The Woman Who Loved Much.

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

   
³⁶ Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behindHim weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 
⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” 


So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 


⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 


⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” 
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 

⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 

⁴⁹ And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 

⁵⁰ Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”


To My Daughters,


This is my favorite story in the gospels.  The fruit of forgiveness is love.  True faith cannot be hidden.  It will reveal itself in love and worship.   Once you understand and "see" who you really are in the light of Jesus...in the light of all He has done for you...you, too, will fall at His feet in brokenness and worship.  This woman knew who Jesus was.  This woman understood how much she had been forgiven.  She understood that she was a sinner in need of a Savior.  She understood the enormity of what she had been saved from and the rest that Jesus offered. Consequently, she loved much. 


Warren Wiersbe points out rightly that Christ's invitation to come to Him for rest, Matthew 11:28-30 precedes Luke 7:36-50.  


Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”--Matthew 11:28-30



This woman came to Christ here and make no mistake it took much courage for a woman like her to come to the house of a Pharisee...the Pharisees had shown  nothing but contempt for sinners.  Upon coming, however, she found Jesus and she found rest.  Simon the Pharisee did not understand the debt he owed.  He did not "see" himself and therefore he did not "see" Jesus.  Simon was blinded by his own self righteousness. The evidence of his lack of love is clearly seen in this story. Simon gave Jesus no water or servant to wash His feet.  This was a huge oversight.  Washing a guest's feet was an essential formality...not offering was tantamount to insult. This woman not only washed Jesus feet and wiped them with her tears but also anointed them with an alabaster flask of fragrant oil that was probably worth two year's wages.  This woman loved much because she had been forgiven much.  Our faith is our access to God's grace.  The love poured out in this woman's heart was evidence of her salvation.  Her faith (which is a gift of God) had saved her.  


The contrast between the love and worship shown to Jesus by this prostitute and Simon the Pharisee whose life had been devoted to obeying the law of God is haunting. This woman's faith saved her...Simon's self sufficiency and self righteousness not only blinded him but damned him.   

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ....“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

This is the same message Jesus has for all sinners who come to Him in sincerity and in truth seeking forgiveness and rest...no matter how vile...no matter how great a sinner...peace and rest are yours in Christ.


Love
Mom