SSL 12 - Luke 7:40-50 - DISCIPLESHIP ON JESUS' TERMS
BACKGROUND: Last week, in 6:27-38 Jesus taught about the vast difference between what is generally accepted "human" behavior and the much higher standard that represents "kingdom" behavior. On the natural human level, the idea of reciprocity-"Do unto others as they do unto you"-is an engrained principle. But Jesus tells us that reciprocity is not acceptable kingdom behavior-that we're not simply to give back what we get. In fact, He tells us to do some very hard things: (1) To love our enemies by doing good for them, blessing them, and praying for them; (2) If someone insults you, you must not reciprocate, hit back, but avoid confrontation and seek reconciliation; (3) We should always treat others as we would like them to treat us; (4) We should be merciful, even to ungrateful and evil people because as "Sons of God" (citizens of heaven), we are commanded to imitate God's mercy by being kind and compassionate to people who don't deserve it; (5) The command "Do not judge" means we should never make rash, uninformed snap-judgments about people but apply godly discernment and be prepared to pardon and forgive; and (6) In terms of giving to others, we must rid ourselves of the fear of giving too much, which includes not only material giving, but the giving of love, blessings, and forgiveness.
This week we'll hear Luke describe the story of Jesus forgiving a sinful woman at a certain Pharisee's house. All four gospels include reports of an anointing of Jesus by a woman, but Luke's account is so different from the other gospels that scholars suggest it should be treated as a separate incident. In the other gospels, the story takes place late in His ministry, whereas this one takes place much earlier. Another difference is that the other three gospels report the location as the house of Simon the leper, while Luke reports it at the house of Simon the Pharisee. In the other three gospels, the story focuses mainly on the waste of an expensive ointment in the anointing, while in Luke's account it centers on the woman's reputation as a sinner and Jesus' failure to condemn her.
Synopsis of Luke 7:36-39: Today's lesson opens as a Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to have dinner at his house. The location isn't disclosed but the preceding verses indicate Capernaum or somewhere nearby. Jesus arrives at the house and "reclines" at the table as was customary in Jewish meals. A woman, simply identified as a sinner (not specified but many commentaries suggest that her sin was unchastity), learns that Jesus was there and more or less comes in and crashes the party. She brought with her an alabaster vial containing an expensive, perfumed ointment of some kind. She stood behind Jesus at his feet (which were extended behind Him), crying, so that her tears began to fall on His feet, and leaned over and began wiping His feet with her hair, then began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfumed ointment. Watching all of this take place, Simon the Pharisee said, "If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner" (7:39). This is where our lesson verses start, but before we go any further, I think we can agree that this woman's seems to have appeared out of nowhere and her behavior seems odd, yes? Jewish custom in those days forbid a woman to let down her hair in the presence of any man other than her husband. Simon, obviously embarrassed by the scene, appear to be shocked that Jesus has said or done nothing so far to discourage her.
Read Luke 7:40-43 - JESUS ANSWERS WITH A PARABLE
40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So 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 judged correctly."
v. 40: "And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." Notice that Jesus doesn't retaliate in response to Simon's implied insult but nicely asks him to listen to an explanation. While Simon's reply is tinged with sarcasm, He's at least willing to listen. Jesus is providing us with a good "non-reciprocal" example of answering an insult.
vv. 41-42a: "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both." - In those times, a denarius represented a day's wage, so that a debt of 500 denarii would add up to wages for a year and half-an enormous debt, while a debt of 50 denarii, about two months pay, would be a more prudent level of debt. On the surface, we're likely to only notice that lender is simply forgiving two debts; but the statement, "he graciously forgave them both," points to a deeper level of compassion than just the routine resolution of a simple business transaction. First, let's identify the three people represented in Jesus's hypothetical parable: (1) the forgiving creditor is Jesus; (2) the more responsible and thus righteous man who owes only 50 denarii is Simon; and (3) and the person with the huge and virtually unpayable debt of 500 denarii is the woman. And the debts represent the sin in their lives,
v. 42b: "So which of them will love him more?" - The key words is "love," and Jesus' question to Simon points to the most likely answer: It's obvious that that a person who is forgiven a crushing debt is likely to be far more grateful than one excused from a much lesser debt, and the gratitude from such a magnitude of forgiveness is sure to inspire not only more appreciative feelings but even devotion and love for this undeserved level of kindness.
v. 43: " Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, 'You have judged correctly.'" - Note Simon's,"I suppose," is conditional. He realizes that Jesus has led him to this position, but He can't back out of it. By agreeing that that the one who is forgiven more loves more, He is admitting Jesus' point: That the women, having been forgiven far more, is grateful, while Simon, forgiven much less, is not really grateful but just sees it is as his just due.
