When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 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.
Luke 7:36 – 38 New International Version
The account in Luke 7:36 – 50 about our Lord's having dinner in the household of a Pharisee named Simon, shows us at least two failures on the part of Simon when he saw the sinful woman weeping at our Lord's feet and said to himself,
If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner. (verse 39)
His failure to do
Simon the Pharisee failed to wash Iesus' feet with water whereas the sinful woman washed His feet with her tears
He failed to greet the Lord with a kiss whereas the woman kissed His feet unceasingly.
And he failed to anoint the Lord's head with oil whereas the woman anointed His feet with costly perfume.
His failure to see
Simon saw an ugly sinner when he looked at the woman weeping at the Lord's feet. He couldn't see a beautiful person loved by God.
He only saw the woman's sins. He didn't see her remorse and her penitence.
He saw her unholy hands touching the Lord's feet. He couldn't see God's holy hands touching the woman's heart.
Conclusion
In the end it was the woman, not Simon the Pharisee, who received forgiveness, salvation and peace from the Lord.
Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ (verse 48).
Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ (verse 50).
Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us look at people with compassion like our Lord did that day in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Let us see the beautiful person loved by God our Father. Let us pray for their hearts to be touched by the hand of God. Let us pray for sins to be forgiven. Amen.
Two years ago I wrote a short comment on seeking forgiveness from God our Father, link below:
