Luke 7:36-39, 44-47 (3)
Notes
Transcript
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We’re going to be back in Luke 7 this morning.
And, we’ve come to verse 36.
As always, I would encourage you to follow along in your Bibles.
While you’re turning there...
…let me inform you of an introductory matter.
You need to be aware that...
…the other three gospel writers...
…all record a similar event...
…It’s the one where:
Jesus was in the house of Simon THE LEPER...
Mary (the sister of Martha and Lazarus)...
…bestowed on Him a similar type of honor.
But, The timing and details of that event...
…force us to conclude that:
It is a completely separate event.
Also, we’re going to read the entire story...
But, because of its length...
…we’re going to break it up into two sermons.
We’ll begin reading in verse 36:
Luke 7:36–50 (ESV)
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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-What we see indicated in verse 36, is that...
…Luke has now shifted the narrative to a new event.
It tells us that this event begins when:
Luke 7:36 (ESV)
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him...
Now, this is something that we see quite frequently...
…in the gospel accounts.
It was a fairly common practice...
…for those living in the context of...
… Middle-Eastern Hospitality.
In particular, we see in the gospels, that...
(and it’s usually not cast in a positive light)
…that, Jesus was often the dinner guest of a Pharisee, specifically.
-Now, remember, these were called the “holy ones!”
They were that grass roots faction of Jewish leadership...
…that had arisen organically...
…and had gained their power and authority...
…through the popular respect and approval...
…of the Jewish laity!
-So, here we have this highly respected holy man...
…inviting Jesus, (in their eyes) an itinerant Jewish-Rabbi...
(who was also held in high esteem by the common people)
…inviting him to (an essentially public) dinner at his house.
-Now, Luke doesn’t tell us what motivated the Pharisee to do this.
Based on a typical (biblical) description of a Pharisee...
…we might assume that...
…He wanted to earn the merit that would come from...
…having a popular rabbi over for dinner.
But, based on what he says a little later...
…it could very well be that he was simply:
Curious about Jesus
Wanted an opportunity to evaluate Him personally.
Either way, Jesus doesn’t disappoint.
Luke tells us, that accepting the invitation:
Luke 7:36 (ESV)
36 ...he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now, this can be a little misleading for us...
…given the way we “have people over for dinner” today...
…and given the posture we assume...
…when we eat that dinner.
This commentary clears that up for us:
Now, a party in those days was a public event. Homes had open courts, and the uninvited could stand around and observe the guests and the festivities.
They ate, as the Romans did, with a table in the middle and many couches. Lying with heads at the table and their feet out... — The Preacher’s Commentary
This is why I said before...
…that this was an essentially public event.
People could (for the most part):
Come and Go
Observe the conversations… at will.
-I say “for the most part” because of...
…the way Luke introduces an uninvited guest in verse 37:
Luke 7:37 (ESV)
37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner...
In describing her that way...
…Luke is using language that would not...
…have been misunderstood by his audience.
This was an infamous woman.
She was “known about town,” for her:
Lewd and Licentious...
perhaps promiscuous...
...Lifestyle!
It’s possible (but not certain), that she had been:
A prostitute
A known adulteress
Some surmise that this was Mary Magdalene...
(Who will be introduced by name in the next section)
…but I couldn’t find any evidence to support that.
Whoever she was...
…given what she was...
…it would have taken a great deal of:
courage
determination...
…for her to do what she did.
Sproul tells us, AGAIN:
In the ancient world, it was customary for people to come in and spectate at large dinner-parties especially those held by somebody of dignity, or respect, or social status.
It was unthinkable, however, to come in off the street, unannounced, uninvited, to a dinner-party being held by a Pharisee. For a prostitute to do that was absolutely outrageous. — R.C. Sproul
Yet, Luke tells us that:
Luke 7:37 (ESV)
37 ...when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house...
…That, that’s exactly what she did!
And already we’re beginning to see what it looks like, for...
“The violent" . . .
To “force their way into” . . .
…The Kingdom of Heaven!
Look at her zeal and passion.
Not only did she desperately defy protocol...
…by coming in in the first place...
...Luke says, that when she came in, she:
Luke 7:37–38 (ESV)
37 ...brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
A very expensive perfume (a year’s wages)
38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
-Now, this requires a lot of explanation.
To begin with, remember, that Jesus is:
Lying on his side
Propped up on his elbow
With His:
Head toward the table
Feet going in the opposite direction.
This posture would give the servants of the house...
…easy and un-interrupting access...
…to the feet of guests.
Essentially, what this woman was doing...
...was performing an ancient act of hospitality.
Remember when the LORD appeared to Abraham...
…by the Oaks of Mamre?
Abraham said:
Genesis 18:3–5 (ESV)
3 . . . “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.
4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,
5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on...
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But, remember how we saw before...
…that the understanding was in the 1st Century...
…that this was the work of Servants and Slaves?!?
And, that for the most part...
…not even Jewish servants...
…but only gentile servants...
…were forced to so degrade themselves?
That’s why Jesus, our Lord and King...
…Washing the feet of his disciples...
