“Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” — John Stott
In Luke 7:36-50, we read a fascinating interaction between a Pharisee named Simon, a “sinful woman”, and Jesus:
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume; and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is–that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
The Pharisees
Who were the Pharisees? There is a habit in our world to simply label these religious leaders as hypocrites. The word “Pharisee” has in fact become synonymous with a hypocrite. But that understanding is much too simplistic. The Pharisees were the spiritual authorities of Christ’s day and were highly respected by the people. They were the teachers and scholars; and they fought to uphold Jewish laws and traditions from the corrupting influences of a pagan society. They sought to obey and remain faithful to The Law of God.
But in the midst of this good and praiseworthy goal, something went dreadfully wrong. Instead of seeing The Law as something that was utterly unattainable and that destroyed man’s self righteousness, they viewed The Law as a step by step guide for obtaining righteousness before a holy God. Although these Pharisees succeeded in separating themselves physically from a corrupt society, they did not draw closer to God. Pride crept in. And this pride became an even greater stumbling block to their worship of God than the secularizing influences of Rome.
In Matthew 23:23-28, Jesus gives this biting criticism of the Pharisees:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Invited To Dinner?
Now that we have an understanding of who these particular Pharisees were, let’s examine this passage found in Luke 7:36-50 in more detail. In the beginning of this passage, we read that a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to dinner. This was likely no simple meal or hastily prepared gathering. A formal banquet filled with many important and distinguished guests is more likely. In fact, later we read that news of this banquet traveled into the community and to the ears and attention of a “sinful woman.”
Now we come to an interesting question. Since Jesus often voiced harsh criticism of the Pharisees, why would this Pharisee invite Jesus to dinner? For Simon to show Jesus hospitality seems remarkable. But, as we shall find out, the motives of Simon may not have been all good. The hospitality that he demonstrated by inviting Jesus to dinner did not extend into the evening.
So what were his initial motives? The Bible does not answer this question. It could be that Simon wanted to “size up” Jesus. The masses after seeing his miracles and listening to him teach with authority believed that Jesus was a prophet. Simon may have had his doubts. Also, it is possible, that Simon’s plan was to test or even to trap Jesus, since that was often the motives of other Pharisees in the Bible.
The “Sinful” Woman
After we are introduced to Simon the Pharisee, the Bible introduces us to another important person in this drama—the “sinful woman.” Some have suggested that this woman was caught in a life of prostitution. Although this popular belief is possible, there is nothing in the Bible to obviously confirm this. All we know with confidence is that she was labeled as a “sinner” and that she did not have a good reputation in her community.
Another conclusion we can draw from this passage is that this woman had met Jesus earlier. Her overwhelming response of love, tenderness, and thanksgiving tells us that something likely occurred with a previous encounter with Jesus that touched her heart and transformed her life. Jesus had a very public ministry of teaching and preaching. And it was possible that she had heard one of his sermons. But what did she hear? What specifically about her previous meeting with Jesus changed her life? The Bible does not tell us. But one thing seems clear, she wanted forgiveness before a holy God. She likely felt the heavy burden of her reoccurring sins, saw the damage that her sins caused herself and others around her, and knew the terrible consequences of an unrepentant life. She wanted and needed a Savior. And in Jesus, she found One. But how would she display her gratefulness? How would she render her worship?
One day news of Jesus dining at the house of a Simon the Pharisee spread through her neighborhood. She likely did not get a chance to express her overwhelming gratitude to Jesus during her first meeting. Now she saw an opportunity. But what act or gift of thankfulness was good enough? What could she possibly offer to the Son of God that would be worthy of the King of kings? As she scanned her room, she saw it—an alabaster jar filled with perfume. This perfume likely represented the sum total of her entire life’s savings.
So with tears streaming down her face, she found the lavish home of Simon, burst into the gathering uninvited, saw Jesus seated at the table, fell to her knees behind Jesus, wet his feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and then poured perfume on them.
The powerful fragrance of perfume filled the air.
