Anointing Jesus' Feet

A dinner invitation. “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him” (7:36). Pharisees were Jewish leaders who tried very hard to keep God's law. This one was named Simon (7:40). A woman everyone knew. Then came “a woman in the city who was a sinner” (7:37). The whole town knew her that way. Jesus knew all about her too. She came anyway. She did not wait until she felt good enough. She came straight to the One she needed, and she brought “an alabaster flask of fragrant oil” (7:37). Alabaster is a smooth, soft stone used for special jars. Tears at His feet. She “stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears” (7:38). Then she wiped them with her hair and kissed them. Her very best. She poured the fragrant oil on His feet (7:38). It was a costly gift, and she gave it to Jesus. Jesus did not pull away. Jesus let her stay. He was not ashamed to be near her. People had called Him “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (7:34). They meant it as an insult, but it was true! Jesus came for sinners. Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Repentance means turning from sin to God. What this means for you. You do not have to clean yourself up before you come to Jesus. Come to Him just as you are. He welcomes sinners who come to Him.

Simon's dinner (7:36). A Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him. The Pharisees were Jewish teachers who were devoted to keeping the law of Moses down to the smallest detail. At a special meal, guests most likely reclined on cushions around a low table, leaning on one elbow with their feet stretched out behind them. That is how the woman could stand “at His feet behind Him” (7:38). “A woman in the city who was a sinner” (7:37). Her sin was known all over town. People defined her by it. Simon saw her past; Jesus saw a person who had come to Him for mercy. Why did she come? She came when she “knew that Jesus sat at the table” (7:37). She most likely had heard Jesus teach, or had heard how He welcomed sinners. Verse 50 shows that she came trusting Him. A costly gift (7:37-38). The alabaster flask held perfumed oil, probably one of the most valuable things she owned. She poured it out on Jesus' feet and held nothing back. Tears, hair and kisses (7:38). She did not ask permission or make a speech. She wept, washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and kissed them. Her actions said what words could not. A friend of sinners (7:34). Just before this dinner, Jesus said His critics called Him “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” They meant it as an insult. This scene shows it is true. Earlier Jesus had said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Luke 5:31). Application. Shame tells us to hide from Jesus until we are better. This woman did the opposite. She brought her sin to Jesus instead of away from Him. That is always the right direction.

Simon was a Pharisee who asked Jesus to dinner. Then a woman came into the house. Everyone in town knew her as a sinner. She did not try to hide from Jesus. She came close to Him and cried at His feet. She gave Him her best perfume. Jesus did not push her away. He let her stay close to Him. People called Jesus a friend of sinners. They meant it in a mean way, but it was true! Jesus came to help people who know they have done wrong. You do not have to be good before you come to Jesus. You can come to Him just as you are. He will never turn you away.

A woman came to Jesus. She cried at His feet. Jesus did not send her away. You can always come to Jesus.

Simon's quiet thought. Simon said to himself, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is” (7:39). He thought Jesus did not know she was a sinner. More than a prophet. Jesus did know all about her. He also knew what Simon was thinking, even though Simon never said it out loud! Jesus is not just a prophet. He is the Son of God, and He knows every heart. Kind words to Simon. Jesus did not embarrass him in front of his guests. He said, “Simon, I have something to say to you” (7:40). Jesus cared about Simon too. Two debtors. “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty” (7:41). A creditor lends money. A debtor owes money. A denarius was a silver coin. Nothing to repay. “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both” (7:42). Neither man could pay anything at all. The creditor let them both go free. The question. Jesus asked, “Which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more” (7:42-43). Jesus said, “You have rightly judged.” What this means for you. Sin is like a debt we owe God. We cannot pay it back by being good. God forgives it as a free gift, and that gift makes us love Him.

A thought spoken inside (7:39). Simon reasoned that a true prophet would see through this woman. Instead, Jesus saw through Simon. He answered a thought Simon never said aloud (7:40). Simon was asking whether Jesus was a prophet; Jesus showed He was far more. He knows hearts the way only God does. “Simon, I have something to say to you” (7:40). Jesus could have shamed Simon in front of his guests. Instead He spoke to him by name and told him a story that invited him to see himself. Jesus loved the Pharisee as well as the sinner. The denarius (7:41). A denarius (say: deh-NAR-ee-us) was a silver coin, about one day's pay for a worker. Five hundred denarii was close to two years of work. Fifty denarii was about two months of work. Both were real debts that someone would feel. “He freely forgave” (7:42). The Greek word for freely forgave comes from charis (say: KAH-rees), grace: a gift given to someone who has not earned it. The creditor did not lower the debts or give more time. He canceled them completely. The right answer (7:43). Simon said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more,” and Jesus said, “You have rightly judged.” The order matters: the men were forgiven first, and their love came afterward. Love follows forgiveness. Both helpless. The smaller debtor could not pay either. Both men “had nothing with which to repay” (7:42). Before God, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Application. Jesus still tells stories that help us see ourselves. When you read His words, ask which person in the story you are most like.

Simon watched the woman at Jesus' feet. He thought Jesus should know she was a sinner. Simon did not say a word out loud. But Jesus knew exactly what Simon was thinking! Jesus is more than a prophet. He is God's Son, and He knows every heart. Jesus did not get angry with Simon. He told Simon a story instead. In the story, two men owed a banker money. One owed a lot, and one owed less. Neither man could pay any of it back. So the banker forgave them both for free. Sin is like a debt we owe God. Nobody can pay it back by being good.

