Forgiveness and Love
Luke 7:36-50
Key Verse 7:47
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Today we are going to meet two people who are really different to each other. One is a woman who lived a sinful life. The other one is a Pharisee who lived religious life from his young age. It is easy for people to judge or treat others differently based on their social backgrounds. But, today’s passage teaches us that though they are different, both of them are the same sinners in the eyes of God and both are in need of His Forgiveness for their sins. In the end, the woman received the forgiveness of sins, while the Pharisee did not. Such result was not determined by their social or religious backgrounds, but rather by their faith in Jesus. The woman came to Jesus with a heart full of repentance, humility, and gratitude for the forgiveness of her sins, while the Pharisee failed to recognize Jesus and even his own need for forgiveness.
As we study this passage, we may come to realize our own sinfulness and our need for forgiveness. We may come to Jesus with humble and repentant heart, so that we too receive the wonderful words of Jesus, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you.”
First, Jesus accepted sinners (36-39)
Look at verse 36. One of the Pharisees named Simon invited Jesus to dinner with him. In those days, most Pharisees were critical of Jesus, accusing him of being only interested in drunkards and being the friends of the sinners. Then, why might Simon have invited Jesus? And why did Jesus accept his invitation? Simon had heard people calling him a great prophet after he raised a young man from dead. Perhaps Simon was curious to know more about Jesus or maybe he wanted to boost his own status by hosting a dinner with the popular figure. But, it is clear that he did not yet know that Jesus was the Son of God and the promised Messiah.
Still, Jesus did not reject his invitation. Willingly Jesus accepted the invitation to eat with Pharisees. In chapter 5, he accepted Levi’s invitation and ate with all other tax collectors and sinners. Here, Jesus went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table to eat with other Pharisees or other religious leaders. To Jesus, a good shepherd, Simon was also a lost sheep, a sinner just like Levi, though he had lived religious life as a Pharisee. Out of pride and self-righteousness, Simon believed that he was not a sinner and did not need redemption; he believed that God was already pleased with him just the way he was. In this sense, he was truly a lost one who did not know what he was doing, not realizing his own sinfulness. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, whether they are public sinners like tax collectors, or hidden sinners like Pharisees.
Look at verse 37. While Jesus was having dinner with the Pharisee Simon, an unexpected thing happened. Suddenly, a woman came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. She was not an invited guest. Who was she? The Bible describes that people of the town knew that she lived a sinful life. It means that she was one of public sinners, most likely a prostitute. The fact that a prostitute appeared at a Pharisee’s dinner itself would have been quite scandalous and surprising event that Luke emphasized the shock factor by saying, “And behold (and See) (καὶ ἰδοὺ) (ESV)” at the beginning of the story.
But look at verse 38. What she did was even more surprising to everyone. She stood behind Jesus at his feet and began to weep. The woman’s tears began to flow steadily, falling on Jesus’ feet and mixing with the dust. She wanted to clean up, but she didn’t have any towel. Hence, she let down her long hair and began to wipe Jesus’ feet with it which was a symbol of women’s glory and beauty. The more she wiped, the more tears fell and she used them to wash his feet. She then kissed his feet again and again. Without hesitation, she snapped the alabaster jar and poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. Then, suddenly and immediately, the fragrant scent of perfume filled the whole room, and it caught the attention of all the people who were there to listen to the teaching of Jesus. What an odd and shocking scene it was. All what she had done were against common sense. Everyone fell silent, trying to process what they just witnessed.
If you were there, how would you interpret the woman’s actions toward Jesus? Look at how Simon responded in verse 39. “When the Pharisee who invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man was a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.” Almost immediately Simon in his mind judged the woman as a sinner. He might be able to indentify numerous laws and regulations that the woman had broken. He thought that he was clean while the woman was unclean. He felt even offended by the presence and actions of the sinful woman, thinking that she ruined his banquet. Moreover, he could not understand why Jesus who was called a prophet didn’t reject her filthy actions; why he did not stop her, but let her touch him. He judged Jesus for his lack of spiritual discernment. He thought that Jesus should never allowed such sinful woman to defile or touch him.
Here, his reaction reveals much about his condition of his heart. Simon did not understand the woman and did not even try to understand her. Even, he did not know the heart of Jesus. He was filled with pride, a self-righteous attitude, and a legalistic mind set. Even though he was religious leader, he did not have the heart of God. To him, what she had done toward Jesus was nothing but an act of defiance and scandalous against the laws and regulations.
