2026 Luke 7-4, Forgiven Much, Loves Much
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2026-05-31 16:00
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Forgiven Much, Loves Much
Luke 7:36-50
In today’s passage, we see two people’s attitude toward Jesus.
I. A sinful woman’s love (36-38)
Look at verse 36. “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.” Usually the Pharisees were hostile to Jesus. But a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to his house for dinner. This is unusual. What was his motive? Was it to respect him or listen to his word? Or was it to find some clues to accuse him?
In verse 37, we see a woman. She had lived a sinful life. ‘A sinful life’ meant that she was a prostitute. We do not know how she sold her body to earn money. In all reasons, in that legalistic society, she is looked down upon as the scum of the society. She is despised, condemned, isolated and avoided by her town’s people. Inwardly, she must have been broken with deep wounds and feelings of guilt, shame and self-condemnation.
When she learned that Jesus was a Pharisee’s house, she went there. This is very risky. She was not in the list of guests. She would be kicked out by the Pharisee. But her affection for Jesus was so flaring that she overcame all obstacles and came to the Pharisee’s house with an alabaster jar of perfume.
There, she noticed something very strange, ungraceful and rude. Verse 44 says "You did not give me any water for my feet." The streets of Israel are dusty. When a host invites his guests, he is supposed to provide water to their guests to wash their feet and hands. However, he did not provide water to Jesus.
Verse 45 says, “You did not give me a kiss.” A kiss is equivalent to a warm smile and handshaking today. Yet, he turned away from Jesus. He was mean and cold to Jesus. Verse 46 says, “You did not put olive oil on my head.” In dry weather, man’s hair becomes easily dishevelled. The host is supposed to give oil, cheap and common to their guests to straighten and cool their hair. Yet, he did not provide it to Jesus.
By failing to treat Jesus with proper hospitality, Simon intentionally and publicly insulted, despised, humiliated and ostracized Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God and the King of kings was treated so poorly. The woman was heartbroken. "No! Jesus is not someone who deserves such poor treatment. How could they treat the Lord like that?” She wept. Then she did something very extraordinary to honor Jesus.
Look at verse 38. “As she stood behind him at the feet weeping,” The word, ‘weep’ is ‘brechō’ which means rain. Literally she shed tears like rain. Why? It might come from her deep remorse of her sinful life. It might come from her deep gratitude toward Jesus. And most likely, knowing that the host had never provided water to wash the feet of Jesus and that Jesus’ feet are still dirty, (this is social disgrace) she cried with tears, “O, Lord, how do these people treat you so lightly?” Her tears dropped on Jesus’ feet like rain. His feet became wet. She had no towel. Then she wiped them with her hair.
Hair is special and important to women. It is the symbol of woman’s beauty and glory. Most women spend plenty of time and money to take care of their hair. In the past, this woman used her hair to attract men and win their favor. But now she offered it to Jesus like a towel or rag to wash his feet.
People must have been astonished. "Wow, she is washing Jesus' feet with her hair!" The atmosphere of disregarding and mockery was reversed. "Oh, what is that?" Jesus’ honor was elevated. Such a reversal was achieved through one woman’s act of devotion.
And she kissed Jesus’ feet continually. The Messiah’s feet, how dusty and dried they were with lots of dirt! He is the Son of God. He is the Savior of the world. He sacrifices his precious life for sinners, the broken and the poor. However, no one respected him. No one honored him. No one welcomed him. No one gave him a warm kiss. Everyone treated him poorly. “Lord, I do not deserve to kiss you. Let me kiss your feet.” It was her total submission, affection and worship to Jesus. And she poured perfume of the alabaster jar on them.
No guest brought a gift for Jesus. Every distinguished people came with empty hands just expecting gourmet food at the dinner and showing off their career, business, educational background and scholastic knowledge. But she brought something precious to Jesus, an alabaster jar of perfume worth $ 60,000 and she broke it and poured it all on Jesus’ feet.
The jar of perfume could well represent her whole life’s savings. But she did not spare anything in giving to Jesus. Tears, kissing and pouring perfume, these were her affection, submission and whole devotion to Jesus. This is worship toward God, the Creator and the Redeemer.
The room was filled with the fragrant smell of perfume. "Wow, who on earth is this man that this woman poured completely such expensive perfume on him?" The glory of Jesus was elevated to its highest level.
She said nothing. She only showed her love and thanks through acts and devotion. We say it ‘silent adorning.’ Some say, “I love the Lord. I want to offer my whole life to you.” That is beautiful. However, they are dry, stingy and calculative. They are like people in Isaiah 29:13, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
In fact, our love can be compared to the woman’s. It seems like our love for Jesus isn't that deep but superficial and shallow. We aren't that close with Jesus.
People do not tolerate it when their pride is disregarded. However, this woman couldn’t bear it when Jesus was despised. Jesus gave people everything (life saving word, healing, freedom, His blood on the cross, eternal life…) yet Simon and the guests ignored Him. It tore her heart apart. She wept and honoured Jesus with everything what she had and what she could do.
II. Her many sins have been forgiven (39-50)
See the Pharisee’s response. Look at verse 39. “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman of woman she is—that she is a sinner.’” Simon did not see the woman’s affection and devotion. Oh, what a poor man! He was judgmental and self-righteous.
