.
First, Jesus accepted Simon’s invitation (36-40). Look at verse 36: “Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.” Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus to his home. Pharisees were very conservative religious and political elites of Jesus’ time. They carefully followed regulated practices in all aspects of their lives. They diligently studied the Bible. They also adopted well-defined codes of conducts. Certainly, they had definite rules of hospitality. However, Simon did not keep any of them at all—because it was for Jesus.
By this time Jesus was well-known with his many miracles and powerful preaching. Wherever Jesus went, there was a large following of people. Probably, Simon, as a prominent Pharisee in the town, wanted to see Jesus without honoring him at all. So he invited Jesus in an unwilling and dubious spirit—and with a very cold welcome.
Certainly, Jesus knew about Simon who had invited him. Jesus went there anyway. If Jesus had chosen not to go to the Pharisee’s house, then there would not have been this lesson about the meaning of forgiveness. Jesus came to save all types of sinners. Jesus is the Savior of all people. Jesus was willing to go anywhere to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. Here, we learn that Jesus, as the Savior of the world, shines his light to all people.
Look at verse 37: “When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.” The woman had been living a sinful life. How did she become such a woman? Perhaps, her sinful nature made her that way, or her terrible environment was partly responsible for that. Through a series of unfortunate events, she finally ended up in such an unwanted place. She was no longer a pure woman but a sinful woman—despised, rejected, and unwanted among ordinary people in this world.
The Jewish society where Jesus lived was not necessarily safe for young women. In the Gospel we read stories about many sinful women. Why? The society was desperately poor. Particularly, Jesus paid attention to these women because they were in such need of the mercy of God. These days women from North Korea risk their lives to escape to China—because of the problem of hunger. What are their probabilities? Two out of ten might be captured and be returned to North Korea, where heavy punishment is awaiting them. Sadly enough, many of these women end up in unwanted places in China where they are abused. Why? Without any particular skills, what can they do to survive? How about Iran? Iraq? Would these strictly Moslem societies be different if the struggles for basic survival are so intense? The more societies wrestle with basic needs, the more women are vulnerable to have misfortunes including the experiences of the woman in this passage.
How about this American society? Is it safe and friendly to young women? Does it offer many safe places for young women? We emphasize physical beauty over character. Magazines, books, videos, and movies flood the market to encourage deviant behaviors. When college women become pregnant, what do they do? Each year many young girls come to college. Leaving their homes, many desire to enjoy freedom. At the same time, many are terribly lonely and anxious about life. They fall into unwanted relationships with others and get into undesirable habits. Many are deeply hurt and soon they discover that they are in trouble, and it is hard for them to get out.
The good news is that there is still a safe place for these young women. Jesus visits these broken lives. The woman in this passage also met Jesus in her desperate condition. Jesus had shown a way of life to her. Somehow she had tasted the love of God through Jesus. Probably, the words of Christ did not come to her too quickly. Yet, gradually she learned that Jesus was true. She wanted to see Jesus again. She was determined to express her love to Jesus now. She made an effort to come to Jesus. It must have been quite difficult for her to get into the house. Anyway, she managed to come to Simon’s house, even to the dinner table. When she first entered Simon’s house people looked at her with disgust on their faces, but that didn’t matter to her. She went straight to where Jesus was. She did not come to Jesus with empty hands. She brought her only treasure. Although she was a sinful woman she had a hope for a beautiful marriage as well. Although she was a sinful woman, she had an alabaster jar of expensive perfume—for someone she could love. It was for her future husband at the time of her wedding.
Second, Simon and a sinful woman (38-47). Look at verse 38: “and 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.” When she stood behind Jesus, tears were flowing from her eyes. Why? In her life she met many men who used her but Jesus was the only man who loved her with the holy love of God. Standing behind Jesus she was reminded of her sinful life in the past. She could not help but weep over her life of sin. “Oh precious Jesus, my Savior and Lord! I’m a great sinner,” she cried in her soul.
She also saw that among all the guests at the dinner table, Jesus was the only one to whom nothing was offered. In a typical Jewish dinner, invited guests were offered water to wash their feet, greeted with a holy kiss, and had oil poured on their head. However, the people in the house didn’t do any of these. Instead, they placed Jesus in the lowest possible seat. There they questioned, examined, and tested Jesus. In such a place of disrespect, she decided to honor Jesus. She welcomed Jesus in ways that were natural to her. She poured the perfume of her alabaster jar on Jesus. She kissed Jesus’ feet and wet his feet with her tears. Her tears were out of joy and repentance. She had a lot to weep over about her life and the grace of Jesus Christ. She loved Jesus so much that she was totally unconscious of other people around her. There were little exchanges of words. Neither did Jesus say anything, nor did the woman speak. In the presence of many people, the woman showed her act of devotion and Jesus accepted this. Jesus did not stop her from weeping. But he welcomed her. Jesus sanctified her. Jesus purified her sin-stained past and took away her shame.
Look at verses 39-40. At this time, Simon the Pharisee was very disturbed by this. He did not appreciate this unexpected intrusion of a woman from the street. He saw Jesus allowing the woman to show him a strange form of “street affection.” Simon, a holy man, would never let a woman with a questionable history come and try to touch him, kiss him, and pour out perfume on his body. How can any man of God accept such advances of a woman? So he concluded in his heart that Jesus was no prophet at all.
Then how did Jesus handle this very difficult situation? Jesus said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. Simon wanted to hear from Jesus. Jesus’ story went like this: “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. Now which of them will love him more?” Fifty denarii are about two months’ income. Let’s say about $6,000. Five hundred denarii are about two year’s of a healthy man’s income—let’s say about $60,000 in today’s terms. Who would be more grateful for the cancellation of these debts?
