Luke 7:36-39
Jesus was invited to a dinner party at the house of Simon, a Pharisee. These events were the black tie galas of the first century. It was common for crowds of spectators to gather around the house to witness the event. While Jesus was laid back at the table, an immoral woman, probably a prostitute came to Him in tears. She had heard that Jesus would be there, and so she sought Him out. She washed His feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with expensive perfume.
Simon the Pharisee scorned Jesus with his thoughts. “If He were truly a prophet, He would know what sort of woman was touching Him,” he said to himself. The Pharisees despised sinners. They hated them with a self-righteous passion. They taught that if anyone who associated with a sinner became unclean. Jesus allowing this woman to touch his feet appalled the Pharisees, revealing their doubt and unbelief.
Luke 7:40-43
Jesus proved His power to Simon. Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and responded with a parable. A creditor had two debtors, one owed him five hundred days wages and the other owed him fifty. The creditor canceled both debts. Which one will love him more? “The one who owed five hundred,” Simon answered correctly. Jesus knew that love for God directly correlates to His forgiveness. This parable penetrated to the Simon’s hard heart. The woman loved Jesus greatly because she acknowledged her sin and accepted Christ’s forgiveness. The Pharisee, however, believed he was righteous because of his actions. He didn’t acknowledge his sin or his need for a savior. Therefore, he didn’t love Jesus.
Luke 7:44-50
It was customary for the host to have his servants wash the feet of the guest. Remember that these guys wore sandals in the desert, and so their feet would get quite dirty. Also, it was proper to greet the guest with a smooch on the cheek, and hive him some oil to anoint his head. Simon failed to show Jesus these courtesies out of his own pride. He trusted in his own good deeds and not in Jesus. Conversely, the woman humbled herself, and served and worshiped Jesus.
Jesus made a similar point in Luke 18:9-14.
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In both passages, the Pharisee trusted in himself, while the despised sinner recognized his transgression and humbled himself.
The first step of genuine faith is humility, acknowledging your own sin and depravity. It’s no coincidence that the first beatitude in Mathew 5 is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Humility is a prerequisite of faith. It is required just to get in the door of God’s Kingdom.
And the result of faith in Jesus is forgiveness (justification). And the fruit of forgiveness is love. Just like the woman in Luke 7, our acts of service, worship and devotion are outward expressions of our inward faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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