PENINSULA BIBLE CHURCH CUPERTINO THE SWEET TASTE OF FORGIVENESS Catalog No. 930 Luke 7:36-50 SERIES: PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM Sixth Message John Hanneman January 2, 1994 As we enter 1994 we return to a series of messages which we began and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the last summer on the parables of Jesus from the gospel of Luke. We Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and will immerse ourselves once more in these marvelous, mysterious standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His texts which formed such a critical part of Jesus’ teaching ministry to feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her his disciples. Our text today is Luke 7:36-50, the parable of the two head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the per- debtors. fume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, I want to begin this morning by quoting from a 1960’s song by he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know Simon and Garfunkel. It is a rather short song but it is one that is who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching long on sadness: Him, that she is a sinner.” Time it was and what a time it was, And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something It was…a time of innocence, a time of confidences. to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain mon- Long ago…it must be…I have a photograph, eylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and Preserve your memories, they’re all that’s left you. the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he gracious- The composers were remembering something that had been lost: ly forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him an innocence, a passion, a hope. These lines reflect a wishing, a long- more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he ing that life could begin again. Most of us have felt this longing reso- forgave more.” And He said to him,” You have judged correctly.” nating deep within our souls. If only we could turn back the clock And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you and begin again. If only we could have one more chance. For many, see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water this wish centers around forgiving others or being forgiven. Some for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears, and wiped must bear the pain of knowing they have inflicted harm on others; them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time some have regrets over living outside of the will of God. They long to I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint be able to go back and make things right, to start all over again. My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For If life were a computer game, this would be easy, wouldn’t it? this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been Taking a wrong turn, meeting a monster or facing defeat presents forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves no lasting problems in computer games. All one has to do is erase little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And the mistake, or hit the reset button, and begin again. But life doesn’t those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say work that way. “Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph.” How to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And sweet life would be if we could find forgiveness, start over again and He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” do it right next time. (Luke 7:36-50 NASB) So we come to the parable of the two debtors. We have already This incident from the life of Jesus is made up of seven scenes learned that in the parables, Jesus used the language of the Holy relayed in inverted fashion. In other words, the passage moves in a Spirit both to train his disciples and to confront and expose pharisa- stair-step fashion towards a center and then retreats back. Scenes one ical ideas and self-righteous perceptions. In his parables, Jesus pen- and seven balance, scenes two and six balance, and likewise scenes etrates our defenses, bypasses our pre-conceived notions and con- three and five. The parable, which is scene four, comes in the center fronts us with truth that forces us to think through issues. Most of of the text. This is bracketed by an exchange between Jesus and a the parables in the gospel of Luke occur in what has been called the Pharisee named Simon, and their exchange in turn is bracketed by Travel Narrative, chapters 9–19, which deal with the time when Jesus the actions of a certain woman. Scene one is an introduction and and the disciples were journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem. Our scene seven is the conclusion. text this morning however, verses 36-50 of chapter 7, precedes this The opening verses introduce the three major characters in this time. Here we will discover that there is indeed a way to begin again, incident: the Pharisee, Jesus, and a “woman in the city who was a there is a way to forgiveness and renewal. Jesus’ words will show us sinner.” Jesus had accepted Simon’s invitation to come to his home what is required of us, and how sweet forgiveness can taste. to dine with him. It is likely that Jesus had preached in the commu- I will begin by reading the text; then I will make some observa- nity, and afterwards he was invited by Simon to come to his home tions on it; and finally, I will draw four spiritual implications from for a meal and to engage in debate. A religious society of that day, the this story of the two debtors. haberim, held meals in common for the purpose of religious study. Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. Often a visiting sage or teacher would be invited to participate, and And He entered the Pharisee’s house, and reclined at the table. debate would go on well into the night. This may have been the And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; context of Simon’s invitation to Jesus. 1 Luke 7:36-50 When the gospels speak of “reclining at table,” they are referring Then the woman began to kiss the feet of Jesus. She could not to a banquet, actually a public affair. A table and couches were set in greet him with a kiss on the cheek (such an action would be hope- the center of the room and people from the community assembled lessly misunderstood), and so she kissed his feet. Literally, the text by the outer wall of the house, listening to the debate going on in- says, “she kissed them again and again.” Her action demonstrates side. The presence of the general public brought great honor to those great honor, respect and devotion. The third action of the woman reclining at the table. was to anoint the feet of Jesus. She had come prepared with perfume The woman, referred to in the text as a “woman in the city who which she carried in a flask around her neck. This was used both to was a sinner,” probably was a prostitute. She entered either with Jesus sweeten her breath and perfume her body, doubtless an important or just before him. (Her dramatic actions began, according to Jesus, element for a woman who probably was a prostitute. But now, hav- “from the time I came in.”) She probably had heard Jesus proclaim ing found forgiveness, she doesn’t need the perfume any longer, so she comes prepared to pour it on Jesus’ feet. For her to anoint his the freely offered love ofG od for sinners, and she had come to make head would be unthinkable. Samuel, could anoint Saul and David a grateful response. on the head, but a sinful woman could not anoint a rabbi in that The cultural key to this story centers on the notion of hospitality. way. As a servant, however, she could anoint his feet and thereby Visiting guests arriving for dinner would take off their shoes and show honor to his noble person. leave them at the door, and servants would greet them by pouring Simon’s refusal to honor Jesus in the customary fashion indicated water on their feet. If this courtesy were not followed, the implica- that he regarded his guest to be of inferior rank, but the woman’s tion was that the visitor was one of inferior rank. Guests reclined at actions bestowed on Jesus the honor of a nobleman in the house of table, their feet drawn up underneath and behind them, because of a king. the offensive, unclean nature of feet in Oriental society. Simon’s response to the actions of the woman reveals his purpose The host would greet his guests with a kiss. Equals were kissed for inviting Jesus to his home: he wanted to test the claim that Jesus on the cheek.