…was such a profound statement, about:
Godly leadership in the church
Our relationship to each other
You see, this lady, who was formerly...
So rebellious and independent
Defiant of God’s authority through His Law
…Is now humbling herself at the feet of the Lawgiver...
…assuming the position of His servant, and...
Attending to His needs
Paying Him honor.
And notice, that she’s standing there, crying...
…before she kneels down do any of this.
The text says:
Luke 7:38 (ESV)
38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears...
What’s the reason for this torrent of tears?
My guess is that she is experiencing (What the Psalmist refers to, as):
A broken spirit
A contrite heart.
My guess is that this is that:
2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)
10 ...godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation...
I love what the JFB Commentary says here:
Where she had met with Christ before, or what words of His had brought life to her dead heart and a sense of divine pardon to her guilty soul, we know not.
But probably she was of the crowd of “publicans and sinners” whom Incarnate Compassion drew so often around Him, and heard from His lips some of those words such as never man spake, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour,” etc. — JFB Commentary
Whatever the particular cause...
…the effects are clear in verse 38.
She takes His yoke upon her (by faith — Verse 50)...
Luke 7:50 (ESV)
50 ...“Your faith has saved you...”
…She becomes his servant...
…and she acts out that new, inner reality...
…through her physical actions.
This is how true repentance works!
Look again, at what she does:
Luke 7:38 (ESV)
38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears...
She was supplied no water...
So, she uses her tears!
Next, we read:
Luke 7:38 (ESV)
38...she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head...
She was supplied no towel...
So, she uses her hair!
Think about that!
The foremost symbol of her outer glory...
…being used to clean her new Master’s feet!
And don’t overlook this cultural consideration:
It was considered a disgrace for a Jewish woman to unbind her hair in a public situation, but in order to dry Jesus’ feet this is what she must have done.
In so doing she was humiliating herself in the presence of everyone there, but obviously, she didn’t care about that as long as she could make this extravagant display of affection and love for Christ — R.C. Sproul
And,I think this can be seen without debate...
…in what she does next.
Luke, tells us that after:
Washing
Drying
…His feet, that she:
Luke 7:38 (ESV)
38 ...kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
You know what this is?
This is:
Humble Gratitude
Coupled with
Holy reverence.
She debases herself as low as she can go...
And she exalts her Master...
…to the highest degree that she can think of!
She kisses HIS FEET!
Not His head
Not His cheek
Not His hand
She doesn’t presume to be so presumptuous..
She kisses his feet!
-And finally, she takes a $30,000.00 bottle of perfume...
...And pours the whole thing out, ON HIS FEET!
Ryken explains this time:
This was a gesture of humility. Ordinarily, perfume would have been used to anoint someone’s head. Only a slave would care for someone’s feet.
But this woman was willing to take the position of a servant . . . With reverence and submission, she washed her Master’s feet, giving him the highest honor. — Philip Ryken
-Now, watch the juxtaposed reaction...
…of Jesus’ (seemingly holy) host:
Luke 7:39 (ESV)
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
In Middle Eastern Culture...
…a woman’s chastity and virtue was her most important asset.
A woman who had lost that reputation...
…was treated with utter contempt...
…and a “holy man” who associated with her...
…would tarnish his reputation as well!
-So, this seems like a “gotcha” moment for the Pharisee.
He thinks he has incontrovertible proof...
…that Jesus wasn’t the Holy Prophet...
…that the lower classes of people thought He was.
-But, Jesus proves his status as more than a prophet...
…by answering the man’s THOUGHTS!
We’re going to look at the first part...
…of His reply next time.
But for today, let’s look at what He says...
...beginning in verse 44:
Luke 7:44–47 (ESV)
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven...
Let me show you what’s going on here.
There’s a perfect parable to illustrate it:
Matthew 21:28–32 (ESV)
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.
30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
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You see, the will of God for your life...
…is for you too, to kiss the Son!
The will of the Father is for you...
…to repent and believe in His name!
You know what stands in the way of that?
You know what will keep you out of the Kingdom...
…more than anything else in this world?
Pride!
Pride!
This is why it’s easier for Tax collectors and Prostitutes to be saved...
…than it is for Pharisees, Pastors, and sadly, — church kids.
In order to have a heart response like this lady did...
…You have to realize and admit that you’re:
NOT clean
NOT holy
And your pride fights against that with a furious desperation!
-Another reason that it’s easier for Prostitutes to be saved, is because:
To be a disciple of Christ...
…means to be His slave.
It means He controls your life...
…through what He commands IN HIS WORD!!!!!
And that means that you’re NOT:
The captain of your own ship
The master of your own destiny
Free to live however YOU want!
If He is your master...
Then He IS your MASTER!
Again, those who love to lead...
…tend to have a problem with that!
-Now, I know that these are convicting words, brethren.
But, if you’ll receive them, they'll be comforting words as well.
How?
By reminding us that it’s not by works of our own righteousness...
…that we become children of God...
…but, by the Grace of God...
…and, through repentance and faith.
Jesus told the woman, this, at the end:
Luke 7:50 (ESV)
50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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