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Home » Free Books » Bonar, Horatius » Light & Truth: The Gospels !

Chapter 41 - Luke 7:36-50 - Much Forgiveness, Much Love Light & Truth: The Gospels by Bonar, Horatius

Quick Access Chapter 1 - Matthew 1:1 - Very Man... Chapter 2 - Matthew 1:16 - Jesus the See... Chapter 3 - Matthew 2:3 - Jesus the Trou... Chapter 4 - Matthew 3:10 - The Desert Vo... Chapter 5 - Matthew 4:23 - Jesus in Seas... Chapter 6 - Matthew 5:45 - His Sun... Chapter 7 - Matthew 8:1-3 - Human Lepros... Chapter 8 - Matthew 8:34 - Man's Dislike... Chapter 9 - Matthew 11:28 - The Rest and... Chapter 10 - Matthew 11:29 - The Three E... Chapter 11 - Matthew 12:41 - Nineveh and... Chapter 12 - Matthew 13:25 - The Two Sow... Chapter 13 - Matthew 19:6 - Herod's Ball... Chapter 14 - Matthew 19:15-16 - Man's Wa... Chapter 15 - Matthew 14:24-31 - The Help... Chapter 16 - Matthew 17:17 - The Graciou... Chapter 17 - Matthew 18:1-4 - The Peerag... Chapter 18 - Matthew 18:2; Luke 19:10 - ... Chapter 19 - Matthew 21:44 - The Stone o... Chapter 20 - Matthew 22:42 - The Things ... Chapter 21 - Matthew 24:12 - The Chill o... Chapter 22 - Matthew 24:42, 44 - True Vi... Chapter 23 - Matthew 25:3 - Religion wit... Chapter 24 - Matthew 25:31, 33 - The Gre... Chapter 25 - Matthew 24:70 - The Denying... Chapter 26 - Matthew 27:4 - The True Con... Chapter 27 - Mark 3:35 - Relationship to... Chapter 28 - Mark 4:39 - The Great Calm... Chapter 29 - Mark 5:36 - Only Believe... Chapter 30 - Mark 6:6 - Jesus Wondering ... Chapter 31 - Mark 6:33, 34 - Christ's Te... Chapter 32 - Mark 6:53-56 - Jesus and Hi... Chapter 34 - Mark 11:13 - The Fruitless ... Chapter 33 - Mark 10:52 - Christ's Recog... Chapter 35 - Mark 11:22 - Faith in God... Chapter 36 - Mark 13:33 - Watch and Pray... Chapter 37 - Mark 13:34-37 - The Master ... Chapter 38 - Mark 14:62 - The Coming of ... Chapter 39 - Luke 4:16-31 - The Gracious... Chapter 40 - Luke 6:19 - Health in Jesus... Chapter 41 - Luke 7:36-50 - Much Forgive... Chapter 42 - Luke 11:13 - How Much More!... Chapter 43 - Luke 15:2 - Jesus Watching ... Chapter 44 - Luke 15:10 - God's Joy Over... Chapter 45 - Luke 15:20 - The Father's L... Chapter 46 - Luke 15:22 - God's Free Lov... Chapter 47 - Luke 17:26, 27 - Noah Days... Chapter 48 - Luke 19:11-27 - The Lowest ... Chapter 49 - Luke 14:40 - Christ Must ha... Chapter 50 - Luke 21:28 - Signs of the T... Chapter 51 - Luke 21:36 - Deliverance in... Chapter 52 - Luke 22:18 - The New Wine o... Chapter 53 - Luke 22:19, 20 - The Heaven... Chapter 54 - Luke 23:32-43 - The Three C... Chapter 55 - Luke 24:29 - The Disciples'... Chapter 56 - John 1:12, 13 - Reception o... Chapter 57 - John 3:2 - The World's Need... Chapter 58 - John 3:14, 15 - Life in Loo... Chapter 59 - John 3:29 - The Filling Up ... Chapter 60 - John 3:34, 35 - The Fullnes... Chapter 61 - John 4:10 - The Living Wate... Chapter 62 - John 5:39, 40 - Bible Testi... Chapter 63 - John 6:17 - Night with Jesu... Chapter 64 - John 6:50 - The Bread of Im... Chapter 65 - John 6:51 - Christ's Flesh ... Chapter 66 - John 7:37 - Come and Drink... Chapter 67 - John 7:53; John 8:1, 12 - J... Chapter 68 - John 8:31, 32 - Truth and L... Chapter 69 - John 8:54 - The Father Hono... Chapter 70 - John 11:40 - The Honour Giv... Chapter 71 - John 12:12 - Inquiring afte... Chapter 72 - John 12:32 - The Great Attr... Chapter 73 - John 12:35-36 - Light and i... Chapter 74 - John 12:46 - Light for the ... Chapter 75 - John 12:48 - The Judging Wo... Chapter 76 - John 14:8-10 - The Revelati... Chapter 77 - John 13:16, 17 - The Abidin... Chapter 78 - John 14:26 - The Mighty Com... Chapter 79 - John 14:27 - The Divine Leg... Chapter 80 - John 16:25-28 - Christ in H... Chapter 81 - John 16:33 - Tribulation, P... Chapter 82 - John 17:26 - The Declaratio... Chapter 84 - John 18:28 - Ritualism and ... Chapter 84 - John 19:2 - The Greater Sin... Chapter 85 - John 20:17 - Christ's Work ... Chapter 86 - John 21:5 - The Tender Love... Light & Truth - The Gospels - Footnotes...

