Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see…
These lyrics from John Newton (1725-1807) are a testimonial to the supernatural transformation effected of those who have received the mercy and forgiveness from Jesus Christ. Newton was a sailor involved in the transatlantic slave trade. Newton came to faith on March 10, 1748 and continued working as a trader until 1754. He then received ordination as a clergyman for the Church of England. A maturing faith led Newton to remorse over participating in the slave trade and moved him to become an abolitionist. He then co-foundered with William Wilberforce the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, i.e., the Anti-Slavery Society. Nine months after Parliament abolished the slave trade in the British Empire, Newton passed away.[1]
God’s merciful grace flowing from Jesus Christ brings is the source of the sinner’s spiritual transformation which brings forth true righteousness. This is what converted Newton from fallen slave trader into saintly abolitionist. The same power of spiritual transformation is displayed in the account of the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet and the parable of the two debtors in Luke 7.
Simon the Pharisee was hosting a meal for Jesus and the disciples, they were all reclined in the dining area and partaking of a feast (v. 36a).
News got out that a party was going on at Simon’s house and the neighbors started to come. Back in Jesus’ day, uninvited guest could show up to a banquet of the well-to-do, some hosts would station a porter at the door to check in visitors, though “religious people often opened their homes for the poor.” [2]
One unnamed woman, who was described as a “sinner,” came with an “an alabaster flask of ointment” (v. 36b). The ointment would have been scented like a perfume. The fact that she was described as a “sinner” suggest her offence had become public knowledge. Perhaps she was a prostitute or promiscuous.[3]
What happened next was scandalous: “Standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.” (vv. 37-38). [4] What was the rub? “In banquets where uninvited people could enter, they were to remain quiet and away from the couches, observing the discussions of host and guests,” and “adult women who were religious were expected to be married and thus would have their heads covered; any woman with her hair exposed to public view would be considered promiscuous.” [5]
Despite all the social faux pas, the woman approaches Jesus, she weeps, her tears wet His feet, she wipes them with her hair, kisses them, and anoints them with the ointment from the alabaster jar. She breaks open the alabaster jar and gives it to the Lord. She displayed deep affection and adoration for Christ.
The Pharisee witnessing the whole ordeal was astonished and said to himself: “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner” (v. 39). He doubted Jesus’ prophetic prowess. But his evaluation of the situation was off.
Knowing the Pharisee’s thoughts, Christ asked, “Simon, I have something to say to you” (v. 40). He then tells the parable of the two debtors: “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both” (vv. 41-42a). A denarius was equivalent to a day’s wage. So, a debt equivalent to fifty denarii (about ten weeks of earnings) would have been considerable but five-hundred denarii (over a year worth earnings) placed anyone deep in the hole. Forgiveness of both points to the extravagant generosity of the creditor. But Christ asks, “Now which of them will love him more?” (vv. 41-42).
“The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt,” answered Simon (v. 43a).
Jesus confirms, “You have judged rightly” (v. 43b). Both the Pharisee and the woman recognize their debt of sin and need of forgiveness. Yet, their different responses demonstrate how much debt of sin each thought they incurred. The woman rightly assessed her situation. Thus, the Lord tells 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. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (vv. 44-47).
It is never really the case that the woman loved more because she had been forgiven more; rather, Simon needed to realize that “people who assume they are righteous will never experience much love for Jesus since they are so unaware of their sinfulness.”[6]
Why the woman “loved much” is that “her sins, which are many, are forgiven” (v. 47). It is the grace of God that moved the woman to humble adoration. The same gist is expressed by Paul to the Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10). They were saved by grace, but God’s grace crafted those in Christ for good works
Christ assures the woman: “Your sins are forgiven” (v. 48). But the other guests were astonished and perplexed: “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” (v. 49). They unlikely grasped the reasons for the Lord’s pronouncement of absolution but they still needed to hear Him publicly announce that shat was forgiven. They needed to understand that even woman who bore the stigma of a sinner was never beyond hope. She could be reconciled with God. So, if the Son of God who has come down from heaven to dwell among His people extends mercy and forgiveness to the penitent, then the people of God can reflect the same mercy and forgiveness towards one another. Elsewhere Christ said, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk. 6:35-36).[7]
Jesus then says to the woman: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (v. 50). The act of anointing and kissing Jesus’ feet demonstrates the woman’s deepest adoration and affection for the Lord. Whether she directly heard the Jesus’ sermons or witnessed His signs and wonders, she went beyond just a simple knowing Him to be the Lord but she put her life into His hands.
The anointing in Luke 7 is a similar happening but a different occasion from the anointing by Mary of Bethany, sister to Martha and Lazarus, at the home of Simon the Leper (cf. Matt. 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:1–8.).[8] Mary’s anointing focused upon the preparation of Christ for burial and the commendation for the extravagant offering of oil. The unnamed woman who anointed Jesus gives emphasis to the Lord giving absolution to the penitent sinner and the mercies of God moves the forgiven into worship. Various works of art have depicted Mary Magdalene anointing the feet of Jesus.[9]
All of us have incurred an unpayable debt of sin. Yet, Christ offers us the grace that pays in full that debt and redeems us from the debtor’s prison of life apart from the goodness and grace of God. Those who have been forgiven of much can love much. The self-righteous who imagine they have little to no need of forgiveness not only are they delusional but they will only love a little. Put it another way: “All these expressions of sorrow for sin, and love to Christ, were the effects and products of faith; and therefore, as faith of all graces doth most honour God, so Christ doth of all graces put most honour upon faith”[10] Christ gives absolution to the penitent sinner, and the forgiven are move to true worship. We have all been forgiven of much.
— WGN
[1] Britannica, “John Newton,” https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Newton
[2] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 7:39.
[3] Ibid.
[4] All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), unless noted.
[5] Keener.
[6] Thomas R. Schreiner, The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary, ed. Gary M. Burge and Andrew E. Hill (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012), 1076.
[7] The same principle is expressed and expanded upon in the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:43-48). Paul echoes the same truth: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).
[8] The differences are notable: “the other incident occurs immediately before Jesus’ crucifixion, the host is a leper (Matt and Mark), the woman pours the perfume on Jesus’ head (Matt and Mark), and the controversy centers in the cost of the perfume, not the character of the woman;” hence, “the differences are sufficient to require two traditions. Some of the similarities may be coincidental (e.g., Simon was a common name); others may be due to cross influence” (Walter L. Liefeld, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, vol. 8, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984], 903). For comments on Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet, see my post “The Anointing”
[9] I am uncertain on the origin of the Mary Magdalene anointing the feet of Jesus tradition. I am skeptical that a solid connection can be made between the sinful woman (Lk. 7:36-50) and the Mary Magdalene who was healed of many evil spirits (Lk. 8:2).
[10] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1848.
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