Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house & reclined at the table. 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, & 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 & pour perfume on them. 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 & what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner.
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
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. 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. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you, go in peace."
There are a few lessons I learnt today from this passage.
1) The woman, a prostitute, showed deep humiliation for her sins through her weeping. Although she was not an invited guest, she was determined to go to Jesus, & what's more with an expensive alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume which she was willing to pour on Jesus' feet.
2) Simon neglected to wash Jesus' feet, a social courtesy which was extended to guests because sandaled feet could get very dirty after being on the road. He did not anoint Jesus' head with oil & offer him the greeting kiss. Did Simon perhaps think he was too good for Jesus? Apparently, Simon despised the woman because he felt that Jesus should not allow a sinful woman to touch him - wash his feet.
In this story, it is the grateful prostitute and not the religious leader, whose sins were forgiven. This woman demonstrated her true faith in Jesus and Jesus honoured her. Only those who realise the depth of their sin can appreciate the complete forgiveness that GOd offers them. The woman here is seen as the 'greater' debtor and Simon, the 'lesser' debtor.
I ask myself - do I see myself as the prostitute or as Simon? I would think Simon, as I live a conventionally good life and that's the reason why I could not love as much in my earlier years as a Christian because I'm forgiven 'little'.
This command in Mark 12: 30 - 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength' makes sense coz out of the overflowing love of God into my heart will I then be able to accept and love myself. When that happens, then I can fulfill the 2nd commandment which is FCBC's theme of the year - vs 31 - 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' Out of that overflowing love received from God in my heart, will I be able to extend an overflowing forgiveness to others who offend or wrong me. A heart filled with God's love will be able to love others unconditionally.
It is true, I told a friend 2 wks ago, whose husband abuses her, that he cannot love her because he doesnt love himself. The judgmental attitude inflicted upon the husband by his own father resulted in the husband's self condemnation and self rejection.
Jesus rescues everyone who believes in Him, whether you were once extremely sinful or generally good, from eternal death. We ought to appreciate the width of God's mercy.