Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 7 verses 36 through 50:
36 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. 37 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. 38 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. 39 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.” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then 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 bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 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.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
I have to confess this Scripture both angers and delights me.
On the one hand I'm angered by the Pharisee's hostility towards the woman. He didn't have to say anything -- and didn't. But Jesus knew what he was thinking, and so too I'm sure did the woman.
And yet, here she is, showing up -- apparently uninvited -- bold before Jesus and just knowing he would let her in.
What's her story? She was "a woman in the city, a sinner." Does that mean she was a prostitute? Or was she just a woman with a past?
We all have a past. Even the Pharisee has a past. And his hostility in spirit says it all. It was his own unreconciled self he hated in this woman. It wasn't so much her life that was hostile towards, it was his own.
What was his story? We don't have the answer to that either. Maybe he knew her in ways the Bible does not say. Who knows?
But one thing we do know, his open contempt for others was a sure sign of his secret contempt for himself. For the one who is forgiven little, loves little.
Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven; go in peace." But Jesus stayed there with the host, knowing full well that the hostility towards her would now turn to him.
And so it would be that Jesus would die-- not for hers sins -- but for his host's.
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow's Lesson will come from Matthew chapter 11.
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