Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”           

                                                                                                     Luke 7:48-50 

Today: Read Luke 7

It’s a story that has two distinct players. One is an immoral woman finding the forgiveness, salvation, and peace that can only come from Jesus. The other is a judgmental Pharisee named Simon who completely misses the glory and presence of God inhabiting his home.

This woman is described as a “sinner.” I like the fact that this word is used to describe her. I suppose she could have been described as an adulteress or a prostitute. Most scholars that I have read would suggest some type of sexual immorality. But the word used is simply “sinner.” This is a generic term used to describe all different types of sinners. In other words, she is not being singled out for a particular sin rather she is broadly described as a sinner. This term is used of Paul as he makes the following statement:

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 

                                                                                                   1 Timothy 1:15 

Jesus came to the world to save and the recipients of this salvation can be described simply as “sinners.” I like this because it reminds me that no immoral action is beyond the redemptive power of God through Jesus Christ. This woman could represent any one of us and it is in her actions that we find the key to her experiencing redemption.

This woman positions herself at the feet of Jesus. Defying any cultural norms or social constructs she enters the home of this Pharisee and sits at the feet of Jesus. She is weeping. Taking some perfume, she begins wiping His feet with her hair. This whole idea of foot washing can be quite confusing for us today. What we have to understand is that in the first century much of the travel was by foot. Even if someone owned a very nice pair of sandals, this footwear might protect against stepping on rocks but did little to keep the feet clean. This menial task of foot washing was usually delegated to a servant. This woman places herself in that subservient role displaying, entirely through her actions, her heart’s disposition toward Christ.

In the meantime, there is Simon. He is the host of the gathering and the one who invited Jesus. He sees this scene and has a much different perspective. He thinks to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what type of person this is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” Simon’s words reveal two important things about his heart and line of thinking. One, he has no clue that Jesus is God in human flesh. He leans toward reducing Jesus to a prophet but even stops short of that believing that Jesus’ accommodation of the woman pointed to His inability to know that she was a sinner. Secondly, Simon shows great disdain for the woman. He is disgusted by her reputation of sinfulness. Jesus addresses Simon.

Using a parable, Jesus contrasts two individuals both incurring a debt. This monetary debt was owed to a moneylender. One owns an incredible amount of money while the others a much smaller sum. Jesus announces that the moneylender is willing to release both parties from their debt. He asks Simon which of the debtors would be more grateful. Of course, we all know that a person released from millions of dollars of debt would be more appreciative than someone who only owes a couple of bucks. Jesus’ point was for Simon to see a spiritual truth that all of us should never forget: we are all in spiritual debt to God. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We all like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6).

Of course the woman represented the one who had accumulated the large debt while Simon represented the other. I believe that Jesus wanted Simon to understand that his attitude of condemnation toward the woman was misguided and hypocritical. Simon needed the forgiveness of God every bit as much as she but his comparing of her life to his placed him in a spiritually arrogant position blinding him to his own need for salvation.

But the beauty of the story in found in Jesus’ response to the woman. There are two very important pronouncements made by Christ. One is, “Your sins have been forgiven.” In this brief declaration, Jesus sets the woman free from her immoral life, holding none of it against her. Much like the paralytic lying flat on his back, this woman is made whole and it happened in an instant. But secondly, Jesus announces the basis for His healing, redemptive power to be applied to her life. Jesus says, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Consistent with so many other encounters with Jesus is the announcement that her faith was what had saved her. Of course Jesus is the One who saves but it was according to her faith as demonstrated through her actions. She was able to move from Simon’s house a redeemed, transformed, and completely healed individual who could now face life in the peace and victory that is in Christ alone and it was all according to her faith.

Have you positioned yourself at the feet of Jesus? Do your actions accurately display faith and devotion toward Christ? This woman’s story is a salvation story. Is it your story? It can be!