Greater Thanks

Greater gifts yield greater thanks.

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “Speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” - Luke 7:36-50

I find it interesting that the woman could just show up at the Pharisee's home and come to the place where Jesus was standing.

I assume he was standing because Luke tells us she stood behind him at his feet. If he had already been reclining to have dinner, she could not have been behind him.  

But could anyone come to the house of a Pharisee, even if they were not invited?

It seems that the woman is someone the Pharisee knew, but not someone Jesus would have known, because the Pharisee commented about Jesus being a prophet.  A prophet would have known what kind of sinner she was.

So, the scene is a bit more intriguing than at first glance.

Because Simon focused on the woman's sins, Jesus used the words he spoke to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The belief is simple and it points to God's grace.

If you give someone a chance to start over, to wipe the slate clean and begin anew, you give them hope and they have a greater chance of success.

They can live life fresh.

Of course, we don't easily learn this lesson.  We are terrible at being like God in this regard.

We tend to hold people accountable long past their repentance.

Maybe we should try a different approach.

More to come...