41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” – Luke 7:41-43
An Uninvited Guest
Jesus, the “moneylender”, is at the home of Simon the Pharisee and “debtor”. While Jesus is reclining at the table with His host, a sinful woman breaks all protocol by entering Simon’s house uninvited, not that she ever would be invited, and proceeds to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Her actions appalled Simon and his other guests. According to Simon the fact that Jesus allowed this woman to touch him was evidence that Jesus was not a prophet. Simon apparently was well acquainted with this woman as her sins not only preceded her but relegated her to a class of society with which he wanted no part. Accordingly, he thought Jesus, if He were truly a man of God, should also avoid this woman. But Simon was not only wrong about Jesus and the sinful woman, more sadly he was wrong about himself.
Playing Judge
Simon and the Pharisees had already passed judgment on the woman, and now they were doing the same with Jesus. Simon was gravely sick, but he did not recognize his illness. Blinded by his self-righteousness he was unaware of his spiritual surroundings. While he held himself on a much higher plane than this sinful woman, the truth was she had more spiritual insight than he. Quite simply, she recognized herself as a sinner while he did not. Because she recognized her sin, she recognized her need for forgiveness. Simon, on the other hand, did not see himself as a debtor but as a judge. Instead of looking down upon the sinful woman and trying to trap Jesus, he should have been looking in the mirror. The moneylender who has the divine authority to cancel his debts is reclining at his table. Meanwhile, the actions of the sinful woman are putting him to shame.
While Simon was trying to convince himself that Jesus could not be a prophet because of his lack of discernment, Jesus reveals that He not only knows about this woman, but He also knows Simon’s thoughts, and more importantly Simon’s sins. Simon, don’t worry about this woman, take care of yourself. Don’t worry about her debts, worry about your own. Simon, you are in the presence not only of a notorious sinner, but more importantly a gracious Savior. One who is willing and able to cancel your debts. Look and learn from each of them.
A Bad Host
Jesus entered your home at your invitation and you did not offer him water to wash his feet. Although Jesus was your guest, you did not greet Him with a kiss. Although Jesus honored you by reclining at your table, you did not honor Him by anointing Him with oil. This so-called despicable sinner, on the other hand, washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. Even though you did not greet Jesus with a kiss on the cheek, she graced His feet with a shower of kisses. You might have foregone anointing Jesus with oil, but she did not spare her ointment. Why? Love. Much love. Oh, she may have been a great sinner, but this unnamed woman didn’t need any parables from the lips of Jesus to open her eyes. Five hundred denarii is not only a great debt, it is a burden that was drowning her. And she knew it. But Jesus came to cancel her debt. And she loved Him for it. Greatly!
A Larger Debt
I think of we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that this sinful woman would probably put most of us to shame. Ask yourself, would you have the courage to enter Simon’s house full of Pharisees? Would you have the humility to wash Jesus’ feet with your tears? Would you have the generosity to anoint Him with your most valuable possession? Before we can answer these questions, perhaps we should refer to Jesus’ parable. If Jesus used it to teach Simon, it certainly won’t hurt us to be posed with the same question.
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
I don’t know what this parable did for the heart of Simon, but his lips gave the right answer. “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”
Do you recognize your debt? Do you recognize your inability to pay your debt? Do you realize how much you have been forgiven of? Does your love for the Savior reflect your understanding of your larger debt? When you were dead in your sins the love of God saved you. May the world see that you love much because you have been forgiven much.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” – Luke 7:47-50