The Woman Who Was a Sinner
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
There was a great gulf between the Pharisees and the publicans. The Pharisees professed a piety, that, in their own estimation, lifted them far above the publicans. The publicans seemed to accept this challenge, and as a rule they hid themselves away as though they were the basest of men.
We remember how the Pharisee prayed within himself; parading his self-righteousness and self-superiority; while the publican stood afar off, beating upon his breast, and saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
With this in mind there are a few things we wish to suggest before the contrasts of our study proper are brought out.
1. With God there is no difference, for all have sinned. The Jew may boast himself of his spiritual superiority, and set himself over against the Gentile; but God says to the Jew; "Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God?"
The Gentile may acknowledge his guilt, however, he is no more guilty than the Jew. The truth is, "There is none righteous, no, not one; * * there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way."
The truth is that before God the whole world stands guilty, and therefore condemned. Every mouth is stopped, and all boasting cf human righteousness is excluded.
2. With God death hath passed upon all men. Some men may imagine themselves good enough for life eternal; but God says that the wages of sin is death, and that death hath passed upon all men; in that all have sinned.
If the sinner wants to know what way leads to hell, we reply; "It is the way in which he is traveling." Hell is the end of every sinning son of Adam, inasmuch as every son is a sinner.
3. Salvation is offered only upon the basis of Christ's finished work. We said that all had sinned, and therefore, that all were hell-ward bound. This the Bible plainly asserts, for, "The wages of sin is death," and, "The wicked shall be cast into hell."
Had righteousness been possible through the keeping of the Law, verily, righteousness had come by the Law
What man could not do, God did do, by sending Jesus Christ down from Heaven to become man's substitute. Christ was made sin for us, "that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
I. A PHARISEE'S DESIRE (Luke 7:36)
We are struck by this statement "One of the Pharisees desired Him that He would eat with him." We may be too quick to judge, but we feel justified by the general reputation of the Pharisees, and by the record of this particular Pharisee which follows in our study story, to say that this "would-be-host" had unholy motives in his inviting Christ to dine with him.
In this Pharisee, however, we believe that we have an inside view to many Pharisaical people of our own days.
1. Pharisees delighted in personal recognition. They sought the prominent places, the first seats at the feast. They delighted in doing things which attracted men unto themselves. They paraded their works in order that they might be seen of men. They delighted in enlarging the borders of their garments, inasmuch as these garments, supposedly, manifested the breadth of their piety. They desired to make broad their phylacteries, that they might obtain the praises of men.
The very essence of Pharisaical character, was a desire to be called "Rabbi," "Rabbi." They knew nothing of humbling themselves; but they were experts in self-exaltation. They might devour widows' houses in private; but they covered their rascality with the pretense of a long prayer.
2. Pharisees demanded of others what they never did themselves. They bound heavy burdens upon men, grievous to be borne. These they placed on men's shoulders, but they, themselves, would not move them with one of their fingers. They took the position of lords over what they called the common people. Their whole life was a living lie. They were like whited sepulchers which were beautiful without; but within were full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even so, they outwardly appeared righteous unto men; but within they were full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
II. THE SINNER SEEKING THE SAVIOUR (Luke 7:37-38)
It does not seem the natural thing for a woman, who was a sinner, to be seeking the Saviour. She, who was corrupted and undone in her sin, came to the One who knew no sin, and who did no sin.
Does it surprise you? Darkness was seeking the light; uncleanness was seeking the clean; impurity was seeking the pure; the unholy was seeking the holy. So it was.
The Holy Spirit had been dealing with this woman. She was still a sinner; but she was a sinner, whose eyes God had opened. She was a sinner; but she was a sinner whose will God had broken. She came to Jesus, because He drew her to Him with the cords of Heavenly love. She wept, because her spirit was full of contrition; she washed His feet with her tears, because she longed to have her sins washed away; she wiped His feet with the hair of her head, because she felt herself unworthy and base. She kissed His feet, and anointed them with ointment, because she loved much, and sought to exalt Him as Lord of her life.
We wonder how many, who read these words, are willing to join this woman in worshiping and loving Christ?
III. SIMON'S CRITICISM OF THE SAVIOUR (Luke 7:39)
1. A twofold criticism. In Luke 7:39 we read that the Pharisee 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."
Simon made two criticisms. He criticized the sinner for seeking the Saviour he said with a slur; "She is a sinner." He also criticized the Saviour for seeking the sinner he said, "This Man, if He were a Prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is."
2. The inner vision of Simon's heart. Simon had no real love for Christ. His invitation to the Lord to dine with him carried with it no conviction as to Christ's Deity, no confession of Christ's omniscience. It was altogether out of place for the host to dishonor his Guest.
How often do people express an outward show of fealty to Christ when their innermost soul rejects Him as Saviour, and as Lord, and as Coming King! There are still many who, with their lips, boast great things, while their hearts are far from the Lord. These people come as the saints come. They bend the knee, and they bow the head, as the saints do; they hear God's Words, but they will not do them: with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after covetousness.