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XLI.

Much Forgiveness, Much Love.

Luke 7:36-50.

This is a feast of worldly hospitality on the part of Simon; probably little more.

It does not look like the table of a believing, loving man; but of a hospitable Jew, who, puzzled, perhaps curious, about the character and claims of Jesus, is anxious for an opportunity of closer and freer intercourse.

The expression in the thirty-ninth verse, "if he were a prophet," seems to indicate some such state of mind,-an oscillation between faith and unbelief.

Simon, though inviting Christ, has not been overkind to his guest.

"Thou gavest me no water for my feet."

He has shrunk, too, from all expression of intimacy, all acknowledgment either of friendship or of discipleship.

"Thou gavest me no kiss."

He withholds the token of festal gladness.

"Mine head with oil thou didst not anoint."

Simon is evidently not at home with the Lord; nor does he wish to be thought at home with Him.

Whatever might be his anxious questionings of soul, he is still "one of the Pharisees."

He is no disciple.

The Lord knew his heart and understood his invitation; yet he went to his house and sat down at his table.

For whether it were Pharisee or publican, Simon or Matthew, that invited him, it mattered not.

He went wherever he was desired, like the physician in a city of pestilence, putting himself at the disposal of sinners, and turning his footsteps in the direction of their varied needs.

Nor did He take offence at the incivility of Simon in not washing his feet, or anointing his head.

He mentions these afterwards, to humble his pride; but He is not affronted thereby; for he ever acts and speaks as one who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister"; 'not to be served by any, but to be the servant of all.

The four following things are brought out in this narrative: (1.)

The sinner's approach to Christ.

(2.) Christ's reception of the sinner.

(3.)

The Pharisee's interference.

(4.) Christ's rebuke and judgment.

I.

The sinner's approach to Christ.

It is not enough that she knows that a prophet has arisen, and that the Son of God has come.

The report of others will not do.

She must see and hear for herself.

It will not do for her to stand afar off; she must draw near.

(1.)

She comes earnestly.

She must get at Him.

She must encounter difficulties; she must brave scorn and sneers, and the risk of being thrust out; for she is "a sinner"; and the house of a Pharisee is the last place she would think of going to.

But she is in earnest.

She will not be hindered.

Access to this wondrous man, whom she has heard of as the forgiver of sins, and the friend of sinners, she must have; and what are the taunts or jests of Scribe and Pharisee to her? True earnestness breaks through every barrier.

