Luke 7:36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is–that she is a sinner.”40Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[d] and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”43Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”49The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”50Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Maggie it was one woman. I remembered it as two seperate women also. I don't see any mention that it was mary Magdalee though who did it.
this is one of my favorite favorite stories in the bible. what I imagine this woman planning for days. she knows with every fiber of her being that Jesus is someone special. She knows how absolutely unworthy she is but somehow that unworth compels her to seek him out because she knows He is the only one who can restore her dignity. forgive her sins. Judging from the pharasees comment she had quite a reputation. So how was she going to convince him to forgive her. what offering could she bring? Maybe she had one treasured possession. Or maybe she sold everything she owned to get it. maybe her own body was the price. a beutiful jar of expensive perfume. the very best she could gather from whatever source.. She would bring that. She would bow bfore him and annoint him the way a king should be served. She would give herself entirely to his service. If she was going to be used and degraded at least she was going to be used and degraded by Him. It would be to her honor. So she summons up every ounce of curage and resolve and boldly marchs in where she clearly did not belong. I can't even imagine. She must have expected to be thrown in jail or stoned outright. how dare she walk into this setting. but upon seeing jesus, Jesus who knew what was about to unfold probably lit up when he saw her. Knowing that Gods glory was about to be revealed and he was about to worshiped beautifull and fully. he knew he from time immotal and knew what was about to happen. And he was pleased before she even said a word. She came undone. absolutely undone in his pressence. And I have had moments like this. 2 to be exact. Where I had great plans. ways to honor somenoe, say i was sorry, make amends and when the moment came I took one look at them and collapsed at their feet sobbing in a heap. Absolutely unable to to get a grip of any sort. I do not think this woman was silently shedding a few measly tears. I think she was bawling her eys out and hyperventalating and truely having a moment of discomposure (is that a real word?) and then she suddenly feels her very tears are unworthy to touch Jesus feet. I mean that is what she brought this perfume for after all. So she begins to wip them with her hair. a sacrifice of her very body. but more than that. I have gotten two general impressions from headcovering moms (correct me if am worng) but it is either a shame to show your hair, strips you of your dignity and position in which case using her hair would have humbled her. It would have been her way of taking a very lowly station. revealing herself for who she was. Or your hair is seen as something glorious you save only for the one you devote your life to. in mariage or not she was devoting herself to him. Perhaps marking herself as taken and sacrificailly giving up marriage in order to be His. either way an absolutely beautiful picture. She needed to be the one who cleand his fet. not some peice of cloth. She became the water to wash and the cloth to dry. she was going to serve him with every fiber of her being. litteraly. And at that point o much for pomp and circumstance. Time to start really worshiping him. She begins kissing his feet and bowing down and kissing some more and really carrying on. at some point she remembers what we came here for. the perfume. She finaly pulls it together and annopits him as King. She had done what she came for. and sat waiting for the ball to drop still unable to stop kissing his feet and carrying on about his greatness.
And I just love this part. The pharasees roll thier eyes and jest. Jesus looks over at Simon who he absolutely loved and says "hey simon, got a great story for ya, wanna hear it?" and Simon says "oh yes, do tell" I can imagine this is something they did often. SOmeone comes along being an idiot and Jesus turns to his buddy and says "hey wanna hear somehting intresting" and Simon laughs knowing whats coming and says "oh you bet" and off they go on one of thier "stories" designed to make a point to those overhearing. My friends and I used to do this a lot. anyway, so on he goes about how much more meanignful this is coming fro her because she is so much more gratful and sweet than the pharasees and the reason she is like this is because she is so forgiven. Because she doesn't have any false rightousness standing between her and true worship.
And then the ending is so beautiful. he proclaims forgivness over her and tells her to go in pease. this was not a woman at peace when she walkd in. she could leave knowing that the God who created the universe declared her a woman of great faith, forgave her everything and she was going to get to leave the building that evening alive (woohoo what a bonus). And because of her great faith and great love and great forgivness and boldness she has been remembered for centuries.
and yet it seems to be getting reduced to lust
how sad.
Ok but all that blathering to show why I don't think her act was remotely sexual. Especially in light of the fact that she was aproaching God. I mean really what does one do when they know beyond a shodow of a doubt they are about to stand face to face with GOD. You come undone. that is wat you do.
:LOL
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'Specially not in front of a group of men or in a religious leader's house!
