Read Luke 7:36-50.
To get started, let’s provide some context to this passage. As a Pharisee who could host this type of gathering, we can ascertain that Simon was a person of prominence in his hometown. Jesus had a large following in the towns of Galilee at this point, and was rumored by some to be a miracle worker.
For Simon, it was a showing of who he was that he could invite this mysterious figure to his home. He was, in some sense, showing Jesus off to his friends.
From what we know, gatherings such as this were not strictly private affairs. People gathered around and formed concentric circles. How close you were able to get to the table of honor was based on your standing in the community. So, the common people of the town were on the outer rung, and with people’s increasing prominence they got closer to the inner circle. The inner circle of tables were reserved for those of the highest standing in the community, with the table of honor—at which Jesus and his host sat—being at the very center.
It was an enormous breach of social protocol for a person to get closer to the table of honor than their place in society warranted.
Now, the text says that the woman was known to be a sinner. Normally, this type of address is reserved for tax collectors and prostitutes. We also know that this woman had hair long enough to wipe Jesus’ feet. One of the characteristics of prostitutes in this setting was that they wore their hair long, rather than putting it up. While we don’t know with certainty, Luke is most likely implying that this woman was a known prostitute
To try to put this scenario into modern-day terms, it would be like a prominent member of the Dallas Country Club hosting a party for an honored guest at the Club and having an obvious prostitute cut through the crowd and go right to the table of honor. You can almost hear the gasps and you can certainly understand the host being agitated and embarrassed … especially when the guest of honor doesn’t rebuke her or turn her away, but allows her to carry on with what she is doing.
Further painting the picture, we should understand what it meant for her to wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair. In that Ancient Near East setting, a woman’s hair was considered central to her beauty … both literally and symbolically. At the same time, foot washing has its prominence in the New Testament because of how dirty and grimy feet would get.
Jesus’ feet were certainly soiled, quite possibly with manure, and for this woman to wipe his feet with her hair was the ultimate expression of humility. Her humility is paralleled only by her courage.
Can you imagine how courageous this woman was to have done that?
She did what she did in front of the town…and she still had to live there! This woman was all in. There was no hedging of bets for her. She bet everything she had on Jesus being the One who could redeem her.
Simon questions Jesus in his mind. He doesn’t verbalize his thoughts, but still Jesus answers them. If we are to dissect Jesus’ reply, we could look to several relevant points:
- One lesson is that we are saved not by outward observance of the Law (which Simon, as a Pharisee, no doubt observed), but by faith leading to repentance.
- We can also take from this passage that the more we understand the gravity of our sin, the more we understand the gravity of God’s grace.
- Further, we see that Jesus will not turn away anyone who comes to him in sincere faith. He calls this woman “Daughter”.
Father, we are saved by faith in Your grace alone. Thank you for looking on us—regardless of our background—and loving us enough to send Your Son to die on our behalf. Amen.
-written by an East-West staff member