“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47 ESV1
Read Luke 7:36-50
Country artist, Ronnie Milsap, recorded a song entitled, “What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life.” The lyrics of that song are:
“What a difference you’ve made in my life.
What a difference you’ve made in my life.
You’re my sunshine day and night.
Oh, what a difference you’ve made in my life.
What a change you’ve made in my heart.
What a change you’ve made in my heart.
You replaced all the broken parts.
Oh, what a change you’ve made in my heart.
Love, to me, was just a word in a song that had been way overused.
But now I have joined in the singing
because you’ve showed me love’s true meaning.
That’s why I want to spread the news.
What a difference you’ve made in my life.
What a difference you’ve made in my life.
You’re my sunshine day and night.
Oh, what a difference you’ve made in my life. (5X)”2
I don’t know for whom Mr. Milsap sang his song, but every time it runs through my head, I can’t help but think of Jesus. And I imagine the woman highlighted in the following Scriptures had a very similar song playing in her heart for Jesus.
“One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at the 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 the 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’” (Luke 7:36-50).
There is much about this parable and that is easier to understand if one has some basic information concerning the scene in which it was told. Hospitality looked quite different when Jesus walked this Earth than with what we may be familiar, especially in the Western world.
A Different Culture
Hospitality in ancient Israel was far more significant and necessary than it is in our culture today.
Travel was primarily on foot, so distances longer than twenty miles could not be completed in a day. The landscape of Israel was dotted with small towns. Most of these villages had no inn. During the time in which Jesus ministered on Earth, He spent much of His time in Galilee.
“In the Galilee region, it was estimated there were around 2409 villages and towns … The average village was small, covering no more than one hectare, with a population of only a few hundred people (Nazareth). Larger towns were generally walled (Jericho and Nain) and had around two thousand inhabitants.”3
At the time of Jesus’ birth, Bethlehem was probably larger than the average village. They did have an inn, but remember, because of the influx of people coming into that town to participate in Caesar Augustus’ required census, it quickly became full.
“And [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped [Jesus] in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).
Hospitality was considered a blessing not only to travelers but a response to the leading of God.
“Men of the East [still] believe that a person who becomes their guest is sent to them by God. Thus, their hospitality becomes a sacred duty.”4 This belief originated with the account of Abraham when he entertained three strangers who proved to be more than they appeared. The narrative began like this:
“[Abraham] lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, ‘If I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that, you may pass on—since you have come to your servant’” (Genesis 18:2-6a).
As the account progressed, one of the visitors was identified as the LORD Himself (see Genesis 18:17) and the other two were recognized as angels (see Genesis 19:1).
Hospitality continued to be viewed as a Christian responsibility in the Early Church. The Apostle Paul taught:
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).
“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:13).
Hospitable hosts were expected to treat their guests with an extraordinary degree of respect.
What was considered a normal expression of respect in the Middle East may seem awkward to Westerners.
“Guests in Holy Land homes expect to be kissed as they enter … Here men shake hands when they meet and greet, but in Palestine, instead of doing this, they place their right hand on their friend’s left shoulder and kiss his right cheek, and then reversing the action, place their left hand on his right shoulder, and kiss his left cheek.”4
Ancient Middle Eastern guests would also have expected to have their feet washed. This was necessary, as guests had been walking in sandals, possibly for many miles, along dusty roadways. Their feet were dirty. Clean, bare feet were required because of the way participants ate their meals. They did not sit on chairs with their feet on the floor beneath them. They lay on couches, mats, or pillows leaning on their left elbows and eating with their right hands. Their heads were together around a low table and their feet were stretched out behind them. Dirty feet or shoes would have soiled the fabric of that on which they reclined.
We might expect a hospitable host to provide a meal. What we may not realize, though, is that a meal together was far more significant than physical nourishment.
“The sharing of food is in the East a very special act of hospitality. It means far more than it means in the West. It is a way of making a covenant of peace and fidelity … An Eastern proverb runs thus: ‘The guest while in the house is its lord.’ This is a true statement of the spirit of the hospitality of the East. One of the first greetings a Palestinian host will give his guest is to say, ‘Hadtha beitak,’ i.e., ‘This is your house.’ This saying is repeated many times. Thus, actually, the guest during his stay is master of the house. And whenever the guest asks a favor, in granting it the host will say, ‘You do me honor.’ … [As such,] in the lands of the East, when a host accepts a man to be his guest, he thereby agrees at whatever the cost to defend his guest from all possible enemies during the time of his entertainment … One remarkable feature of [Eastern] hospitality is that sometimes an enemy is received as a guest, and as long as he remains in [the guest] relationship, he is perfectly safe and is treated as a friend.”4
Hospitality events in the ancient Middle East weren’t necessarily private.
