In Luke 7:36-50 Jesus has been invited to dinner at a Pharisees house when a sinner woman (possibly a prostitute, at any rate a known sinner) shows up at the banquet room; according to H. H. Haley “an oriental banquet was a sort of public affair” so in accordance with that culture she had the privilege to be there; she comes in weeping so profusely that she begins to wash Jesus feet with her tears, implying a spirit of repentance, using her hair as a towel, then kissing and anointing His feet. Religious Simon rises up in pious indignation and speaks, not audibly but in his heart, accusing Jesus of not being a true prophet because if He was He would have recognized who this woman was and rebuked her. Instead Jesus bursts Simon’s bubble showing that He not only knew what was in her heart but He also knew what was in Simon’s heart, revealing his failure through the parable of two debtors that were forgiven by their creditor. When Simon answers Jesus correctly as to which one will love the creditor most, Jesus exposes religious Simons heart for in spite of his piousness he did not even extend to Jesus common courtesies of the day, but to the woman He says, “Your sins are forgiven” and “Your faith has saved you go in peace” verses 48, 50. Jesus did not come “into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” John 3:17. It is not our religious show that counts with God, it is a humble repentant spirit, “for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7. In the sight of God, Isaiah 64:6 tells us that, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags”. And the New Testament tells us in Titus 3:5 that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The message of this parable is very similar to that of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14.
Is your heart right?
By Rose Hill
Jesus knows if our heart is right,
And perfectly pleasing in His sight.
We must forsake a religious show,
Everything false will have to go.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.