Tag Archives: Luke 7:36-50

Which came first?

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Simon-Sinful-WomanJesus turns to his host, Simon and says, “So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love.” – and later Jesus tells her that her “sins are forgiven.”  When I ponder that short verse in the gospel, I have often pondered it as though it were a chicken and egg question. You know, which comes first love or forgiveness?  I think the answer is, it depends.

Scripture is clear that in the relationship between God and us, love comes first. Listen to the words of 1st Letter of John: “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins… We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:10,19) That seems pretty clear. As regards forgiveness, it is there for our asking, because God already and always loves us. Continue reading →

Love and forgiveness: lessons

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Simon-Sinful-WomanThe Parable Revealed. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

Verse 47 is ambiguous in the Greek. Scholars mount many arguments about how to translate the verse. The ambiguity comes in the word hoti which can be translated “because” or “hence.” If “because” is selected by the translator, then in English we have an implied causality: love was required to precede forgiveness. But if “hence” is the choice, then the latter actions are the consequence of a forgiveness already received. Most scholars opt for “hence.” Continue reading →

Love and forgiveness: actions

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Simon-Sinful-WomanAction, Reaction. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”

Because of our familiarity with the woman who anoints Jesus’ feet during Holy Week, we perhaps move to quickly to she…anointed them with the ointment. If we are careful readers, we see that the first action was she stood behind him at his feet weeping. Why was she weeping? Continue reading →

Love and forgiveness: notes

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Simon-Sinful-WomanHow would you title our Gospel narrative? I suspect most would lean towards a title that emphasized the actions of the woman. In part, because we possess parallels to the Lucan account in the other Gospels (Mt 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and John 12:1-8); although not exactly parallels. All of the other accounts take place in Jerusalem during Holy Week. But in Luke’s account Jesus is still in the midst of his Galilean mission. Thus, in Luke’s account there is no relation between the anointing and the burial of Jesus. Yet, there are common points of similarity e.g., the alabaster jar. But what is unique about the Lucan account is the development of a relationship between forgiveness and love. Continue reading →

Love and forgiveness: context

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Simon-Sinful-WomanA Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. Continue reading →

Love and forgiveness: parable

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Simon-Sinful-WomanThe Parable. . 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

The gist of the parable centers on the creditor who becomes a gracious benefactor, cancelling the debts of his clients. The clients have done nothing to repay debt – both seem beyond the capacity of the clients to payback. The dynamics of creditor/debtor would have been something well familiar to Simon (as it appears he is relatively wealthy in throwing a public dinner affair). He would have been quite familiar and comfortable in the quid pro quo to invitations, reciprocal invitations, and the inherent social status implied in the dynamic. The cancellation of such debts, strips away the “rules” by which interpersonal interactions were managed. Continue reading →

Love and forgiveness: context

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36 A PhariSimon-Sinful-Womansee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. Continue reading →