LUKE LESSON 19

    We will begin this lesson in Luke 7:36  "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."

    Some people called the Pharisees the "separatists". These
Pharisees were the truly strict scribes. It is unusual for this
Pharisee to ask Jesus who ate with publicans and sinners to eat with
him. Jesus was known to be a Hebrew by birth so there would be no
problem with eating with Him from that standpoint. Perhaps, this
Pharisee had been there along with the 2 disciples John the Baptist
had sent, and perhaps he had seen the miracles that Jesus did along
with them.

    Luke 7:37 "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,"

    Jesus was a friend to sinners. He had stopped the crowd from
stoning the woman caught in the act of adultery. Jesus was in the home
of a very strict Pharisee. This woman entering this house would have
been unwelcome had not Jesus been there. Her sins seem to be well
known in the city. This alabaster box of ointment was of great
monetary value. Ointment of this type kept in alabaster boxes was very
expensive. We are not told where the woman got it, only that she had
it and brought it to Jesus.


    Luke 7:38 "And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, 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."

    We see, here, a very repentant woman. She loves Jesus for His
forgiveness. He called the sinners unto Him, forgave them, and sent
them on their way with instructions (go and sin no more). She humbles
herself. Her tears of repentance and love are so great that she washes
His feet with them. The ultimate sign of her repentance and love is
wiping His feet with her hair. This expensive ointment was a type of
perfume.  the Lord had compassion on her. This is where foot washing
in the church originated. It is an act of humbleness.

    Luke 7:39 "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."

    We see, here, in this Pharisee a self-righteous man. Perhaps he
had been touched by the miracles and the miraculous preaching Jesus
had done. Something prompted him to invite Jesus to be his guest. It
might have been to learn more of Jesus' teaching since it was so
different from what he had been taught. He saw this woman with eyes
which see fact and not faith. He was aware of her sins and not of her
repentant heart. Notice above that this Pharisee does not openly
accuse Jesus, but has these thoughts in himself. Jesus in the next
verse will answer these thoughts just as if they had been spoken out.

    Luke 7:40 "And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have
somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on."

    In verse 39. Simon had doubted in his mind that Jesus could have
even been a prophet. Now he calls Jesus, Master. Simon is a hypocrite.
He believes one thing and says another. Simon does not realize that
Jesus is answering his thoughts. and he says go ahead.

    Luke 7:41 "There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the
one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty."

    Jesus is speaking a parable to Simon. He will deal with Simon in
this parable and will not directly come out and reprimand him. In the
parable, Jesus has set the stage of 2 different debtors: one owes 500
pence and the other 50 pence.

    Luke 7:42 "And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave
them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?"

    There is only one possible solution to this parable. When Simon
answers it. he will have scolded himself for not realizing this
woman's sins (which were many) were forgiven; and she loved Jesus
much, because Jesus had forgiven her of much. Simon had not committed
sins like hers. He didn't have much to be forgiven for, so he loved
little.

    Luke 7:43 "Simon answered and said, I suppose that [he], to whom
he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged."

    You see, Jesus put the responsibility for judging this woman to
Simon. He gave Simon a parable which proved Jesus' lesson here for
Simon. Simon trapped himself; and in a word, understood what Jesus was
saying here.

    Luke 7:44 "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 desert was hot. They wore sandals. It was a custom when a
guest came in to have a pan of water that he might cool his feet off
and wipe them and then go in. Jesus is saying 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.

    Luke 7:45 "Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I
came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet."

    It was a custom in the land to greet the brethren with a holy
kiss. Simon must not have thought as highly of Jesus as he did his
other Pharisee brethren. The ultimate in humility is to kiss another's
feet. This woman had done this repeatedly.

    Luke 7:46 "My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman
hath anointed my feet with ointment."

    Here, again, a very honored guest might have been anointed on the
head. The desert sun was hot and could really dry the skin. This
Simon, in fact, had not even acted as if Jesus were a special
guest. This woman greatly honored Jesus. She did not feel worthy to
anoint His head but anointed His feet.

    Luke 7:47 "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."

    You see, Jesus knew all along that this was a sinful woman. He
also knew that she had a repentant heart. She loved Jesus more than
she feared what might happen to her for pushing her way into the
Pharisee's house. Whatever it took, she was coming to Jesus. Jesus
freely forgave her, because she was truly sorry, and because she truly
loved Him and wanted to follow Him. This Pharisee figured he didn't
have much to be forgiven for. Take a look at what Jesus told him: that
he loved very little.

    Luke 7:48 "And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven."

    The greatest gift anyone can receive is to have their sins
forgiven. Jesus wants to forgive every single person upon the earth.
to be forgiven. We must humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to
forgive us, and He will.

    Luke 7:49 "And they that sat at meat with him began to say within
themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?"

    They were talking to themselves. they did not recognize Jesus for
who He was, just as many of the church people today do not recognize
who He was and is. No mere man can forgive sins. Only God can forgive
sins. they were in the presence of God the Son (Emmanuel), God with
us, and did not realize who He was. They thought He was the teacher.
How wrong they were. Look at this last verse and see Him forgive this
sinful woman.

    Luke 7:50 "And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go
in peace."

    Jesus knows their thoughts, but said it any way. this woman
believed Jesus would forgive her, and He did. Her faith (like
Abraham's faith) saved her. When you know you are saved, there is a
peace that comes over you that you cannot explain. The sting of death
has been taken away, because you know eternal life awaits you.




                           Luke 19 Questions

1.  What did the Pharisee desire Jesus to do?
2.  Did Jesus do what he wanted?
3.  What was another name the Pharisees were known by?
4.  Why do you suppose this Pharisee asked Jesus to eat with him?
5.  What kind of a woman came to Jesus in the Pharisee's house?
6.  What did she bring with her?
7.  Who was Jesus a friend to?
8.  What did she use to wash Jesus' feet?
9.  What did she dry them with?
10. Why was it the custom to furnish water for a guest to wash his
    feet?
11. What modern practice in some churches began with this?
12. What did this Pharisee say within himself?
13. Did Jesus know what kind of woman she was?
14. How would you describe this Pharisee?
15. This man could see the woman's sins but could not see what?
16. What does Jesus answer when He speaks to the Pharisee?
17. What did the Pharisee call Jesus that made the Pharisee a
    Hypocrite?
18. What is the parable Jesus tells the Pharisee?
19. Who loved the most in this parable?
20. Who judged the parable and in so doing judged the woman?
21. What 3 things that Simon neglected to do showed that Simon did not
    have great respect for Jesus?
22. What is the ultimate act of humility that this woman did?
23. Why did Jesus say her sins were forgiven in verse 47?
24. What is the greatest gift anyone can receive?
25. What were those that sat with Him at meat questioning Jesus' right
    to do?
26. Why did they not understand?
27. In verse 50, Jesus told the woman her _____ hath saved her and to
    go in ________.