The arrangement of homes and their proximity to one another led to the lack of privacy.
“In Jesus’ time, … [homes were] … built around a central open court … The open concept retained the coolness by allowing air to move freely through. Cooking [and eating] could also be done in the open central court … Families, sometimes including several generations, tended to live under one roof and had little or no privacy.”5 “Buildings were constructed in close proximity to one another, separated by small paved walkways, often no wider than the width of a camel on either side with bales of flax.”3
Hospitality in such an environment was less like having over a specific person and more like throwing a barbeque for the entire village. Additionally, because hospitality centered around the guest and his/her needs and preferences, anyone the guest wanted to attend the gathering was welcome. That meant an event could be attended by a motley group.
Two Very Different People
Indeed, the meal at which Jesus found Himself the Guest of Honor was attended by someone quite dissimilar to the host. It was their diversity that provided the scene for Jesus’ parable.
Male vs. Female
The most obvious difference between Jesus’ host, Simon, and the contrasting attendee was that Simon was a man and the other was a woman. In modern culture, this difference would not be significant, but in the Middle East in the first century, it would have been extreme.
“Gender roles were strictly adhered to in a Palestinian village … In village society, a stranger would not make eye contact with a woman in a public place: certainly, directly addressing her would have been very inappropriate. It would be expected that a male, as a matter of courtesy and decency would withdraw for the area by about six metres to allow a woman to attend to her business.”3
Most likely, only men were reclining around Simon’s table while he was entertaining Jesus. Simon’s wife may have prepared the meal, but likely, she and Simon’s children would have not eaten with the group. Considering this, the fact that a woman was hanging around the table and touching Jesus would have been very shocking.
Righteous vs. Sinner
What would have been even more appalling was that Simon was a Pharisee and this woman was immoral.
The Pharisees were the most outwardly moral people in the society.
“[The word ‘Pharisee’] comes from the Hebrew word parash … which means, ‘to separate or disperse’ or ‘separated ones.’ They separated themselves not only from the heathen but also from other influences that regularly came into Palestine. They advocated and adhered to a scrupulous observance of both the written and oral laws as interpreted by Scribes, in accordance with tradition … The New Testament mentions several traditions practiced by the Pharisees. They fasted often (Matthew 9:14, Luke 18:12), and ceremonially washed their hands often, especially before eating bread. They believed ‘unwashed’ hands were defiled (Matthew 15:1 – 2, Mark 7:1 – 4). They washed … cups, pots, pitchers, tables, etc. often (Mark 7:4).”6
Simon was all about the pursuit of righteousness and purity in practicing his religion. It seems as if he and his fellow Pharisees were obsessed with cleanliness and purity. Whereas, the women who came into his home after Jesus was, in Simon’s mind, about as dirty and impure as anyone could be. The word used for “sinner” in describing her is “hamartōlos.” It means “devoted to sin, … especially wicked … specifically of [people] stained with certain definite vices or crimes”7
Scripture doesn’t tell us how she became known as such a notoriously evil person. Maybe it was her own doing. Perhaps, she was born rebellious, continually disobeyed her parents, blew past every boundary laid down for her, and continually chose the wrong path. But maybe she became known as sinful because of what was done to her. Most scholars believe this woman was a prostitute. No little girl dreams of growing up to be a prostitute. It is abuse that causes a girl to believe that her self-worth is only as valuable as her sexuality. And it is misfortune that drives a woman to resort to prostitution to put food on the table.
Because of the way she responded to Jesus, though, we can be sure that this woman never before met anyone who showed the kind of love He did, nor was anyone so worthy of the love she showered upon Him.
Respected vs. Disdained
“The Pharisees were an influential religious sect within Judaism in the time of Christ and the early church … The Pharisees were mostly middle-class businessmen and leaders of the synagogues. Though they were a minority in the Sanhedrin and held a minority number of positions as priests, they seemed to control the decision-making of the Sanhedrin because they had popular support among the people.”8
The sinful woman at Simon the Pharisee’s house didn’t have any social power; she didn’t have the approval of those in her community. Her business didn’t afford her middle-class status. She had limited freedom and hardly any decision-making impact. And if she were religious, no one knew or even considered her such.
Educated vs. Uneducated
“‘Though some Pharisees were part of the governing class, most Pharisees were subordinate officials, bureaucrats, judges, and educators … It is most likely that Pharisees were active in a number of occupations and roles in society and were bound together by certain beliefs and practices and by endeavors to influence social change.’”9
There is no evidence in this passage of Scripture that Simon was among the socially elite, but what we do know, whether he was part of the governing class or served another role in society, he had many more options than the woman who showed up at this home.
