Luke 7:36-47
If We Have Been Forgiven Only a Little, We Love Only a Little
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 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. 38 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.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he 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.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he 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. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 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.”
The woman who anointed and cried on Jesus knew she was a sinner...And so it was possible for her to repent and ask Jesus to forgive her...She knew that she needed help from a Savor, and One closest to God...Simon on the other hand does not seem to be aware that he is a sinner...It seems to go by him as he tells his other friends that Jesus must not know of the sinful woman guest...
Baptist Preacher Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, “It is not possible that you will repent unless you are aware of your sin; it is not likely that you will look to Christ unless you first know what it is for which you are to look to Him...Therefore, I pray you, set apart some season every day, or at least some season as often as you can get it, in which the business of your mind shall be to take your longitude and latitude, that you may know exactly where you are...You may be drifting towards the rocks, and you may be wrecked before you know your danger...I implore you, do not let your ship go at full steam through a fog; but slacken speed a bit, and heave the lead, to see whether you are in deep waters or shallow...I am not asking you to do more than any kind and wise man would advise you to do; do I even ask you more than your own conscience tells you is right?...Sit alone a while, that you may carefully consider your case.”...
Simon does acknowledge Jesus as a teacher (when he says tell me Teacher), but he doubts that Jesus is the prophet as some claim, because of His lack of knowledge of the lady guest...Simon judges both the sinful woman and Jesus, and is wrong in both his judgments....He wonders why if Jesus is this Great Prophet why is He allowing the woman sinner to continue to anoint and touch Him...How could a Great Prophet miss this sinful woman and her history...But Jesus is a Forgiving Savior...He forgives those who acknowledge and confess that we sin...He came to earth for sinners...So let us be alert and on guard each day that we are sinners and fall short of the glory of God...