© Alex J MacDonald

Come on, let’s go to Simon’s place. You’re new in town, and this would be just the thing to get to know people. Simon’s throwing a party tonight. And Simon’s really well off, he has a big house and he can throw a big party.

Tonight it’s one of these open house affairs where there are specially invited guests to the banquet, but anyone can get in to the party and get something. Even the poor—the down-and-outs and beggars—can get in, as long as they behave themselves—as long as they sit quietly at the back away from the table where the invited guests recline. People like Simon like to show off how charitable (and wealthy!) they are. And believe me, Simon keeps a good table—plenty to eat and drink.

There’s something else you’d better understand, before we go in. Simon’s very religious. He belongs to one of these really strict organisations. It’s a fundamentalist group. The Pharisees they’re called—very strict. So don’t say anything out of place, all right? Don’t speak to the guests at the table.

And another thing—only men will be at the table—no women. Now, don’t make a fuss about it—it’s just a different culture, that’s all.

Which reminds me, there’s a little custom we have for welcoming guests. They get their feet washed, get some moisturiser on their faces and are greeted with a kiss. But not for us, I’m afraid. We’re just the riff-raff.

Oh, and one last thing—there’s a bit of excitement tonight.  They’re expecting a special guest—some sort of religious guru. No, not like Simon. In fact I’m surprised that Simon’s invited him. There are all kinds of stories going around about him. Seemingly he’s an amazing speaker. He gathers crowds wherever he goes. And he’s some kind of faith-healer. But he doesn’t please a lot of the religious people—like Simon. Doesn’t keep up the standards. Mixes with the wrong kind of people—“drunkards and sinners” (they’re always calling people sinners). And he makes big claims for himself—claiming things they say are only true of God.

What’s he called? Joshua. Although you may know him by his Greek name—Jesus, Jesus from Nazareth. All right, let’s go in. 

Right, there are the people getting their feet washed. OK, now we’re in. There’s Simon, our host. Just bow to him, don’t say anything. And there’s the table. It’s low—positively groaning with food. A lot of guests already reclining. Let’s get a seat on the floor here beside this pillar, and have a look round. Nearly everyone is here. But no sign of Jesus. I wonder, is he going to come?

Everyone’s gone really quiet. Wait a minute … there he is, just coming in. Yes, he’s really quite ordinary looking, until he looks you in the eye, then ... well, you’ll see. Dear me, he’s looking rather dusty and dishevelled. They can’t have washed his feet, or anointed him—and he’s not complaining! If it was one of these priests, they would kick up a real fuss! But he’s just smiling and saying hello to people. Look, he’s coming over to sit there in front of us.

You see what I mean? When he looks at you, it’s as if he sees right through you. No, not right through you, but right into you ... knows what you’re thinking ... makes you feel you should be a better person ... Well, that’s what I felt anyway. What did you feel?

Everyone’s talking again now. Jesus is just sitting down. Look he’s right opposite Simon. Did you see that little smile Simon gave to the person beside him? Looks like they think they’re going to have some fun at Jesus’ expense tonight.

I’d better be quiet now. Simon’s getting up to make a speech and then they’re going to serve the food.

Well, that was a rather good first course, don’t you think? And everything’s been very quiet so far.

Wait ... what’s everyone looking at? Oh no! Not her! That’s all we need!

Who is she?! Can’t you tell just by looking at her? The long hair uncovered, the heavy make-up. Well, it’s usually heavy, but there’s definitely something different about it tonight. Her mascara’s running. She’s been crying.

There’s going to be a scene. Simon’s going to have her thrown out. Wait a minute, she’s coming over here... Do you know her? No? No, she’s going straight to Jesus. She’s going down on her knees right at Jesus’ feet. There’s definitely going to be a scene! This is really embarrassing!

She’s not saying a word. She’s just sobbing her heart out! Look at those tears! I never knew so much water could come out of anybody’s eyes! She’s made Jesus’ feet all wet! Oh no! Now she’s wiping his feet with her hair! And kissing them!

And here comes the perfume! That’s expensive stuff! I wonder which of her clients gave her that?

And all the time Jesus is looking down at her. He’s not angry. Not embarrassed. It’s definitely a smile. But he looks sort of sad and kind at the same time.

Simon and all these religious people are not going to approve! They’re going to make a real meal out of this. Look at the smile on Simon’s face. Rather different from Jesus’ smile. You can just tell what Simon’s thinking. He wouldn’t be seen dead letting a woman like that anywhere near him!

Now Jesus has turned to look straight at Simon. Did you see how the smile froze on Simon’s face and he had to look away? Quiet now! Jesus is talking. I’d better translate for you.

“Simon, I want to tell you something.”

“What do you want to tell me?” asks Simon, who’s looking distinctly uncomfortable.

You can hear a pin drop! Jesus is going to tell one of his famous stories ...

“Two men owed money to a certain money-lender. One owed him £50,000, and the other £5,000. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon is relaxed. This is easy! Money he knows about, although I’ll warrant he’s finding it difficult to get his head round the idea of cancelling such large debts!

“I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled.”

Oh, Simon, don’t you see? Jesus is setting you up!

Jesus says, “You have judged correctly,” and now he turns and looks at the woman and says to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You didn’t give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, hasn’t stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet!”

Simon is flushed—I don’t know if it’s with anger, or embarrassment or perhaps a mixture of both!  Boy! I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes! … But, you know, come to think of it, I feel I am in his shoes ... you know what I mean?

Wait, Jesus is speaking again. This is the punch line:

“I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus looks straight at the woman and says to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Well! That really sets the cat among the pigeons! Everyone is starting to talk at once. But it’s all variations on the same theme: “Who is this who even forgives sins? ... Only God can forgive sins ... and then only through a priest performing a ceremony. Who does he think he is?”

I don’t know about you, but I think they’re all missing the point somehow—launching into their religious arguments.

I’ll never forget the look I saw on that woman’s face just now, when Jesus said, “Her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much”, and “Your sins are forgiven.”

She knew that Jesus understood. And I think I’m beginning to understand. She loves him, because it was from his lips she first heard that there’s forgiveness for someone like her—big forgiveness—forgiveness that would wipe away every stain of her past life and make her clean again—forgiveness that only Jesus could give.

She knew she could never pay off her debt to God. I suppose she still doesn’t know how the debt can be cancelled, but she believes Jesus will take care of that. All she knows is that she loves him. That’s why she did what she did tonight. She took the most precious thing she had—her perfume—and she used it to show how much she thought of Jesus. She was probably going to do it anyway, but when she saw how disrespectfully he was treated by Simon and the others, she wanted to show there was someone who loved him. And she just didn’t care what other people thought of her.

But when it came to it, she was so overwhelmed with a sense of her own shame and unworthiness, she sobbed her heart out. She was so sorry. And yet Jesus accepted it all as the offering of a loving heart. Big sin, big forgiveness, big love.

Well, that’s what I think anyway—I don’t know about you? 

But wait, the woman’s leaving and Jesus is saying something else to her—“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Well, she certainly has faith in Jesus—to come in here in front of all these people and do what she did! He’s no ordinary man and he prompts no ordinary reaction. Who can forgive sins, but God?

And see the look of peace on that woman’s face! Her face is a mess, with all the crying and her make-up running and everything, but I’d give everything I had to have peace like that. I don’t know about you—what do you think?

Read Luke 7:36-50