Luke 7:45

45 You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet.

Luke 7:45 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:45

Thou gavest me no kiss
A token of civility among friends, when they met together on any occasion. The Jews have a saying F2, that

``all kisses are foolish, excepting three; the kiss of grandeur or dignity, as in ( 1 Samuel 10:1 ) and the kiss at parting, as in ( Ruth 1:14 ) and the kiss at meeting, as in ( Exodus 4:27 ) (of which sort this kiss may be thought to be), to which some add the kiss of consanguinity (or that used by relations to one another), as in ( Genesis 29:11 ) ''

but this woman, since the time I came in.
The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "since she came in"; and so two of Stephens's copies; which seems to be the more agreeable reading, seeing Christ was in Simon's house before this woman came; for she knowing that he was there, came thither after him:

hath not ceased to kiss my feet;
which shows, that this action was repeated by her times without number, even ever since she came into the house.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 Shemot Rabba, sect. 6. fol. 91. 3, 4.

Luke 7:45 In-Context

43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."
44 Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair.
45 You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet.
46 You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume.
47 Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.