A SINFUL WOMAN ANOINTS JESUS:
Luke 7:36-39 NKJV
[36] Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. [37] And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, [38] and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
Jesus is approachable by all and forgiving to as many sinners who came to Him for help. This story demonstrates a lot of things that are missing in our lives today. This same Jesus we read about in this story is the same Jesus we have fellowship with today. Are we not missing something?
This Pharisee invited Jesus into his house but didn’t show him the cultural courtesy of giving Him water to wash His feet and oil to anoint Himself. He was only interested in what he could get from being in the company of Jesus.
The Sinful woman, however, stood behind Jesus and washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with fragrant oil. When this Pharisee spoke in his heart about the lack of discernment of Jesus for allowing a sinful woman to touch Him, Jesus spoke up to the man with a question. If two people were forgiven, one with a lesser sin than the other, who would appreciate it the most?
When the Pharisee answered and said, the one who was forgiven of the greater sin, Jesus responded, I entered your house and you didn’t give me water to wash my feet and oil to anoint myself, but this woman has done both for me. Therefore, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, because she has demonstrated much love for me.
How much love do you demonstrate towards God? How much of His word do you obey (John 14:15 & 21)? Do you love other Christians? Only those who truly appreciate what Christ has done for them will make sure they are so deeply rooted and grounded in His love that they demonstrate this love wherever they are.
I John 4:7-8 NKJV
[7] Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. [8] He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.