(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 touched 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.
The interesting account which Luke hath recorded, concerning our Lord's dining with a Pharisee, and which gave rise to the very beautiful history of this pardoned sinner, merits our particular attention, and the more so, as this is the only Evangelist who hath preserved the relation of it to the Church. I beg the Reader's indulgence upon the subject.
And first, whatever motive this Pharisee had, of inviting Christ to eat with him, is not so material to regard, as it is to remark the gracious condescension of Jesus, in accepting so readily the invitation. Reader! do not fail to notice it down for constant use, in the memorandums of your heart, that if Jesus so promptly went at the first invitation to eat with a Pharisee, will he not, think you, readily come at the repeated requests of his people?
Turn to those sweet scriptures in confirmation, and then may you and I give that condescending Lord the frequent invitation to come and dwell with us, and make his abode with us. Isaiah 65:24; Revelation 3:20-21; Isaiah 58:9
Secondly, Let us look at this poor woman. The Evangelist makes the Reader feel much interested in her history, from the manner in which he hath introduced the subject; And, behold! a woman in the city which was a sinner! Surely every conscious sinner, at the first hearing of such an one visiting Christ, cannot but feel anxious to know what reception she met with, and how she succeeded. So that at once, you and I, knowing that we are sinners, take part in all that concerned her in her approaching Jesus, and anxiously wait the event.
I pause however to observe, that according to my views of this woman's history, I do not think, as some have done, that this woman was Mary Magdalene; for their circumstances do not correspond. Mary Magdalene no doubt was, like this woman, a sinner, for the Lord is said to have cast out of her seven devils. Mark 16:9. but there is not a word of the kind said here, neither should it seem, according to the account before us, that this woman had ever had any interview before with Jesus. Moreover, the very name Mary Magdalene implies, that she was of Magdala, or if by Magdalene it be supposed was meant a loose woman, still this might be on account of the place, because Magdala was proverbial for women of no chastity. Whereas this transaction was in Galilee. Neither do I conceive, that this woman is the same with the sister of Lazarus, mentioned John 12:3. for here this poor sinner lay at Christ's feet, and washed them with her tears; but there, the Mary John speaks of, poured the ointment on Christ's head. And the former is said to have been done in the house of this Pharisee; whereas the latter was in the house of Lazarus and his sisters. So that the history is not one and the same. Neither is this instance the same with that mentioned Matthew 26:6-7. for the event concerning this poor sinner in the Pharisee's house, must have taken place a considerable time before Christ's farewell supper; but that recorded by Matthew, and Mark 14:3. was only the evening before Christ's apprehension. I venture therefore to believe, though I do not presume to speak decidedly upon the subject, that this poor sinner was a different person from either of the Maries, noticed by the other Evangelists, and that she had never before had any interview with Jesus.
Let us now attend to what is related of her behaviour in her approaches to Jesus. Every circumstance which is said concerning her by the Evangelist, is expressive in proof of a real work of grace wrought upon her heart. And who shall say whether, as in the instance of Zaccheus, and that of the woman of Samaria, Christ's eating with the Pharisee was not wholly intended on her account, and for the instruction of the Church, in all the future generations of it, by her history. See Luke 19:1-10; John 4:4-42. I beg the Reader particularly to notice, amidst the several features of a true sorrow of soul for sin, in this woman's behaviour; the self-loathing and abhorrence of her own filthiness, and the ardent love which her kisses expressed to the person of the Son of God! Reader! in all the marks of genuine repentance, depend upon it, these are the strongest. It is not our tears, nor our prayers, nor our attempted reform; no, nor our faith, considered as any act of our's, which can bring any glory to God, or peace to ourselves. A broken and a contrite heart becomes a blessed effect from God's grace there planted. But it is God's grace and Christ's blood which are the cause; and the change wrought by that grace and blood is the effect. everything is beautiful in order. Faith and repentance are precious fruits of the Holy Spirit. But Christ, and Christ alone, becomes the cause of salvation.
Our next view of this beautiful memoir, is to look at Simon the Pharisee. Though he invited Christ to his house, yet it is evident, from his suspicions of Christ's character, that he had no high opinion of him in his heart. The gracious allowance of Jesus to this poor sinner wounded his pride. Had she touched the Pharisee's garment, he would have thought himself defied. But Jesus the Son of God was pleased with the act. Reader! think of this. Jesus is glorified when his people are sanctified in him. His holiness suits their uncleanness. His riches their poverty.
But it is high time to look to Jesus, and observe his grace and mercy on this occasion. And first, I beg the Reader to take notice how plainly our dear Lord's conduct towards the Pharisee, proved the Godhead of his person. The Pharisee had made it up in his mind, that if Jesus were a Prophet, he would have known who, and what manner of woman this was, for she was a sinner. Not that this knowledge belonged to the ordinary Prophets; but to Jesus, as the Lord God of the Prophets, it did belong, and his omniscience marked his character. Revelation 22:6. Hence therefore Jesus, by telling Simon what was in his heart, manifested his eternal power and Godhead. Reader! mark this first down in thine heart, or rather beg of God the Holy Ghost to do it for thee. John 16:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:3
Next observe the very wise and gracious manner which the Lord Jesus adopted in manifesting himself as God, in pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin, and to make the wounded soul of this poor sinner to rejoice. Under the similitude of a beautiful figure, which the Pharisee might not immediately see through, the Lord Jesus taught, that the debtor of five hundred pence, or the debtor of fifty, when both unable to pay, were equally insolvent before God, the Almighty creditor; and that it must be an act of free grace to pardon either. Here Simon, with all his fancied righteousness, confessing, as he could not but do, that he had many infirmities, in the midst of all; and this poor sinner, with her conscious complete unworthiness, stood upon a level; and therefore if the Lord forgave both, both were debtors to his free bounty. And then when Jesus had extorted this confession from the proud self-righteous Pharisee, he proceeded to apply. And the Evangelist hath most beautifully set this forth, in terms so plain and evident, as can need no explanation.
One thing more I would beg the Reader particularly to notice, namely, the grace Christ manifested, and the authority he exercised in forgiving her sins. And this the Lord twice said, that there might be no possible mistake in a point of so much consequence. Oh! how truly blessed is the view! I beg the Reader to look to a similar passage on this ground, Mark 2:3-12. Let the Reader observe how the Lord expresses himself to the woman, thy faith hath saved thee. And to the Pharisee concerning her. For she loved much. In both which expressions we are not to suppose Jesus meant, that either her faith, or her love, both which were the Lord's gifts, could be her merit, or the cause of her pardon. These were from the workings of grace in her heart, so that the Lord's love and mercy were the cause, and the workings in her heart the effect. And as her pardon was great, because her sins were great, her love and thankfulness were the more. Such are among the many precious things this lovely history furnisheth, to the praise of the Lord's grace, the joy of poor sinners, and the casting down the pride of all Pharisees. And, Reader! think where that precious soul of her's is now, amidst the spirits of just men made perfect, surrounding his throne in glory, who once lay at his feet when upon earth in tears. Blessedly Paul speaks to this subject, concerning those recovered by grace among the redeemed, from among men upon earth, when he saith, And such were some of you! but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Corinthians 6:11.