In this time period, in this place in the world, there were few opportunities for even the godliest and most fortunate women.
“Child-rearing and managing the family household was for women, whilst earning a living was a male domain. Similarly, only females would act as midwives, whilst males would attend to any legal and contractual matters. What limited education was available within a village context was restricted to males.”3
I am not attempting to cast a bad light on child-rearing and homemaking. What I am suggesting is that for a woman like the one highlighted in this passage, if she didn’t have a father or husband to provide for her, she had no way other than begging or prostitution to provide for herself.
Small Debt vs. Large Debt
In the parable above, Jesus mentioned, “‘A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty’” (Luke 7:41). A denarius was a day’s wage for a common laborer. Fifty denarii were less than two months’ wages; five hundred denarii were almost a year and a half’s wages. Obviously, repaying fifty days’ wages is much more likely than five hundred days’, but the point of this parable is not the size of the debt but the fact that neither of them was able to repay.
With this parable, Jesus was attempting to help Simon realize that both he and the woman needed forgiveness. Even if the woman’s debt, because of the extent of her sin, was ten times that of Simon’s, Simon still had a debt he could not repay. All of Simon’s hard work in separating himself from anything or anyone who was unholy and all of his focus on cleanliness was of some benefit but it couldn’t make him holy or clean enough to gain salvation; he was far from the perfection of Jesus that is required to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Denial vs. Acceptance
In Jesus’ parable, fifty denarii were just as impossible for the one to come up with as five hundred was for the other. That is why the creditor in Jesus’ parable, “‘when they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both’” (Luke 7:42a). When Jesus asked, “‘Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt’” (Luke 7:42b-43). Simon had judged correctly in this fictional situation, but did he realize how much he owed in reality?
The real problem stemmed from the fact that those who were like Simon felt they were righteous by their own efforts, whereas the ones who were more like the woman, knew they were far from what they should be. The ground for Jesus’ ministry had been prepared by John the Baptist.
“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Mark 1:2-3).
“But when [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance’” (Matthew 3:7-8).
Because the common people, the soldiers, and the sinners responded to John’s message, repented, and changed their behavior, they were ready to recognize Jesus as Savior when He came. But the religious elite, either rejected John’s message or went through the motions of baptism without any real repentance. Because of this inadequate response, to their demise, they ended up resisting Jesus.
“When all the people heard, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him” (Luke 7:29-30).
Jesus’ parable and subsequent conversation about “the woman of the city, who was a sinner, [and when she] learned that [Jesus] was reclining at the 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” (Luke 7:37-38) proved that she did so out of appreciation for being forgiven. I believe she showered her love on Jesus in this way because she had first come to John the Baptist, had realized the depth of her sin, had repented, and had been baptized. Though the town did not yet see it, she was a changed woman. She brought what she had—maybe the only thing of worth she had—to spend on the One who was her Savior.
Simon may have gone out to see John the Baptist too but he came back the same old Simon. Sometimes, being advantaged can be a disadvantage.
“Jesus [once] said to His disciples, ‘Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).
Simon was far richer than the woman in almost every sense of the word, but the woman, in her humility, ended up richer in the spiritual sense. Her disadvantage was turned into an advantage when she met with the Living God.
Generosity out of Duty vs. Generosity out of Desire
Simon invited over Jesus to investigate Him. It was his responsibility.
“Hospitality was generally extended, in the first instance, by a village elder. Once a stranger [had] established their honour [and] gained the approval of the elder, generally through a challenge and retort interaction, then all in the village would welcome and respect the visitor.”3
As Simon studied Jesus, he determined, saying “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’” (Luke 7:39). Yet, Jesus proved He knew the character of the one who touched Him by reading the mind of the one who doubted Him. “And Jesus answering said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you’” (Luke 7:40a).
There is no evidence that Jesus’ ability to read Simon’s mind impressed him, nor is there any indication that Jesus’ parable convicted him. The most Simon would admit was that the one who was forgiven a larger debt would love more than the one with a smaller debt cancelled. Simon’s reply was quite smug, “‘The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt’” (Luke 7:43a).
Simon’s attitude toward Jesus was not only evidenced by what he said but by what he left undone. There were many actions that were Simon’s responsibility that he neglected.
“Turning toward the woman [Jesus] 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” (Luke 7:44-46).