We have discussed in a previous chapter that our worship of God is really the “fragrance” of our lives. Here, in this powerful act, we see (and smell) the “aroma” of this woman’s worship expressed practically and vividly. And this woman became a living example of the verse found in Isaiah 52:7:
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace,
who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
If he were a prophet…
On the other hand, Simon, who had witnessed this shocking and culturally inappropriate display of affection, was horrified and embarrassed. The room, which was once filled with the noisy chatter of dignified guests, is now uncomfortably silent. And Simon’s emotions turn from embarrassment to indignation. He thinks to himself, if Jesus truly was a prophet, he would know that this wretched woman is a sinner and he would not allow her to touch him—especially in such a disgraceful manner. The other guests likely had similar thoughts.
The seconds pass by in uneasy silence. The only noise is the soft crying and sniffling of a woman on the floor. All eyes, however, are focused on Jesus…
Story Time
Jesus, who knows the unspoken thoughts of men, started by telling a simple story.
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.”
Then, Jesus asks Simon this rhetorical question, “Which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.”
In that dry and dusty land, it was customary for the host to wash the feet of their guest. Not providing this expected act of hospitality was not a simple oversight—it was an obvious snub. Simon likely thought that Jesus was beneath him in social status. And because other Pharisees were likely at this gathering, Simon probably did not want to appear too gracious to someone who was openly critical of his peers and friends.
On the other hand, this woman was not worried about the intricacies of religious politics or how she appeared to other people. Her tears which washed her Savior’s feet were the unbridled expression of the love and affection welling within her heart.
Jesus then continued, “You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.”
It was also customary to give a simple kiss when a guest arrived as a simple gesture of welcome and affection. But, when Jesus entered Simon’s home, no kiss was offered. Others may not have noticed this “small” oversight. But Jesus knew how the “small” oversights in Simon’s hospitality revealed the “big” sins within his heart.
“You did not put oil on my head,” Jesus said, “but she has poured perfume on my feet.”
In other words, Simon did not offer Jesus any of the expected and customary signs of affection and hospitality afforded to guests. But this woman poured perfume on Jesus that likely represented her entire life’s savings.
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
The Formula
Jesus gives us a formula here that reveals a magnificent spiritual truth. The depth of love that a person has for God is directly proportional to the depth of forgiveness that a person experiences. And the depth of forgiveness that a person experiences is directly proportional to a deep understanding of the disgusting sins and violent depravity lurking within. The formula looks something like this:
Love for God ≈ Forgiveness Experienced ≈ Wretched Sin Understood
How is this formula important to our understanding of worship? The implication is that unless we grasp the intensity of our sins, we will never grasp the intensity of God’s forgiveness or the magnitude of His love.
In this passage, Simon failed to see the pride festering within his own heart. He was clearly able to see the sins of others, but he was blinded to the sins within himself. As a result, Simon did not personally feel the need for a Savior who offers grace and forgiveness. The end result was a life steeped in legalism with little hint of love.
“Worst of all sinners”
In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul described himself as the worst of all sinners. This self-assessment seems to stretch credulity. If Paul had said that he was a sinner or that before God he was another condemned sinner, that would be understandable. But, to call himself the worst of all sinners? How could he be worse than a Nazis war criminal or those who commit infanticide or rape?
And if Paul—who loved Jesus, served God, and devoted his entire life to spreading the gospel—called himself the worst of all sinners, what does that make us? The worst of the worst?
Paul, who was also a Pharisee, understood something vital that Simon never got—next to an infinitely holy God, we all become the worst of all sinners. As God’s holiness stretches into the unfathomable reaches of eternity, any sin, no matter how seemingly miniscule in the eyes of man, becomes an infinite violence that deserves eternal damnation. To say to God—“Lord, come on! It was only a small sin!”—reveals a limited, naive, and incalculably foolish (and dangerous) understanding of God’s holiness. Infinite holiness demands infinite justice!
Before entering a cage, it is wise to know what kind of the animal lurks inside. Do not go confidently prancing about like an idiot if a hungry lion sleeps within!
The woman in this story understood her depravity. She knew that she was ruined next to a holy God. With all of her sins branding her like a scarlet letter, the thought that she could earn her own salvation never even crossed her mind. No silly man-made attempts at righteousness would do. Her relief would need to come from God Himself.
Who am I?
Now it is time to turn the spotlight on ourselves…
When I was researching for information about the Pharisees, I came across a website that argued that people who characterize the Pharisees as hypocrites are anti-Semitic. At first, I was startled and angered by that assessment. But as I thought about the issues, I began to realize that this conclusion was, at least partially, correct.
