Luke 7

36-38 The anointing Luke describes in this section is similar to the anointing described in Mark 14:1-9. But the events are not the same. The woman described here was a sinner, that is, a prostitute, and the anointing took place in the house of Simon, a PHARISEE (see Mark 14:1-9 and comment).

39 When Simon the Pharisee saw the sinful woman touch Jesus, he decided that Jesus could not be a true prophet. A true prophet would surely have known that the woman was a sinner, and thus would never have let her touch him. The Jews, especially the Pharisees, believed that they would contaminate themselves if they associated with sinners (see Mark 2:15-17 and comment).

40 But Jesus knew the woman was a sinner, and he also knew Simon’s thoughts. Therefore, He told Simon a parable.

41-43 In this parable Jesus taught that a man will love and thank God according to the mercy God has shown him. The greater the sins God forgives, the greater will be the sinner’s love for God. Sin is like a debt. If a man knows his sins are great, he will be more grateful for forgiveness. If a man considers his sins to be small, he will be less grateful for forgiveness. Notice that a man’s gratitude depends not on how sinful he actually is, but on how sinful he thinks he is. Notice also that whether our sins are great or small, we cannot pay back our debt to God by our own righteousness. Neither of them had the money to pay him back (verse 42). Only by God’s mercy can our debts be forgiven.

It is best that a man considers his sins to be very great, because that is how God considers them.

44-47 Then Jesus turned to Simon the Pharisee and contrasted him with the sinful woman he despised. The Pharisees did not consider themselves to be sinful. Therefore, God’s mercy and forgiveness meant nothing to them. In their own minds they had no reason to be grateful to God, to love God. They loved God only with their lips.

But Jesus said to Simon, “This sinful woman loves me from the depths of her heart. She has shown her love for me. Therefore, this is proof that her sins have been forgiven. Her love is the proof that she is washed from sin and accepted by God. But you, Simon, have not shown me love. Your sins, therefore, have evidently not been forgiven. Otherwise, you would have loved me as this woman has loved me.”

God first loved us and forgave us. That is why we love Him (see 1 John 4:10). No one can truly love God until he first recognizes his own sinfulness and receives forgiveness through faith in Christ.

48-49 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus said this so that the other guests could hear. The woman already had been forgiven; now Jesus was just confirming this so that others might also know it (see Mark 2:5-11).

50 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you.” It wasn’t the woman’s love for Jesus that saved her; it was her FAITH. Because she had faith that Jesus was her Savior and could forgive her sins, she received salvation.

It is only through faith that we can receive the forgiveness, the healing, the salvation that God in His GRACE of fers to sinful man (see Mark 5:34; 10:52 and comments).