The woman gave what she had no responsibility to give and she did so with extravagance. “When she learned that [Jesus] was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, [she] brought an alabaster flask of ointment” (Luke 7:37b). Alabaster is a kind of rock that is fairly soft and can be carved easily. The ancients often used it to make containers because they believed it would help preserve that which they placed inside. The beautiful-smelling ointment (in other translations—perfume) was something that this woman had been keeping safe; she had a purpose for it. Whatever the reason beforehand, when she met Jesus, the ointment was reserved for and spent on Him.
She went to where she was not welcome to do what she could do for the One who loved her in a way no one had done before. “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” (Luke 7:38). She graciously poured out her precious ointment on Jesus. It didn’t matter to her what people thought. Her reputation, as bad as it was, and this ointment may have been all she had. But she was willing to give it up for a few moments of blessing Jesus.
Jesus saw her and received her love. Jesus “said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? … I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.’ And [Jesus said to [the woman], ‘Your sins are forgiven … Your faith has saved you; go in peace’” (Luke 7:44, 47-48 & 50). The text doesn’t tell us where she went from Simon’s house but we can be sure she went forgiven and with the faith she needed to make a new beginning.
Simon, on the other hand, was probably relieved when the meal was over. When asked about Jesus, he likely didn’t paint Him in a good light. But anyone who observed the changed life of the woman couldn’t help but realize there was something special about the One she had encountered. “‘Who is this, who even forgives sins’” (Luke 7:49b)?
What a Difference Experiencing all of Jesus Makes
Simon lounged at Jesus’ head and scrutinized Him. The woman stood at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him. You may think you have never been at a gathering attended by two people so different. But if you have ever attended a Christian religious event of any kind, you have rubbed shoulders with people exactly like the hard-working Pharisee and the forgiven woman.
Both kinds of people are attracted to Jesus. Some are drawn to His head; they come to gain knowledge about Jesus. Others are drawn to His feet; they come to praise and adore Him. But there is a third kind of person who attends Christian gatherings. They are the ones who are drawn to both Jesus’ head and feet. And this is, by far, the best way to come to Jesus.
This third person is like Mary of Bethany. At the end of Jesus’ ministry, Mary performed a service for Jesus very much like that of the woman above who showered her love on Jesus at the beginning of His ministry.10
“Mary, therefore, took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair” (John 12:3a) “and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table” (Matthew 26:7b).
“[When those in attendance began to complain about the waste,] Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me … She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her’” (Mark 14:6 & 8-9).
When Believers spend time at both the head and feet of Jesus, they interact with all of Jesus. Such persons come to know Jesus and begin to experience life the way God intended. “‘This is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent’” (John 17:3). “‘God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’” (John 4:24). One or the other just won’t do; you have to have both.
“Very many Christians have no sense of the great difference between the religion of the mind and the religion of the heart, and the former is far diligently cultivated than the latter. They know not how infinitely greater the heart is than the mind. It is in this that one of the chief causes must be sought for the feebleness of our Christian life … In all of religion, we have to use these two powers. The mind has to gather knowledge from God’s word, and prepare the food by which the heart with the inner life is nourished.”11
“Getting knowledge is your work; opening your heart to understand is the work of the Holy Spirit. But you must ask Him for wisdom and believe He will give it to you. God has promised wisdom to those who ‘ask in faith, nothing wavering’ (James 1:6). Strive for wisdom, not so men will respect and admire you, but so they will celebrate God’s greatness. The end of every human effort should be to magnify His name.”12
Are you drawn more the Jesus’ head or Jesus’ feet? Regardless of where you find yourself, you won’t be fully satisfied until you move in the other direction while still holding on to what you have gained in your current position. Because it is only in experiencing all of Jesus that you can actually know and love Him. And it is in discovering all of Jesus that He makes a difference in your life worth singing about.
1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.
5 http://blog.adw.org/2014/07/what-were-typical-homes-like-in-jesus-time/
7 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g268/esv/mgnt/0-1/
8 https://www.gotquestions.org/Pharisees.html?msclkid=e12a1817aee811ecbe97684674b28072
9 A quote by Professor Anthony J. Saldarini, Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary: https://overviewbible.com/pharisees/?msclkid=39acdde6aeea11ec8562d8cfaef5c167
10 For my commentary on this event check out: https://www.blueturtletrails.com/the-head-and-feet-of-jesus/
11 Andrew Murry, Waiting on God, Middletown, DE, Fleming H. Revell Company, 2018, pages 30-31.
12 William Gurnall, edited by James S. Bell Jr., Daily Readings from The Christian in Complete Armour, Chicago, IL, Moody Publishers, 1994, April 4.