A Sinner Forgiven

One of the most intriguing figures in the Gospels is known as the “sinful woman.” She is found in Luke 7:36-50. There has been much speculation about who she was. Some have said the woman was Mary Magdalene, others believe her to be Mary of Bethany (Lazarus’ sister), Spurgeon even speculated that she was the Queen of Sheba. While it appears that on this side of eternity, we will never know who she was, “what” she was becomes evident in those verses.

Luke tells us this woman is a “sinner.” Other evidence in the text tells us she is known in the community, and we can infer through additional information that she is likely a prostitute. Upon discovering that Jesus is at a Pharisee named Simon’s house, she runs home, retrieves an alabaster flask of fragrant oil and hurries across town to his house. Think of the boldness this woman displayed. She, a sinner, and not just a sinner, but a sinner who led others into sin, walks into the home of a Pharisee completely uninvited. There are many others in the home, I imagine many of the religious elite and their spouses are present, so it is likely that she goes unnoticed at first, but not for long. Even in our day with our less than modest attire, a prostitute is easy to discern. As she scans the crowd, she spots Jesus and rushes over to Him. Jesus is conversing with Simon and the others present at the dining table. The woman’s eyes begin to well with tears. Her love, adoration, and faith in Jesus consumes her. He is the Messiah; He can take away her pain, her suffering, and her fears. He can forgive her of a lifetime of debauchery and sin. Her tears run down her face and begin to fall upon His feet. It is her tears of joy, her tears of love that wash her Lord’s feet. There is an air of expectation emitting from her, for she knows He can and will heal her. She kneels before Him and lets down her hair and begins wiping her tears. Bear in mind that in that day for a woman to let down her hair in public would be equivalent to a woman bearing her chest in church today. It was shocking to all present, minus One. Jesus knew exactly “what” she was, that being a sinner. She was one of the dregs of society, an outcast, one of those looked down upon with disgust and disdain by the many, and she was exactly what Jesus was seeking, she was one of the lost. He also knew that this woman loved Him with all of her being and was grateful beyond words. She was expressing that love and gratefulness openly and boldly. Her only thought was of Jesus, and His entire focus was upon her.

Those in attendance looked down upon her and also looked down upon Him. They were offended that He even let her touch Him. Jesus knew what was in their hearts and I suspect there may have even been a hint of anger from our Lord at their hard heartedness. Jesus immediately contrasted the woman’s actions to Simon’s and this chastening must have redounded with Simon’s guests. The sinful woman recognized she was a sinner in need of forgiveness, while Simon the Pharisee thought himself pure and righteous. She was forgiven much, thus she loved much. Simon did not love because he believed he didn’t need forgiveness. Simon suffered from the two greatest maladies any of us could be infected with: self-righteousness, and judgementalism. Both of which are rooted in pride.

I will add that this passage is often confused or connected with another anointing of Jesus’ feet recorded in Matthew 26:7, and Mark 14:3. The one in Luke and these two are separate incidents. By all evidence, it appears that Mary of Bethany is the anointer in Matthew and Mark. As Charles Spurgeon so poignantly stated, “… it ought not astonish you that there were two persons whose intense affection thus displayed itself; the astonishment should rather be that there were not two hundred who did so… Loved as Jesus deserved to be, the marvel is that He was not oftener visited with these generous tokens of human love.”

If we will ever slow down enough to examine what Jesus has done in our lives and lay hold of this wonderous gift of Himself that He has bestowed upon each of us, we too will be like her. She is described as being sinful, and I know this man I see in the mirror is as sinful as she, but likely far worse. There are days, or rather moments in those days when I too wash His feet in my tears. I get a glimpse of what He has done for me and how He has healed me, and my heart is filled with love and adoration for Him. There are even those rare occasions when I think I have gotten it right, and at the end of the day I cannot recall a single sin. And those days I could count on one hand and not use all my fingers. I am self-aware enough to recognize that I did not have a sinless day, it is pure self-delusion. But it does make me smile to think about it and the possibility of one day actually getting there.

I think of this woman, this sinner, and I must wonder what the remainder of her life was like. Did she repent and never look back? Did she go Jesus’ way? Did she keep His commandments? Did she love Him unreservedly? Or was this woman like me, forever repenting of the same sins, and continuously falling flat on her face. Did she feel as though she was failing Him over and over and having to crawl on her hands and knees through the wasteland of sin back to Him? I wonder…

What I am seeing in my studies as of late is this recurring theme of boldness and authentic abandon to Him. The complete forsaking of all that does not bring Him honor or glory. It is all about loving Him. It is about fulfilling the greatest commandment. When we are freed from the tethers and chains that bind us to this world, then and only then do we experience that surrender, that abandon He calls for in order to be His disciple. All that are called by Him and receive Him are saved, and every single one is called to be disciple. But few choose to follow Him to that level of commitment; few choose to be abandoned to Him, to be His disciple. The decision to forsake all to follow Him, or to turn away as the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22) is solely mine.

I want that faith and abandon like the woman. She inspires me to throw caution to the wind and unashamedly and without any reservations, follow Him.

I have my alabaster flask in hand for that chance meeting with Him. Do you have yours?

C. Klingle