Interesting passage...
I used this passage in a short talk during our worship last night:
Luke 7:36-48 - And one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And going into the Pharisee's house, He reclined. And behold, a woman, a sinner in the city, knowing that He reclined in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster vial of ointment. And she stood behind Him, weeping at His feet, and she began to wash His feet with tears and wipe them with the hair of her head. And she ardently kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment. But seeing this, the Pharisee who had invited Him, spoke within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, for she is a sinner. And answering, Jesus said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Teacher, speak. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And they having nothing to pay, he freely forgave both. Then which of them do you say will love him most? And answering, Simon said, I suppose that one to whom he forgave most. And He said to him, You have judged rightly. And He turned to the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, yet you gave Me no water for My feet. But she has washed My feet with tears, and has wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with ointment. Therefore I say to you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, he loves little. And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
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Question: Did the Phariseee need forgiveness less (or even less forgiveness)? Or, did the woman simply recognize her need more than he did?
Luke 7:36-48 - And one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And going into the Pharisee's house, He reclined. And behold, a woman, a sinner in the city, knowing that He reclined in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster vial of ointment. And she stood behind Him, weeping at His feet, and she began to wash His feet with tears and wipe them with the hair of her head. And she ardently kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment. But seeing this, the Pharisee who had invited Him, spoke within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, for she is a sinner. And answering, Jesus said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Teacher, speak. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And they having nothing to pay, he freely forgave both. Then which of them do you say will love him most? And answering, Simon said, I suppose that one to whom he forgave most. And He said to him, You have judged rightly. And He turned to the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, yet you gave Me no water for My feet. But she has washed My feet with tears, and has wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with ointment. Therefore I say to you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, he loves little. And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
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Question: Did the Phariseee need forgiveness less (or even less forgiveness)? Or, did the woman simply recognize her need more than he did?
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what if certain sins carry more weight than others (sins worse than others) and her sins were more weighty than his. it could also be talking about who recognized their sins more and were more penitent. -
There are sins that at least bring about more earthly shame than others (1 Cor 5:1) but I doubt that would imply less or more forgiveness would be needed. Also, Matthew 12:45 talks about a man who's 2nd state is worse than the first. Perhaps some sins may be harder to recover from. That doesn't make the person need more forgiveness, but they will have more obstacles hindering repentance. -
I think she was tryin to humble herself. And I agree with his thoughts about recognition. -
I would defnintely lean toward the idea that she recognized her need more. Sin separates us from God. Any separation needs to be reconciled. I think the point of this story is that she recognized this need for reconciliation and he didn't.