Then, how did Jesus respond? Nothing! Jesus did not do anything, but just received all her actions, looking at her silently. In fact, it could be a very awkward situation. Seeing what she had done, some people could think that there was something going on between Jesus and the woman. Still, Jesus did not say anything, nor stop her. Jesus allowed her to weep tears, wipe his feet with her hair, kiss his feet, and pout perfume on them. Why did he do so? Was it because he didn’t know she lived a sinful life. No. It was because Jesus understood what was in her heart and mind. (Jn2:24-25) Jesus knew that it was an expression of her repentance for her sins; it was an expression of her faith in forgiveness of sins. By accepting her expression of repentance and faith, Jesus accepted her as she was. Jesus knew very well that she was a sinful woman, but he was not shamed of her. Though no one respected her, Jesus treasured her as a child of God by accepting her. This is how Jesus treats anyone who comes to him by faith, no matter how terrible their sins. Jesus said in John’s gospel, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”(Jn6:37)
We do not know how she came to live such a sinful life. She had been the object of shame and insult in that town. She had been spat upon and cursed at. With feeling of guilt and self-condemnation, she was broken and wounded. She desperately wanted freedom and forgiveness. however, everyone despised her and rejected her. There was no human remedy, no human solutions for her wounded soul. One day she heard how the notorious tax collector Levi whom even herself despised became one of the disciples of Jesus through Jesus’ grace of the forgiveness of sins. She heard that Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them. She heard Jesus’ word, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”(Lk5:31-32) Right away, she knew that it was not a joke, but the word of Truth, the words of eternal life. She deeply and humbly acknowledged her sinful statues and simply believed in the word of Jesus; she believed Jesus’ authority to forgive sins; she believed that Jesus came to call her to repentance. Since much tears, she repented of her sins.
Then, the guilt was gone; the shame was gone from her heart. The heavy burden of sin fell off her shoulders. Instead, longings for holiness and righteousness began to occupy her heart. She was swept away with affection and love for Jesus who had forgiven her despite her terrible sins. She knew that she would not be welcomed at the Pharisee’s house, but that did not matter to her any more. She knew that the people might condemn her, but that did not not matter to her any more. She was no longer bound by fear or shame or guilt. Her faith in Jesus had empowered her to be free from all these, but to live in the grace of Jesus. His grace made her bold to come to Jesus. She might sing a Hymn, “Grace, Grace, God’s Grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within! Grace, Grace, God’s grace. Grace that is greater than all my sin!”
Jesus knew that it was an expression of her gratitude for the forgiveness of sins. It was an expression of her love for Jesus who loved her and forgave her. More than that, It was her act of humble adoration. It was her act of worship Jesus as the Son of God who had authority to forgive sins. That was why she poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet. Later, Jesus blessed this woman’s faith, saying “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you, go in peace.” Though she did not say anything, Jesus knew all her repentance, her faith, her gratitude, and her love for him. Such amazing expression of love is actually her response to the amazing grace of the forgiveness she had already received. We may come to Jesus by faith in Jesus, no matter what. Jesus who knows what is in our heart welcomes sinners for he came to seek and save the lost.
Second. Whoever has been forgiven little loves little.
Unlike the woman who had received the forgiveness of sins and filled with peace and love, Simon was full of anger against the woman and even Jesus. He was disgusted by what the woman did and by what Jesus let her do. In verses 40-43, Jesus read his mind and told him the story to teach him that everyone is spiritually in debt which can never be repaid.
In the story, two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. One denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer. The minimum wage of the State of New Jersey is currently $14.13 per hour. Usually, one laborer works 8 hours a day. So, the minimum daily wage would be around $115. Therefore, five hundred denarii would be equivalent to $ 58,000, while fifty denarii would be equivalent to $ 5,800. However, Neither of them had the money to pay him back. Out of great compassion, the moneylender forgave the debts of both unconditionally. What a wonderful and merciful moneylender! In the world, there is no such moneylender. Typically Moneylenders are seen as stingy and merciless, unwilling to lose even a single penny. What a amazing day for the debtors. All their debts were forgiven.
Then Jesus asked Simon the Pharisee, “Now which of them will love him more?” (42)
The answer is obvious. Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” (43) Jesus complimented him, “Simon, you have judged correctly.” Simon might have felt good about himself. Then Jesus came to the point. He wanted to set Simon free from his self-righteousness and prejudice. He wanted to open Simon’s eyes to see the truth. In order to do so Jesus told him the meaning of the parable of two debtors, by contrasting the woman’s love with that of Simon’s.
Look at verses 44-46. Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet” It was a Jewish etiquette that the host of a banquet offered his honorable guest water for his feet, a kiss on the cheek, and a drop of oil on his head. However, Simon didn’t offer any of these to Jesus. It means that he did not consider Jesus to be an honorable guest. He didn’t know who Jesus was or who he himself was in relations to Jesus, the Son of Go. It tells that he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus.