IV. CHRIST'S CRITICISM OF SIMON (Luke 7:40-43)
Jesus, understanding what Simon had in his heart, said; "I have somewhat to say unto thee." Christ then told Simon the story of the two debtors: the one who owed much, and the other who owed little; the one who was forgiven much, and the one who was forgiven little. Then He said to Simon, "Which of them will love Him most?" Simon admitted, "I suppose that he, to whom He forgave most."
Christ thus outlined before Simon the perfidy of his own heart: showing him how he had loved but a little. Simon had not even given his Guest any water for His feet; he had given Him no kiss; he had anointed His head with no oil.
1. The longing of Christ's heart was for love, not entertainment. The question which the Lord asked Simon was a question not of who served most, but of who loved most. Simon had done much in the way of serving. He had offered Christ the hospitality of his home. The woman, perhaps, had no home to offer. There was one thing, however, that Simon had not done. He had not lavished upon his Lord, the love of his heart.
We wonder if Christ is not saying of many of us what He said of the Church at Ephesus, "Thou hast left thy first love." The Church at Ephesus was filled with deeds; it was loyalty personified. Ephesus could not bear evil men; Ephesus had tried those who had falsely said they were apostles, and had found them liars. Ephesus had done much by the way of labor, and had even labored in the Name of the Master; yet, Ephesus had left her first love.
2. Christ observed in Simon the lack of those fine qualities which manifest the genuineness and sincerity of love. Simon was an adept at doing big things, and showy things. We can almost see him taking Christ through his mansion. We can also see Christ sitting at Simon's table a table spread with every bounty. We can imagine the servants flitting this way and that, as they waited upon the guests.
Simon, however, utterly failed in those tenderer and finer courtesies which marked affection. Do you remember the poor woman who cast in her two mites? The Lord said that she had given more than all of the rich, who, out of their abundance, had cast in much. He whom we serve is ever watchful for the deeper and keener manifestation of love.
V. CHRIST'S COMMENDATION OF THE WOMAN (Luke 7:44-46)
1. The Lord knew the sinfulness of the woman who wept at His feet. Simon had said of Christ; "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." Simon somehow or other felt that Christ had been contaminated by this woman who was a sinner. The Lord Jesus, however, had come into the world to seek and to save that which was lost, He had no pity for sin; but He died for the sinner. He had no fellowship with unrighteousness; but He was ready to save the unrighteous.
2. The Lord knew the sincerity of the woman who wept at His feet. Simon thought of her merely as unclean; Jesus thought of her as one desiring to be made clean. Jesus knew that the kisses upon His feet, and the tears that fell there, were kisses and tears of contrition. She who wiped His feet with the hairs of her head, was sobbing out the woes of her heart.
3. The Lord knew the yearnings of the woman who wept at His feet. She was there as a suppliant seeking mercy. She was there as a sinner seeking salvation. She was there confessing her wrong, admitting her iniquity, and longing to be forgiven. This is all seen in the fact that she fell at Jesus' feet.
We ask each of you this question: Are you, with Simon, sitting erect at the table claiming a more or less equality with the Lord, and doing but little more than passing the compliments of the day with Him? or, are you, with this woman, prostrate at His feet confessing your sins?
VI. THE SALVATION OF THE SINNER (Luke 7:47-50)
We have now come to that beautiful part of our study, the forgiveness of one who has sinned much.
1. Christ, in forgiving this woman, proclaimed Himself as God. Upon one occasion when Christ had forgiven the man who had been let down through the roof, the Pharisees cried out; "Who can forgive sins but God?" The Lord replied; "Whether it is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" Then Christ uttered those memorable words: "But that we may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, He saith to the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house."
2. Christ, in forgiving this woman, proved Himself a Saviour from sin. The people who sat at meat with Christ began to say within themselves, "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?"
Even now we can see the Lord, as, with hands extended, He cried to sobbing seeking souls; "Come unto Me, * * and I will give you rest."
3. Christ, in forgiving this woman, showed the human basis upon which salvation is obtained. Verse fifty says; "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."
We now see what it was that drew the woman from her haunts of sin, into Simon's House. We see what laid her low at the Master's feet, washing His feet with her tears, and wiping them with the hairs of her head. We see what caused her to cease not, in kissing His feet; and why she anointed His feet with ointment. We see why she loved much it was her faith. She believed that Christ was a Saviour.
The Lord Jesus saw behind her every act, the motive which prompted the act. He said to the woman, "Thy faith hath saved thee." It was not her tears; it was not her humility; it was not her ointment; it was not her love; it was her faith
4. Christ, in forgiving this woman, demonstrated the result of salvation. Christ said unto the woman, "Go in peace."
"There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." How then could this one, who was wicked, go in peace? She could go in peace, because she had received salvation; she had salvation, because she had faith.
The Holy Spirit has said, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace."
AN ILLUSTRATION
The story is told, that, two years after hostilities had ceased, following the Civil War, some college professors, in hunting specimens, ran across two soldiers hiding out in the mountains of the Carolinas. When they asked about the progress of the war, the professors told them that peace had been declared two years before. Peace had been declared, why then should these deserters not have peace?
Christ has made peace by His Blood, let us then have peace through faith in His finished work. It is just as foolish for the sinner to hide away from God when God has made peace through the Blood of the Cross, as it was for these two men to hide in the Blue Ridge Mountains after peace was made.