Luke 7:36-50 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

The Anointing of Jesus. Lk. only; perhaps based on the incident (though not to be identified with it) recorded in Mark 14:3-9 *, Matthew 26:6-13 *, and introduced here in illustration of Jesus-' friend ship with sinners (Luke 7:34). Simon the leper is here Simon the Pharisee; the abandoned woman enters uninvited and no one is astonished. Her tears forestall her intention, she even makes the sacrifice of letting down her hair in public. Note mg. in Luke 7:37. There is affection here, dignified reverence in Mark 14; toucheth (Luke 7:39) is really clingeth to (cf. John 20:17).

The parable (Luke 7:41-43) hardly fits the scene (cf. Luke 10:29-37 *). Its point is that great forgiveness produces great love. The truth demanded (Luke 7:47 a) is that great love produces great forgiveness. Luke 7:47 b is thus irrelevant; it belongs to the parable side (so Montefiore). To make the whole of Luke 7:47 consistent with the parable we must assume that the woman had previously (through Jesus-' preaching) repented, and received the assurance of forgiveness, hence her love and gratitude. Jesus now confirms her assurance and publicly pronounces her forgiveness. Read For which reason, because she has shown much love, I say unto thee that her sins have been forgiven. The woman's affection is the gratitude shown for the conviction of forgiveness (so Plummer, Adeney, J. Weiss, Loisy). In Luke 7:50 Jesus puts the emphasis on the woman's faith. She had heard that He was the friend of sinners (and of His new way of dealing with them), she believed that He could and would help her, and the miracle of her conversion was largely effected before she entered the house. It was completed by the power of His personality.

Luke 7:38. The verb wet used here and Luke 7:44 is frequent in the papyri for the irrigation of Egypt by the Nile inundation. Elsewhere in NT it means rain.

Related Commentaries of Luke 7:36

Luke 7:36-50

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 toucheth 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.