Luke 7:39 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Now when the Pharisee saw it When Simon observed what was done, that Jesus permitted such a notorious sinner to approach, nay, and to touch him; he spake within himself He thought in his heart; This man, if he were a prophet As he pretends to be; would have known what manner of woman What a vile, abominable creature; this is that toucheth him Thus familiarly; and instead of allowing her to do so, would immediately have driven her away with just disdain, as the tradition of the elders directs; for it was a maxim with the Pharisees, that the very touch of the wicked caused pollution. “But though Simon did not declare his sentiments, they were not hidden from Christ, who, to show him that he was a prophet, and that he knew not only the characters of men, but the inward and invisible state of their minds, conversed with him immediately upon the subject of his thoughts. The scope indeed of what he said was, to convince Simon how absurdly he reasoned. Nevertheless, Jesus did not expose him before the company, by making what he said within himself public, but, with great delicacy, pointed out the unreasonableness of his thoughts to Simon alone, without letting the guests at table know any thing of the matter.”