Luke 7: 36-50

(Luke 7: 36-50)

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.  There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?  Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?  And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

The story of pouring perfume on Jesus is recorded in several places in the Bible. "There was a sinner woman in that town, knowing that Jesus was sitting at the Pharisee's house, and came with an alabaster made of perfumed oil, stood behind him by his feet, wept, wet his feet with tears, washed his hair with his hair, kissed his feet, and gave perfumed oil. Swollen" (Luke 7:37-50)

" Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.  When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? " (John 11:1~8)

" Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.  But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.  When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.  Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. " (Mattew26:6~13) " And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.  And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.  And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.  For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. " (Mark 14:3~9)

 

Jesus said many times, "To die and to be resurrected in three days." None of the disciples listened to this. But the only thing that was when Jesus was in the house of Simon, a Bethany leper, a woman was realizing that Jesus was dead. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said, "This woman poured this ointment on my body, because she did it for my funeral." Even, "Where this Gospel is preached, he will tell and remember what this woman has done." This is because Jesus' death on the cross was so important. Because Jesus' death on the cross is a ransom to save all mankind. But in Luke's Gospel, "Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

Jesus told Simon figuratively about the forgiveness of sins through the parable of forgiving debts. This woman's actions were knowing the death of Jesus. Faith, united with Jesus' death on the cross, is the only way of salvation. This is baptism. Baptism is an expression of self-denial, taking up one's cross and following Jesus. More than that, it dilutes the meaning of baptism.

The problems of many churches today focus on the consequences of baptism rather than the meaning of baptism. So, instead of taking up your own cross every day, you sin every day and feel confident that you are the people of Heaven. Those who do not take up their cross do not become the people of heaven. Even if humans believe and think that way, it is in the hands of God. God knows everything. God knows if you really repent and live a self-denying life.