Luke 7:44

44 Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

Luke 7:44 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:44

And he turned to the woman
That stood behind him at his feet,

and said to Simon, seest thou this woman?
and what she has done? pointing to her, and comparing him, and her, and their actions together, whereby he might judge of the preceding parable, and how fitly it might be applied to the present case:

I entered into thine house;
not of his own accord, but by the invitation of Simon, and therefore might have expected the usual civilities:

thou gavest me no water for my feet:
to wash them with, no, not so much as water; a civility very common in those hot countries, where walking without stockings, and only with sandals, they needed often washing; and which was very refreshing, and was not only used to travellers and strangers, but to guests, and was usually done by the servants of the house; (See Gill on Luke 7:38).

but she hath washed my feet with tears.
The Persic version reads, "with the tears of her eyes"; which made a bath for his feet;

and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read only, "with her hair", which she used instead of a towel, when Simon neither gave him water to wash with, nor a towel to wipe with.

Luke 7:44 In-Context

42 They had no money to pay what they owed, but the banker told both of them they did not have to pay him. Which person will love the banker more?"
43 Simon, the Pharisee, answered, "I think it would be the one who owed him the most money." Jesus said to Simon, "You are right."
44 Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
45 You gave me no kiss of greeting, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in.
46 You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.