(2.)

She comes directly.

She makes use of no mediator or messenger.

She brings her own case in her own hand, and approaches him directly.

She comes just as what she is, and as nothing else.

She does not come as what she may be, or hopes to be, or is making herself to be.

She does not come with excuses on palliations, but with confessions only; and He is her one confessor, and this is hen one confessional.

She deals directly with Himself; for the sinner and the Saviour must meet each other face to face; both just what they are: the one the sinner, the other the Saviour.

(3.)

She comes trustfully.

She may not yet know Him fully; but she knows something of Him, and of his grace; and that something is enough to call up her trust.

She "trusts, and is not afraid."

Man may look coldly on her; Jesus will not.

Man may thrust her out; Jesus will not.

She has few else, perhaps none, to trust; but she has Him, and it is enough.

What she knows of Him, and of his love, removes all misgivings.

She believes; but it is not in her faith, but in Jesus that she trusts.

She weeps; but it is not in her tears that she confides.

She repents; but it is not on lien repentance that she builds.

She loves, but it is not on her love that she leans.

She trusts in the Son of God.

She trusts Him for what He is.

She has already learned something of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, though He was rich, for her sake became poor.

(4.)

She comes thankfully.

She comes to shew her love,-then grateful love.

She brings her precious ointment; she brings her tears; she brings her kisses; she brings her reverence; she brings her thanks,-thanks not the less true and warm because uttered not in words, but in deeds.

Her sin, and his love to the sinning one; her unworthiness and his overflowing grace; her outcast condition as far as man is concerned; her admission without upbraiding into the presence of the Son of God,-these are the things that call up gratitude.

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift," are the words which we seem almost to hear from her lips as she kneels behind his couch, kissing and anointing his feet.

Thus it is that the sinner draws near with the "true heart" to the Son of God.

Her knowledge of Him is very imperfect as yet; she has not yet realized all the glory of his person, nor known his coming death and resurrection; but she knows enough to give her confidence, for she sees his grace towards the sinner, and understands that he came to seek and to save that which was lost.

II.

Christ's reception of the sinner.

In the scene before us, it is his reception of one who is in unqualified phrase, even according to man's judgment, a sinner, that is shewn us.

She is not one of the best of sinners, but one of the worst; without goodness, or merit, or recommendation.

She has nothing to prepare or qualify her; nothing to make her less unworthy to stand before the Holy One.

Just as she is she comes!

And how is she received?

(1.)

Immediately.

She is not kept waiting for a moment.

The Son of God does not hold her in suspense; does not bid her go and come again; does not send a message telling her to wait a little outside and make herself more meet for a reception.

He receives her immediately; yet in a way which does not make light of her past sin, or lead her to forget who and what she is.

Ah, yes!

It was immediate reception which the Lord gave her; and it is immediate reception which he still gives to each coming one amongst ourselves.

He does not stand on ceremony with us, nor repel us, nor, either by word or deed, give one sign of reluctance to receive us.

As the Father the prodigal, so He receives his returning wanderers with wide arms, seeing us afar off and running, and having compassion, and falling on our neck and kissing us.

(2.)

Frankly.

"When they had nothing to pay, he frankly (or freely) forgave them both."

The forgiveness was the free gift of love; a love which the many waters had not quenched nor the floods drowned; a love which had survived years of sin, and ungodliness, and lust, and vanity; a love which, now meeting its object face to face, can no longer restrain itself; but like Joseph on the neck of Benjamin, gets vent to its long pent-up yearnings, in forgivenesses and blessings, as frank, and free, and generous as they are unearned and undeserved.

Man's love of man is according to merit, on expectation of response; God's love of man has no reference to deserving or to return.

Man's love of man is contracted, exclusive, and grudging; God's love to man is as boundless as it is free.

He forgives without condition; He loves without reserve; He blesses without measure or end.