Jesus knew what Simon was thinking. Then Jesus told a story. Two men could not pay. The kind banker forgave them both.

“Do you see this woman?” Jesus turned toward her and asked Simon this question (7:44). Simon saw a sinner. Jesus wanted him to see a forgiven woman who loved God. No water. Simon gave no water for Jesus' dusty feet, “but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head” (7:44). No kiss. “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in” (7:45). Ceased means stopped. No oil. “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil” (7:46). To anoint means to pour or rub oil on someone. Forgiven much. Jesus said, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much” (7:47). Which came first? Did her love earn her forgiveness? No. In Jesus' story the men were forgiven first, and then they loved. Her great love was the proof that she had been forgiven. Little love. “But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (7:47). Simon showed Jesus very little love. Jesus wanted him to see that he needed forgiveness too. What this means for you. You can never love Jesus enough to earn His forgiveness. But when you see how much He has forgiven you, your love for Him grows.

Turning to her (7:44). Jesus turned toward the woman while He spoke to Simon: “Do you see this woman?” Simon had looked at her all evening, but he saw only her past. Jesus asked him to see who she was now. Three welcomes left out (7:44-46). A good host most likely offered water for dusty feet, a kiss of greeting and a little olive oil for the head. Simon offered none of them. The woman gave all three in a humbler, costlier way: tears for water, kisses on the feet and fragrant oil for plain oil. “For she loved much” (7:47). The word for does not mean her love paid for her pardon. It points to the evidence. The International Children's Bible says, “This is clear because she showed great love.” A smile can show that a child has received a gift; the smile does not buy the gift. The order Jesus taught. The parable has already set the order: the debts were canceled, and then the men loved (7:42-43). Forgiveness comes first; love follows. Faith received it. In 7:50 Jesus names what saved her: “Your faith has saved you.” Her love was the fruit. Her trust in Jesus was the empty hand that received the gift, “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). “Loves little” (7:47). Jesus did not say Simon had only a few sins. In the parable neither debtor could pay (7:42). The danger is not having a smaller debt. It is not seeing your debt at all. Love for Jesus. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Christian love for God always starts with God's love for us. Application. If your love for Jesus feels small, do not try to force it bigger. Look again at how much He has forgiven you.

Jesus turned and looked at the woman. He asked Simon, “Do you see this woman?” Simon saw only a sinner. Jesus saw a woman who loved Him. Simon had not given Jesus any water for His feet. She washed His feet with her tears. Simon gave Jesus no kiss of welcome. She kissed His feet again and again. Jesus said all her many sins were forgiven. Her great love showed that it was true. Did her love pay for her sins? No, Jesus forgave her as a free gift. When we know Jesus forgives us, we love Him too.

Jesus forgave all her sins. She showed Jesus great love. Jesus forgives us first. Then we love Him back!

Spoken to her. Jesus had been talking to Simon about her. Now He spoke to her: “Your sins are forgiven” (7:48). She heard it straight from Jesus. A big question. The guests “began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’” (7:49). Only God can forgive sins against Him. The answer. Who is this? He is Jesus, God the Son. Before Jesus was born, the angel told Joseph, “He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus came to do exactly that. Faith saved her. Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you” (7:50). Faith means trusting Jesus. Her tears, her kisses and her perfume did not save her. Trusting Jesus did. Sent off with peace. Jesus also said, “Go in peace” (7:50). Her sin no longer stood between her and God. The same Savior. Jesus has not changed. He still forgives everyone who comes to Him and trusts Him. Not about feelings. Some days you might not feel forgiven. But forgiveness depends on what Jesus says, not on how you feel. If you trust Him, His word to you is the same: your sins are forgiven. What this means for you. Do you trust Jesus? Then you can believe what He says about you. You are forgiven, and you can go in peace.

Forgiveness spoken (7:48). “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus said it to her directly, in front of the very people who had looked down on her. Everyone in the room heard her new standing before God. “Who is this?” (7:49). The guests asked the right question. Sin is against God, so only God can forgive it. People asked the same thing when Jesus forgave a paralyzed man: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21). Jesus forgave because He is God the Son. Faith (7:50). Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you.” The Greek word pistis (say: PIS-tis) means trust: leaning your whole weight on someone. Faith did not save her because it was a good work. It saved her because it held on to Jesus, who saves. Saved from what? Saved means rescued. She was rescued from the guilt of her sins and from the judgment they deserved. Her debt was gone. The cost of her peace. “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5). Chastisement means punishment. Jesus could send her away in peace because He would soon carry the punishment for sin on the cross. Then He rose from the dead. Faith, not feelings. Her forgiveness rested on Jesus' word, not on how she felt that night. The same is true for us. “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Justified means declared right with God. Application. If you have trusted Jesus, do not keep paying for forgiven sins with guilt. Thank Him, believe His word and live in peace.

Then Jesus spoke to the woman herself. He said, “Your sins are forgiven.” She heard it from Jesus with her own ears! The other guests began to wonder about Jesus. They knew that only God can forgive sins. So who was this man? He is God's own Son, the Savior. That is why He can forgive sins. Then Jesus told the woman her faith had saved her. Faith means trusting Jesus. She trusted Jesus, and He saved her. Jesus saves everyone who trusts Him. He can save you too.

Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.” Only God can forgive sins. Jesus is God's Son. He gives us peace.

Anointing Jesus' Feet

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