Before I continue with this thought, let me clarify something early on to prevent misunderstanding. When I say that this conclusion is partially correct, I do not mean that the biblical portrayal of these particular Pharisees is inaccurate. When Jesus calls these Pharisees “white-washed tombs,” I fully trust in that assessment. However, if we, as Christians, label these Pharisees as hypocrites—and yet we do not see the multitude of hypocrisies in our own lives—then we are in serious danger. We must realize that when the Bible condemns these Pharisees as hypocrites, we do not walk off scot-free. If we can read the vast requirements of the God’s Moral Law without feeling the weight of our sins bearing down on us like a suffocating cloud, then something is really wrong! Although the Bible most definitely provides unimaginable hope for the repentant sinner, it also exposes all of us as wretched sinners. And the sin of pride does not limit itself to the Pharisees. It is a sickness that infects all of us. When Jesus said to these Pharisees, “Woe to you Pharisees,” we should be saying to ourselves, “Woe to me!”
Let me give another illustration: if there ever was a man who could claim to be righteous before God based on his own merit, it was the prophet Isaiah. Here was a man whose life was devoted entirely to the Lord. However, in that amazing encounter where Isaiah stood for the first time before God (see Isaiah 6:1-6), he said with fear and trembling, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
One single look! That’s all it took for this prophet to feel the unrelenting weight and horrible violence of his sins against a perfectly holy God. Then Isaiah said something completely unexpected: “Woe is me!” As R.C. Sproul elaborates in his classic book The Holiness of God, Isaiah was calling down a curse on himself. Notice that God did not utter this curse—Isaiah cursed himself! One glance at God’s holiness was enough for Isaiah to declare that he was utterly and completely destroyed.
In fact, on the final Day of Judgement, there is an assumption that those who will be sent to the eternal condemnation will be “kicking and screaming” in protest of their “unfair” eternal punishment. Nothing could be farther from the truth. On that day, those who are damned will, like Isaiah, take one look at God’s consuming holiness, and agree wholeheartedly with their condemnation. They will, in fact, curse themselves.
Now, consider this: if Isaiah, who was seen as righteous and pure by Israel, could not stand justified by his own works before a holy God, what chance do we have?
What Sin?
Sin is a word that has been erased from our modern vocabulary. It is viewed as antiquated, intolerant, and socially taboo. But the removal of this word from our linguistic landscape is only symptomatic of a much deeper problem. By denying the existence of sin, modern man is attempting to deny the existence of an objective Moral Law. And by removing the Moral Law that holds us equally and universally accountable, the One who wrote the Moral Law is thereby removed. All denial of sin as a real category is actually an unblushing attempt at denying the existence of God.
In Christian evangelism, the most palpable difficulty is not convincing the skeptic that Jesus rose from the dead, presenting the evidences for the deity of Christ, or defending the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. The most difficult problem facing evangelism today is this: people do not see themselves as sinners. And, many people do not even believe that sin exists! How then do we convince people who think that they are ‘alive’ that they are really ‘dead’. Television and popular media continue to perpetuate this myth that sinners are ‘out there’ in the world (but not sitting on the couch). People who kick dogs for pleasure, beat their wives, abuse children, or who eat too much trans-fats in their diet are really the sinful ones! The evening news never exposes the ubiquitous sins of selfishness, pride, injustice, gluttony, lust, idolatry, unkindness, materialism, or unfair anger. As a result, we live in our smug and insolated cocoons convinced of the evils “out there” but forgetting about the more pressing evils “in here.”
We live in whitewashed “tombs”. Viewing pornography no longer requires the embarrassment of buying a Playboy at a convenience store—worse sexual perversion is brought directly into our homes through the internet. Although most people would never consider shoplifting movies or music from a retail store, many people never think twice about downloading the same onto their computers. And in the dark recesses of our minds where the untamed desires and evil passions of man find refuge, we find solace that nobody can see our true nature. We may not desire to massacre children, but without God “removing our hearts of stone”, we are evil through-and-through nonetheless.
Jesus said in Mark 2:27, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Do we honestly know how sick we really are? True worship first demands a true assessment of ourselves.