The purpose of Jesus’ story was to connect Simon, the Pharisee, to the sinful woman. Jesus brought Simon to see this woman as a fellow human being with whom he had much in common. How was it so? The Bible says that the Pharisees “loved” money (Lk 16:14). In order to maintain a clean, kosher lifestyle (i.e., clean food, clean clothes, clean houses, etc.) it required a lot of money. Simon might have had personal experience of getting into debt and in need of occasional help from his senior Pharisee friends.
Look at verses 43: “Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.’ ‘You have judged correctly,’ Jesus said.” Jesus helped Simon to make a conclusion for himself. Here, Jesus helped Simon to say that canceling a debt is very costly. Anyone who received debt cancellation would feel relieved and grateful. Now Jesus came to a final important point.
Look at verses 44-46: Then Jesus turned toward the woman and talked 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. 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.” This is Jesus’ best defense of the woman. This is Jesus’ gentle rebuke of Simon, too. Neither was Jesus angry with nor vengeful toward Simon. Simon treated Jesus badly. Without offering even water or a kiss of welcome, Simon made Jesus sit and watch other people who were eating. Simon despised Jesus the Son of God. Jesus found welcome from this woman.
Look at verse 47: “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven─for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Here, she refers to the woman. Of course, Simon is he who has been forgiven little and loves little. She found forgiveness of her many sins. She loved Jesus much. Simon was ignorant of his sins, so he was unaware of God’s grace and mercy upon his life. So he loved God little.
To sin is like getting into debt. Once the amount becomes larger and larger it is beyond payment. Then debts control people’s lives. In Jesus’ time people who failed to pay their debts were put into prison. The authorities have their property and family members sold. The debtors were completely at the mercy of their creditors. Forgiveness of sins is comparable to cancellation of debts. When we sin, we are in debt to God. The question is, “Why is God so willing to cancel our debts? Why does God forgive our sins?” Does God know what it is like to be in debt?
Here, let’s consider God’s heart. The orthodox Pharisees probably thought that God is Almighty and perfect. God never makes any mistakes. God is holy and perfect. Therefore, is God, Creator of all things, not responsible for anything terrible that goes on among his creation? Yes, Adam and Even sinned. Of course, God never makes mistakes. But does that mean that God does not feel any responsibility about his fallen creation? In a sense, the Old Testament is the book about God’s trials and errors (I would rather say errors and trials). God tried in so many ways to save his people. This is the story of redemption. I never saw any parents who said, “I have nothing to do with what my children do. If things go well, it is theirs. If not, so be it.” Parents feel a sense of obligation over how their children turn out─what they become. Manufacturers are responsible how their products turn out. Then, why wouldn’t Creator God feel something if his creation is in such bad shape? Does God feel great pains to take our sins and failures on himself? Yes, the God we believe in is the God of Jesus Christ who took our sins on his body through the cross (1Pe 2:24).
God knows how we sinners are beaten down. God watches how people suffer. God hears the cries of his people. God is not helplessly watching. God is coming. God is engaging. God is acting on our behalf. One thing God does is extend his hospitality. God welcomes sinners. God offers his safe place. In the European Summer Bible Conference, the director of Open Door Ministries spoke about what they do. They have operational capabilities to deliver one million Bibles a day as needed. They also offer safe places for North Korean people who escape. God’s grace in this life is practiced in the form of hospitality. A few weeks ago I found myself lost in the airport in Rome. There I was told that I had no ticket—just a reservation but no ticket. I was there for four hours waiting to have this taken care. In this lost state, one woman came forward and issued a special ticket on my behalf. She went with me to the counter and explained why I needed this. Because of her act of grace I was able to go to Kiev and then come back to Toledo. How wonderful it is to extend helping hands to those who are desperate if it is possible within our power. In this life we are what we are by the grace of God. This grace of God is not merely about getting through our desperate situations. This grace of God is about his presence in our lives. By remembering the grace of God we love Christ and care for people in need. The woman loved Jesus because she knew the deep grace she received having her many sins forgiven. We need to study the Bible so that we may love Jesus much, not little.
Third, Jesus blessed the woman’s faith (48-50). Look at verse 48: “Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” Jesus publicly declared that her sins were forgiven. In this way, Jesus convicted her of her sin and freed her as well. She knew her Savior who convicted of her sin and accepted her repentance. Then Jesus publicly declared the forgiveness of her sins. Then, Jesus said, “Go in peace.” Jesus did not speak about profound theology here. Jesus simply sent her away with his words of blessing. Jesus sent her back into the world. Would she live a new life, or would she fall back into her old habits? We don’t know. Jesus gave her the peace of God. She might have failed again. But she was not the same person. She tasted the welcoming love of God. She experienced God’s hospitality in her life. God came to her. She welcomed him. In brief, this passage is about God’s hospitality. This is about God’s welcome. God has come. Like Simon we have not welcomed Jesus. We were not open to Jesus. Yet, God brings into our presence people like this woman—once wretched and desperate but now forgiven and saved. In this way, God proclaims his hospitality for us. Through the forgiveness of our sins we accept Gods’ hospitality and his welcome. Therefore, we also practice God’s hospitality to other sinners. We welcome sinners. This world is tough. But we can face anything with this gift of hospitality that God shows to us through Jesus Christ and his people.
September 6, 2009; Dr. Paul Hong; Toledo, UBF.
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
