Luke 7:36-50
36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and 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 men 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 canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“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—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
“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—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
1 Peter 4:8
Love Covers a Multitude of Sins
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Love is very powerful...And love can do so much...This is a story about love and about faith...But this story is not only a story of love for each other, it is a story of how much we love Jesus...The love for Jesus and having faith in Him is very powerful and important...We can love and believe in Jesus a little, or we can love Him a lot...Our hearts can be small in love or they can be great in love for Him or for others...When your heart is filled with love for Him, it is best...This makes the heart able to love others even more...Love gets us through the imperfections, flaws, faults, and sins of others...Through loving Him we can better love our neighbors...
The Pharisees watched a very sinful woman touch Jesus...The Pharisees said if Jesus were a Prophet, then He would know who was touching Him...He did, in fact, know who was touching Him...Jesus ask the Pharisee named Simon a question of money and debt...The question was if a lender is owed by one person five hundred dollars and another person only owes the lender fifty -and the lender out of goodness cancels both of their debts, who will love the lender more?...Simon answers Him the one with the bigger debt...Jesus says you are correct...
Jesus knew the kind of woman she was...Jesus agreed with Simon that the woman was a great sinner...He also agreed with Simon that if she continued in her life to sin, she would remain a sinner...But Jesus points out that she is showing a great love for Him...She was at His feet...She even washed His feet with an alabaster jar of perfume...This was a great sign of love for Him...She then stood behind Him and was weeping so much that His feet became wet with her tears...Then she wiped His feet with her hair, kissed His feet and poured perfume on them...She loved her Master and somehow knew who He was...By meeting Jesus and in feeling His Presence she loved Him so much -and showed it...Jesus reminded the Pharisees that they did not show Him near the attention the sinful woman had or the love...They were more interested in watching Him, hearing Him answer their questions than loving Him...
Jesus explains that when we love Him, He forgives us and our sins...And she had many sins -the Pharisees are quick to point that out...Her love for Him was evident...By washing, weeping, and doing the things she did shows great love and faith for Him...These things are seen through by her actions...The love of Jesus and others covers a multitude of our sins...Jesus tells her (and Simon and the other Pharisees are listening) your sins are forgiven...This sinful woman who washed Jesus feet is forgiven of her sins because of her great love for Him...