TGBC Saturday
The Good Book Club
Saturday, Feb 24, 2018. Luke 7:36-50
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’
Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards 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 bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’
But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’
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Thought for Saturday. It depends on the text: some days I change from the Anglicized NRSV to the (American) NRSV. Some days I’ve used the KJV, the historic Bible of our church. Some days I print the text with section titles, headings and verse numbers (not original to Luke’s text). Just depends, including on how I want to look at it with you. TW+
When and where and with whom the evangelist (gospel writer) remembers this incident happening depends on the storyteller himself, it’s different in each gospel. Luke has it near the beginning of his Jesus story before Jesus heads south for Jerusalem. For the others it’s at, near, the end, and even then still varies significantly in detail from gospel to gospel. No matter, it’s a good spell, a credible story.
One wonders why the Pharisee invites Jesus to supper in the first place. I’m suspicious, whenever I read “Pharisee” my guard goes up. I wonder if he already knew Jesus, or met him at synagogue? Is Simon, counter to my experience with Pharisees around Jesus, kind and hospitable? Is he giving Jesus a chance to prove himself a prophet (a theme with Luke)? Does he have Jesus there so as to try and trick him or catch him in something so as to have him arrested? We can’t tell, but all of that comes to mind. One thing seems sure: Luke’s theme of Jesus as prophet continues here.
Luke means us to realize that this woman is a prostitute, doesn’t he. So, how do we suppose she knew Jesus? Naanh. Whatever, she seems kind, somewhat sentimentalistic, overly emotional, (pathetic?) following him into Simon’s house crying and making such a spectacle of herself and of Jesus. Whatever her sins, and Luke means us to imagine what they are, Jesus tells Simon that her forgiveness is huge compared to Simon’s little bitty forgiveness. Color Simon's face red.
How come, in artists' presentations, the sinful woman is always so beautiful? And could this be Mary Magdalene? IDK. Neither do you.
How come, in artists' presentations, the sinful woman is always so beautiful? And could this be Mary Magdalene? IDK. Neither do you.
Setting up today’s story for print and for online, I looked at a lot of pictures, both paintings and clipart, and like best the one of Jesus on the chaise lounge, watching the woman while he eats his supper. Second, I like the one with Simon looking on, scowling disapprovingly. Of whom do you disapprove?
And the scene, supper that evening, was about 30 AD: Luke is writing about, maybe 90 AD or so: how, do you suppose, did Luke the evangelist (gospel writer) know Simon's thoughts verbatim? Well, it's Luke's story, isn't it, so Simon the Pharisee thinks whatever Luke says he thought; that's the way with literature.
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