36* ¶ Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

 37* And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,

 38* and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

 39* Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

 40* And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”

 41* “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

 42* “When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?”

 43* Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

 44* Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

 45* “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.

 46* “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.

 47* “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

 49* Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

 50* And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

I. THE PARABLE AND ITS SETTING 

 A. THE SETTING... 

  1. Jesus accepts an invitation to eat at a Pharisee’s house - v.36 

  2. A woman “who was a sinner”  (perhaps a prostitute) comes in... She brings an alabaster flask of fragrant oil -v.37 

   b. She first stands behind Jesus, weeping-v.38a 

   c. She then washes His feet with her tears, and wipes them with her hair - v.38b 

   d. Finally, she kisses His feet and anoints them with the fragrant oil - v.38c 

  3. The host wonders whether Jesus could truly be a prophet, for if so He would know what kind of woman she was - v.39 

  4. Knowing what is in the Pharisee’s heart, Jesus offers to say something - v.40 

 B. THE PARABLE ITSELF... 

  1. A creditor had two debtors - Lk 7:41 

   a. One owed five hundred denarii 

   b. The other owed fifty denarii (a denarius was equivalent to a day’s wage) 

  2. The debtors could not repay, yet the creditor forgave them both - Lk 7:42a 

JESUS FOLLOWS UP WITH A QUESTION AND APPLICATION... 

  1. He challenges Simon (the Pharisee) with a question - Lk 7:42b-43 

   a. “Which of them (the debtors) will love him (the creditor) more?” 

   b. Simon’s response:  “I suppose the one whom he forgave more” 

    1) Does “I suppose” suggest a reluctance to respond on Simon’s part? 

    2) Could it be he has already begun to see the point of the parable? 

   c. Jesus replies that Simon has properly judged the correct answer 

  2. Jesus then makes the contrast between Simon and the woman - Lk 7:44-46 

   a. Simon gave Him no water for His feet, but she washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair 

   b. Simon gave Him no kiss, but she has not ceased to kiss His feet 

   c. Simon did not anoint His head with oil, but she anointed His feet with fragrant oil 

   -- All of these things Simon should have done as 

        a normal host, but he did not do it for the 

        most important Guest at all! 

  3. Jesus drives the point home - Lk 7:47 

   a. The first part of this verse is difficult:  “...her sins which are many, are forgiven,  for she loved much.” 

1) Is Jesus saying that her love is the “cause” of her forgiveness, or the “proof”? 

a) Is she forgiven because she loved much? (that’s what it sounds like) 

b) Or is her much love the evidence of the forgiveness of her many sins? 

    2) Jesus does say that her “faith” saved her - v.50 

     a) That is, her faith was the cause for her being forgiven 

     b) And her love may have been a reflection of her faith (cf. “faith working through love” - Ga 5:6 

   b. But the latter part of the verse, and the implication of the parable itself suggests that her love is the result or proof of her forgiveness 

    1) “but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

     a) Just as one who receives little forgiveness, loves little... 

     b) ...so one who receives much forgiveness, loves much! 

    2) “Her love was the result, and not the cause, of her forgiveness. Our sins are not forgiven because we love God, but we love God because they are forgiven (1 Jn 4:19).  Such is the inference of the parable, and such the teaching of the entire NT.” (McGarvey’s Fourfold Gospel) 

If the woman’s love is simply the evidence her forgiveness, as the parable suggests, then Jesus’ next words were designed to further reassure her - Lk 7:48-50 

   a. “Your sins are forgiven.” 

   b. “Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace” 

   -- Both statements simply confirm that her great display of love was properly placed, for she had indeed been saved by her faith 

While Jesus’ words in Lk 7:47 are indeed challenging, the parable and its setting teaches a simple truth:  those who have been forgiven of much are more likely to appreciate their salvation than those forgiven of little! THIS PARABLE CAN PROVIDE GREAT COMFORT TO SINNERS... 

  1. Many people who come to Jesus have really made a mess of their lives 

  2. They know it, and the sense of their guilt is acute 

   a. But this parable reminds us the Lord is willing to forgive no matter the debt! 

   b. And the woman reminds us that as one’s sense of guilt is acute, so their love will be greater! 

   c. With a greater love, there will be the motivation for greater service! 

  3. Just as with the apostle Paul, who did not consider himself worthy to be called an apostle  - cf. 1 Co 15:9-10 

  -- So rather than wallow in your guilt of the past, allow the great forgiveness Jesus offers to motivate you to love and serve Him even more! 

THIS PARABLE REVEALS HOW WE CAN INCREASE OUR LOVE AND DEVOTION TO JESUS... 

  1. Remember, the more cognizant we are of the forgiveness we have in Christ, the more we will love and serve Him

There are at least two ways one can have an heightened sense of forgiveness 

One way is to have been forgiven of much, as in the case of this woman 

But another way is learn more about the nature of sin... 

    1) I.e., how just one sin makes us guilty of all - cf. Ja 2:10 

    2) I.e., how the wages of sin is spiritual death, separation from God - Ro 6:23; Isa59:1-2 

  3. We cannot change the degree of our sinfulness prior to coming to Christ... 

   a. But we can always increase the level of our understanding about sin! 

   b. I.e., the more we learn about the terrible nature of sin... 

    1) The more we appreciate the forgiveness we have in Christ! 

    2) The more motivated we are by love to serve Him - cf. 2 Co 5:14-15 

CONCLUSION 

1. What is our devotion and service to Jesus like? 

 a. Do we treat Him like Simon did? 

 b. I.e., we invite Him into our lives, but really don’t give Him the honor He deserves? 

2. Could it be that we are more like the Pharisee than we care to admit? 

 a. Failing to give Jesus the proper devotion due Him? 

 b. Looking down in self-righteousness at people who we think are not worthy of Him? 

3. If you find yourself with an attitude like Simon’s, instead of one like the woman... 

 a. Remember that those forgiven most are capable of loving Jesus more! 

 b. And that perhaps you need to reflect more on your true spiritual condition! 

For it was to the sinful woman, and not to self-righteous Simon, that Jesus said: 

“Your sins are forgiven.” 

“Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace.”(thanks to Mark A. Copeland for adapted notes above)