Read Luke 7:44-47 - ANSWER TO THE PARABLE
44 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. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
44a: "Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon," - It's interesting that that Jesus is speaking to Simon but facing the woman. He wants her to pay close attention to what he's about to say.
44b: "Do you see this woman?" - Simon doesn't answer the question, but an honest answer would have been "No." What Simon sees is her past and her unseemly behavior at his house. He sees her as an interruption of his carefully planned meeting. He "sees" many things, like the failure of this young prophet to denounce her, but does not see her as a human being created in God's image, and significantly, he fails to see that she is profoundly changed.
44c: "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." - Jews of that time place great importance on hospitality given to a guest of the home and it was customary to offer the guest water for the washing of feet. Simon's failure presented a sharp contrast the woman's heartfelt tears and wiping of Jesus' feet with her hair.
vv. 45-46: You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume." It was also Jewish courtesy for the host to give his guest a kiss on the cheek and anoint his head, which again, are a contrast to the humble and contrite actions of the woman, anointing and kissing Jesus' feet. Going back to the key word "love" in v. 42b, the bottom line in the parable is that the woman showed Jesus (as the creditor forgiving her debt) heartfelt love, while Simon showed hardly any.
v. 47: "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." - It's easy to misunderstand this verse: to assume the women was forgiven because of her love-that her forgiveness stemmed from washing, kissing, and anointing Jesus' feet. In fact, the reverse was true: She loves Him (washes, kisses, and anoints) because she was forgiven. Jesus loves us, forgives us, and we love Him back, in that order. Amen? The text doesn't reveal the exact circumstances that led to the woman's forgiveness; however, it is clear that repentance set the stage for Jesus forgiving her.
Read Luke 7:48-50 - ASSURANCE THAT YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN
48 Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." 49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" 50 And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
v. 48: "Then He said to her, 'Your sins have been forgiven.'" -Although Jesus previously said that the woman's sin had been forgiven in v. 47, Jesus repeats it again here as a public declaration stated the perfect tense, which signals a completed action. She is now a new person in Christ, forever.
v. 49: "Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, 'Who is this man who even forgives sins?'" - Those at the table ask a good question, because only God can forgive sins. The answer to their question-even if they fail to see it-is that Jesus is the Christ, God in the flesh. Simon had earlier raised the question in his mind whether Jesus was even a prophet and those at the table now ask, "Who is this man?" Here-and this is a major theme of the lesson-Jesus shows that He's much more than a prophet; He is God come in the flesh, and He has come to save sinners like you and me.
v. 50: "And He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.'" - Notice that it was not her love that saved her. She received salvation because of her faith in Jesus. Faith brought the woman to Jesus, and her faith opened the door to forgiveness and salvation. The woman came in humility and repentance, and Jesus cancelled her debt so she could leave in peace.
APPLICATION:
1. This lesson teaches that God wants to reach all sinners. God desires to reach morally upright sinners as well as the obviously immoral sinners. Jesus demonstrated this in today's lesson as well as His willingness to associate with tax collectors and other sinners as reported earlier in Luke 6:27-32.
2. Like the woman in the lesson, in order to love Jesus from the heart, you must recognize the enormity of your sin debt. Simon and the women were equally dead in their sins but only the women was humble enough to see her desperate need for forgiveness. Simon, like many others then and now, proudly believed his sins to be so insignificant that he really didn't need a savior.
3. Like the woman in the lesson, in order to love Jesus from the heart, you must admit your utter inability to repay your sin debt. By her humility and complete submission to Jesus, the women admitted helplessness-she saw no other way. But Simon refused to admit that he needed a savior because he believed he could save himself (by works) by being a good Jew who kept the law.
4. Like the woman in the lesson, in order to love Jesus from the heart, you must completely trust His grace to forgive your otherwise unforgiveable sin debt. The main point of Jesus' story in this lesson is that forgiveness precedes and results in love, not vice-versa. And in v. 47 Jesus is saying that the woman's love from the heart was evidence of the forgiveness that preceded it. So here is the bottom line: When a person sees his or her debt of sin before God and his or her inability to pay the debt, it guides him or her to trust completely in Jesus who graciously forgives the debt, and this is the key to loving Jesus from the heart.
