"...proving that this is very Christ." _ Acts 9:22
"...proving that this is very Christ." _ Acts 9:22

JULY 14TH

THE WOMAN WITH THE ALABASTER BOX (Continued)

 

Scripture Reading: Luke 7: 36-50

 

36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

 

     As seen in verse 39 above, Simon, who represents the religious system, can only focus on what manner of woman she was. Simon pondered, "…for she is a sinner." Christ focused instead on her works and her faith which flowed from her pure heart. If only every believer would seek to please God rather than men as this woman did. Jesus used her acts to teach Simon the Pharisee a powerful lesson in agape love that Simon and the entire religious system were oblivious to.

 

     In His wondrous style, Jesus used a parable about a certain creditor. The basic root meaning for the word creditor is debt. This particular word debt is used only once in Matthew’s Gospel when a king took account of his servants and one servant owed ten thousand talents and could not pay. His lord commanded that he, his family, and all he had be sold. The servant fell down and worshipped his lord and asked his lord to have patience and he would pay all. "Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt (Matthew 18:27)." This Scripture gets at the heart of the meaning of what was owed to this certain creditor of whom Simon hears of Jesus. The heart of the issue that may be hidden to some; however, is that the debt is the price for sin which no man is able to pay save the man Christ Jesus.

 

Continued

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