You Are Not the Only One

Let’s break bread together

³⁶ “And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house and sat down to meat. Note that not all of the Pharisees were against Yeshua. ³⁷ And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,” The sinner recognized the Yeshua has come. See Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8. This incident that took place in Galilee and involved “a woman … who was a sinner,” i.e., a prostitute. Please understand that there is no reason to identify this woman as Mary Magdalene. It is not her. ³⁸ And stood at his feet behind him weeping, [This infers that He was reclining at a low table, that was the custom of the time. “and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Her “weeping” indicated her repentance. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. The Pharisees saw her sin. They did not see her repentant heart. They did not have any compassion for her nor the ability to see how repentant she was. Simon had not committed sins like hers. Therefore, he couldn’t get it.

Let me tell you a story: Where do you fit in this scene

⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.  Apparently, Simon had doubted in his mind that Jesus could have even been a prophet. So, Jesus told them a story. Jesus is speaking a parable to Simon to teach him a valuable lesson.  41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most? ⁴³ Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. Simon placed himself in a vice, but now he understood what Jesus was saying.

Where was your courtesy?

⁴⁴ And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. The people wore sandals in that hot desert. It was a custom when a guest came in to have a pan of water to cool his feet off and wipe them and then go in. See this article about the custom. Jesus says to Simon: You didn’t even show me common courtesy, but this woman has washed my feet with her tears and used her hair for a towel to dry them. ⁴⁵ Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Greeting people with a kiss was part of their tradition. The early church followed that tradition. ⁴⁶ My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.⁴⁷ Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Jesus freely forgave her He knew that she was truly sorry and because she loved Him and wanted to follow Him. This Pharisee figured he was righteous because he was a teacher of the law. You know that he had to has been ticked off when Jesus did this.⁴⁸ And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Who does He think He is?

⁴⁹ And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. They needed to know that they were in the presence of God the Son (The Emmanuel God with us. They did not realize who He was. They thought He was just a teacher who knew the law.