Luke Parables: Unequal Debts
Luke 7:36-50
“Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 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 wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Luke 7:36-50 NASB1995
The first parable in Luke is very short, but makes a crucial point about forgiveness and gratitude towards God. Let’s look at the events that occurred in the days before this parable is spoken from Luke 7:
Jesus healed a Roman Centurion’s servant from a distance, marveling at the Centurion’s faith that He will prevail. He also raises the only son of a widow from death in the village of Nain after seeing the funeral procession and feeling great compassion for her. This miracle sends shock waves through the local communities. John the Baptist (imprisoned at this time) has sent some of his disciples to ask if Jesus is the one that was promised, showing doubt, but Jesus answers by talking about the miracles He has performed and quotes prophecy. Jesus also calls out the Pharisees, who refused to submit to John’s call for baptism claiming John had a demon because he ate no bread and drank no wine, then they turned around and claimed Jesus was a drunkard and glutton (there was no way to win with those guys).
Simon, a Pharisee, asks Jesus to come to dinner. He is curious about this popular teacher and healer. As they recline for dinner, a sinful woman (unnamed) enters the room and anoints the feet of Jesus with alabaster perfume, crying and wiping his feet with her hair and kissing His feet. Simon is appalled that Jesus would allow this to happen to Him. Jesus perceives what Simon is thinking and speaks the short parable about the moneylender who forgives two debts (one quite large and the other one a small debt). He asks Simon who will love the moneylender more and Simon reluctantly states the obvious answer that it is the person with the largest debt that was forgiven, but he likely realizes that even the small debts (sin) require forgiveness, too. Jesus reminds Simon that the sinful woman did all of the things that a proper host would do for his honored guests (provide water for their feet, greet them with a kiss, anoint them with oil), meaning that He knew He was not an honored guest but an object of cold and hostile curiosity. Jesus then forgives the sins of the woman because of her great faith and tells her to go in peace.
Thinking about the context and the parable, Jesus obviously performs incredible miracles by healing the Centurion’s servant at a distance and raising a man from the dead, but His greatest gift is to forgive the woman who is full of love for Him for her sins. This forgiveness will last for eternity. The servant will sicken and die someday and the son brought back to life will die again someday. We need forgiveness, for debts large AND small, from our Redeemer. Here is what David Guzik says in his wonderful Biblical commentaries on Enduring Word:
c. Your faith has saved you: The key to her forgiveness was faith – it was her faith that saved her, because it was her faith that believed the words from Jesus your sins are forgiven. Faith enabled her to take the grace God gave to her.
i. Forgiveness is ready from God; there is no hesitation or shortage on His part. Our part is to come with humility and loving submission to Jesus, and to receive the forgiveness He offers by faith.
d. Go in peace: The woman came to Jesus in complete humility, with the attitude that she was not worthy to even be in His presence. That was a good way for her to come to Jesus, but He did not want her to stay there. He raised her up, acknowledged her love, forgave her sin, and sent her in peace.
i. The word “go” was probably not welcome. She liked being at the feet of Jesus. Yet Jesus sweetened the “go” by adding, “in peace.” She could go in peace because she heard from Jesus that her faith had saved her.
ii. Of the works done in this chapter, this was the greatest. Healed sickness (as in the centurion’s servant), or restored life (as in the widow’s son) are not permanent works of healing, because those bodies would one day die again. Sins that are forgiven are forgiven forever.
My next devotional will examine Luke 10:25-37, The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Bible commentary on Enduring Word by David Guzik is used by permission.