WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF FORGIVENESS IN THE NAMELESS WOMAN (Luke 7:36-8:3)
We really don’t know much about her. We don’t know her name. We don’t know what she did. But the people living her town knew both. They knew all about her sins, whatever they were, they were public, and they were shameful. You are free to use your imagination to fill in the blanks where Scripture does not care to comment. Sufficient to say that people did not wish to look at this woman when she walked by. In fact, I imagine that there were many who despised her so much that they wish she would just go away, or disappear, or even just drop dead.
So it’s no surprise that she would not have been invited to Simon’s house. The only people invited to his house were the spiritual and cultural elites. After all, Simon was a Pharisee. Simon was a homeowner, and an educator, and a very prim and proper follower of the law. And as such, he had invited Jesus into his home for a meal.
But we learn after a little while that he didn’t invite Jesus because he thought highly of him, or that he wanted to learn from him. He invited Jesus to, “put him in his place.” He invited Jesus to let him know who was in charge. It’s really silly when you think about it, inviting God over to your house to impress him and belittle him. But that’s just it. Simon didn’t think Jesus was God’s son, he didn’t think he was the Messiah, he just didn’t think much of him at all. So there was no real welcome into his home. After walking the dusty roads of ancient Palestine, one would have a servant wash your feet upon arrival. You would be refreshed with an anointing of oil upon your head, and your host would reveal how happy he was to see you in his home by greeting you with a kiss upon your cheek. Jesus received none of this common courtesy. He knew he wouldn’t, but he still came and honored this conceited and undeserving man with his presence. Amazing if you think about it.
But soon this dinner would... [continues]
We really don’t know much about her. We don’t know her name. We don’t know what she did. But the people living her town knew both. They knew all about her sins, whatever they were, they were public, and they were shameful. You are free to use your imagination to fill in the blanks where Scripture does not care to comment. Sufficient to say that people did not wish to look at this woman when she walked by. In fact, I imagine that there were many who despised her so much that they wish she would just go away, or disappear, or even just drop dead.
So it’s no surprise that she would not have been invited to Simon’s house. The only people invited to his house were the spiritual and cultural elites. After all, Simon was a Pharisee. Simon was a homeowner, and an educator, and a very prim and proper follower of the law. And as such, he had invited Jesus into his home for a meal.
But we learn after a little while that he didn’t invite Jesus because he thought highly of him, or that he wanted to learn from him. He invited Jesus to, “put him in his place.” He invited Jesus to let him know who was in charge. It’s really silly when you think about it, inviting God over to your house to impress him and belittle him. But that’s just it. Simon didn’t think Jesus was God’s son, he didn’t think he was the Messiah, he just didn’t think much of him at all. So there was no real welcome into his home. After walking the dusty roads of ancient Palestine, one would have a servant wash your feet upon arrival. You would be refreshed with an anointing of oil upon your head, and your host would reveal how happy he was to see you in his home by greeting you with a kiss upon your cheek. Jesus received none of this common courtesy. He knew he wouldn’t, but he still came and honored this conceited and undeserving man with his presence. Amazing if you think about it.
But soon this dinner would... [continues]
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