On the contrary, the woman knew exactly that she was a sinner who deserved God’s judgment, but Jesus was her Lord and Savior who forgave all her sins. She had a deep and personal relationship with Jesus by faith in His words. Hence, she wet Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. She didn’t stop kissing his feet and poured expensive perfume on his feet. She gave her heart and love to Jesus.
What made Simon and the woman act differently toward Jesus? Look at verse 47. “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little” To be honest, when I read this parable, the first thing I thought was that I might be a better sinner than the sinful woman. Is it true that the woman was a great sinner while the Pharisee Simon was a less sinner because he had lived keeping the laws of God? Not at all! In fact, there is no greater sinner or less sinner from the point of view of God because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23). The amount of debt may differ from person to person, but No one is able to repay it. To God, human beings are all terrible sinners, and there is not much difference. To God our righteous acts are like filthy rage, so to compare who might be better sinner is foolish and arrogant.
The prophet Isaiah thought that he was righteous and complained of God and his people. But when he saw the glorious presence of God, he was terrified of his sins saying, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Is 6:5). A young man called Saul was filled with self-righteous led the persecution against the Church of God. However, later he confessed “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.”(1Ti1:15) The more he knew the holy God, the more he realized he was sinner; the more he could realize the grace of God. So, he loved Jesus more and more and he could love other more and more. The woman showed her great love to Jesus because her many sins had been forgiven, while Simon didn’t love Jesus because his sins had not been forgiven. We can see a clear relationship between forgiveness and love. The more we have been forgiven from Jesus, the more we love Jesus.
Some people misunderstand that we should sin more to know Jesus’ love more. That is not the point of the parable. How much we recognize the depth of our sinfulness before God is the point of Jesus’ teaching. Simon was already a wretched sinner who deserved God’s wrath. However, his pride and his self-righteousness blinded him. So he remained arrogant, critical and cold-hearted. But, the woman clearly saw her dirty sins and realized how terrible sinner she was before God who is holy and glorious. So, she could not but come to Jesus, the son of God, who has the authority to forgive her sins. When she came to Jesus by faith in his words, she received the forgiveness of sins. She knew how amazing it is the grace of Jesus, so that she expressed her love and gratitude in such way. Such expression of love is a natural response to such an underserved grace given to her.
People like Simon in the world do not understand the woman’s love and devotion for Jesus. They do not understand why M. Rebecca has devoted her whole life for campus students, though she could live luxury and comfortable life under the care of her rich parents; Why she had served and loved others students, sending her one and only son to America. People do not understand why M. Grace Park had to raise 8 children and worked more than 40 or 50 hours in Honors Review. They do not understand Why M. Sarah Chung has remained NJ and served co-workers and campus student 1:1 Bible study. It is because they deeply and personally experienced the love of Jesus for them through Jesus’ death on a cross for their sins. The grace of forgiveness of their sins was so great that they have devoted their lives for the campus mission and world mission. Their devotional love for Christ comes from the grace of Jesus’ forgiveness. Because they have been loved greatly by Jesus through the forgiveness of their sins, they have loved Jesus greatly.
If you feel that the forgiveness of Jesus has not been great for you, it is because you haven’t known how terrible sinners you are and you do not recognize how Jesus suffered on the cross for your sins. Though you do not feel the love of Jesus, it does not mean that God does not love you. God is love always. God loves us so much that he sent his one and only son to die for our sins. While we were still sinner, Christ died for us. While we rejected him, God loved us. While we sinned against him, he loved us. While we do not know his love for us, still he loves us. There is a saying that you do not truly realize your parents love for you until you have your own children.
Then how can we experience and recognize the love of Jesus, the grace of forgiveness deeply? We need to be in the presence of God in the Spirit and in truth, which is our true worship.
We can do so when we have fellowship with the Spirit of God through prayers, reading and meditating on the word of God, Daily Bread, Bible studies, praise and worship night, Sunday worship service and fellowship. By believing the Scriptures, we can meet Jesus personally and experience the love of the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we experience the forgiveness of Jesus deeply, we can serve Jesus wholeheartedly. (Ro 12:1) We will offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Ro 12:1). We will feed Jesus’ sheep with great joy as Jesus asked us: “Do you love me? Feed my sheep” (Jn 21:17). Our life of faith and mission will not be a burden, but a great joy and happiness for us.
Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven” (48). It was a public declaration of her forgiveness. Because she was a public sinner, it was necessary that Jesus declares her forgiveness publicly. If anyone wanted to condemn her and criticize her, they would be arguing with the Almighty God who justified her. The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (49) But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (50).
Today’s message teaches me that we need to meet the presence of God to be forgiven of my sins and to restore my personal relationship with God. May God help to us serve Jesus wholeheartedly as the woman did. May God help Dream Team to see their sinfulness and also the love of Christ that washes away all their sins, so that each of them any come to Jesus as the woman did.