A Pharisee and a Repentant Woman

GOLDEN TEXT: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —I John 1:9

LUKE 7:36-50

JESUS’ ministry was conducted largely among the common people of his day, who heard him gladly and marveled at the gracious words which fell from his lips. However, he did not ignore the so-called “better class,” for he witnessed to them also whenever an opportunity was offered. One of these is recorded in today’s lesson. A Pharisee named Simon invited the Master to take dinner with him. He accepted the invitation, and the circumstances which arose during the course of the meal afforded a rare opportunity to repeat that the great purpose of his coming into the world was to save sinners.

Customs were vastly different in Jesus’ day from what they are now. From our standpoint, it is difficult to imagine a woman of ill repute entering unmolested into the banquet room of a prominent Pharisee while he was entertaining a guest for dinner; and not only entering the room, but pressing so close to the honored guest that she was able to wash his feet with her tears, wipe them with her hair, and anoint them with precious ointment. However, nothing is said in the account to indicate that there was anything unusual in the fact of her presence at the feast. It was merely Jesus’ attitude toward the woman that the Pharisee criticized.

Throughout all the ages there have been two classes in the world which have compared with the Pharisee and the repentant woman in this lesson. There have been those who, like the Pharisee, have been self-righteous and proud. They have felt themselves a little above the common stratum of society, the “upper crust,” as it were, and they have believed it to be the duty of others to look up to them, to respect their holiness and wisdom, and obey them.

Then there have been those like this woman who greatly appreciated Jesus. They have recognized their imperfections and sins, and like the publican who went up to the temple to pray, when occasion offered they have cried out to the Lord, “Be merciful to me, a sinner.” Actually, these have been nearer to the Lord in their hearts than have the proud and arrogant, for the sins of these are just as many, and in addition they hypocritically try to hide them by a show of self-righteousness which in the sight of the Lord is but as filthy rags.

One of the characteristics of the Pharisee class is intolerance toward those whom they imagine are not as righteous as they claim to be. The divine quality of mercy finds no place in their hearts. But how different is the viewpoint of those who are truly righteous at heart, and especially that of Jesus who was not only pure in heart, but in every way “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” (Heb. 7:26) Jesus knew that among the human race there were none perfect, that all had sinned and come short of the glory of God. He knew also that the only ones who were in a heart attitude to receive the blessing of forgiveness which he had come to bestow were those who recognized their sin, were repentant, and were seeking forgiveness, as was the case of the woman who anointed him at the feast.

Jesus’ use of a parable which implied that the Pharisee was more righteous than the woman whom he condemned was probably intended to represent the Pharisee’s own viewpoint, which, of course, was a matter of courtesy to him under the circumstances. While there are degrees of sin and guilt, no member of the fallen race is looked upon by God as righteous. All need forgiveness, and especially those who are blind to their own imperfections and because of this assume a “holier than thou” attitude, as the scribes and Pharisees did.

Jesus said to the woman, “Thy sins are forgiven.” This need not be understood as meaning that she was no longer under the adamic condemnation to death, for the blood of Christ which was to make possible “justification to life” had not yet been shed. What it did signify was that she was in the condition of heart which, when the time came, would lead to full fellowship with God through the blood.

The account does not indicate just what this woman’s gross sin might have been, but apparently, from what the Pharisee said, because of her past she was considered an outcast from society. The forgiveness extended to her by Jesus might have had special reference to the sin which had brought her into disrepute; and if recognized by the religious authorities, would restore her standing in the community. In any event, Jesus’ attitude is a beautiful example of that divine quality of mercy which, through the merit of his blood, will yet be extended to the entire human race—the dead as well as the living.

QUESTIONS

To what class of people did Jesus’ message particularly appeal?

What two general classes in the world are represented by the Pharisee and the woman in our lesson?

Did the woman receive “justification to life” as a result of the forgiveness extended to her by Jesus?

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