Out of mercy, Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher.” “‘Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.’ ‘You have judged correctly,’”
A denarii is a wage of one day. One of them owed the moneylender 500 denarii, about $60,000 today and the other owed 50, $6,000.
Debtors suffer constant pressure, stress and insomnia. If debt amount is too high, the burden increases until some even act antisocially or quit their lives. In our society, people frequently go into credit card debt. Many university students have debt. Some have around $ 50,000 when they graduate. They make a sigh constantly. It is a real burden to be in debt of any kind, be it credit card, school loans or personal loans.
At that time, if debtors failed to pay the debt, they were either imprisoned or became slaves of the moneylender. They had to die in prison or live as slaves forever. Incredibly, the moneylender in this passage decided to cancel their debts. It meant a new life and freedom to both of them. What a grace!
The word “cancel,” charizomai, includes the word charis, grace. This is a business term used for forgiving a debt as well as a theological term used by Paul of the forgiveness that God gives us in Christ.
Here debtors represent sinners. Moneylender is God. Debt is sin. Both the woman and Simon are sinners. They both owed God equally unpayable debt resulting in death and eternal judgment of hell.
But Simon does not know that he is a sinner. This is his argument. "Look at the woman. I didn't live like her. If I had a debt to God, mine is 50 but she is 500 denarii." Between the Pharisee and the woman, whose sin is greater?
Simon was a Pharisee. A Pharisee is one who is a professional in the law. He might not murder, nor did he commit adultery. So, he thought he was good man. However, before God, both the woman and Simon are equally guilty.
However, condemned the woman, “she is prostitute but I am not.” How about his thought? He condemned that she was sinful in her body but he is sick in his spirit. He was inhospitable, proud, self-righteous and judgmental. He was a grave sinner before God.
Who do you think you are? How much do you think you owe God? 50, 500 or 5 or none? We need to know who God is and who we are. The more we realize that we are sinners and the more we realize that we have been forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus, we will love Jesus more like the woman, weeping, washing and pouring the most precious perfume.
Some know they are sinners. So they easily shed tears out of gratitude and they feel apologetic when they do not devote to the Lord. However, some are confused. “Am I a sinner? Okay. But at least I am not that bad like that woman.” No, if you and I acknowledge that we are like the woman, much much much grace of God will be given to us and we will love the Lord weeping, kissing and pouring our most precious alabaster jar of perfume on Jesus.
God is love. We would never measure and understand the size, width, depth and height of God’s love. John was so touched by God’s love that he wrote, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God!” We were the slaves of Satan and hell. But while we were sinners and enemies of God eating and drinking the sin of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, Jesus shed his blood on the cross and prayed for us, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Jesus poured all of his blood to the last drop to forgive us and give us a new life and eternal life. Jesus was over the top for us. He did for us too much. He went overboard for us. The woman experienced that love of Jesus. Then she poured her most precious treasure, the alabaster jar of perfume on Jesus down to the last drop. She also went overboard for Jesus. Those who know the grace of God are so extra like the woman.
Shouldn’t we be too? But we don’t overdo it for Jesus. We are too normal and sane. Someone said, "Oh, I accidentally gave an offering too much.”
I have known not a few Christians who devote their time and money for the Lord though they are busy and they are not that rich. Our church also has such devoted servants of God. And I see that the Lord has blessed them and they are thankful and devote to the Lord constantly. At the same time, I have seen some who always live with busy and lacking mentality saying, “I am busy and have little. Later, later I will devote to the Lord.”
Out of love and gratitude, the woman wept, kissed Jesus’ feet and broke her only possession, her alabaster jar, and poured it all to Jesus. Then Jesus rebuked Simon.
Simon, You didn't do anything for Me. You showed Me no honor, you showed Me no respect, you showed Me no affection, you gave Me no sacrifice, you showed Me nothing. You insulted Me with your lack of respect, your lack of love, your lack of tribute. You say that you are righteous and the woman is sinful but you gave me no water, she gave me her tears. You gave no towel, she gave her hair. You gave me no kiss, she repeatedly kissed my feet. You gave no...not even cheap oil, she poured out pure and expensive perfume. And for this reason, I'm telling you, she did this because she's been forgiven much.
This is what it looks like when you're really forgiven. Have you been forgiven? Do you know the grace of God? I pray we may not insult Jesus. I pray we may stop calculating. Why should we give the Lord minimum and left over?
The woman humiliates me. I have received amazing grace from the Lord, but how small and little my love to the Lord! Still, I give thanks to the Lord to give me new desire to devote myself to the Lord.
Today, I hope there are a few more people like her in our congregation and campus. I respect Moses, Samson, Elijah and Paul because they were like the woman. Elijah said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, I am the only one left, Lord.” (1 Kings 19:10) I hope you become like the woman.
Look at verse 48. Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Her act of devotion was her faith in Jesus. The Pharisees focused on the past. “That woman has committed many sins." But Jesus blessed her future. “Go in peace. I will be with you."
Freud says that the past shapes man’s present. Freud tells us to bring out the trauma and wounds of the past. As a result, many cry with anger or resentment, “I was hurt. I have wounds." They continue to go back to their past and remain there. The root of it is Freud who said, “Your past determines your present.” I don't buy it. Why would let my past determine my present and future? It is Jesus who determines my present and blesses my future.
Do not evaluate or determine your present through the past. Rather, have dreams and visions in Jesus and pay a price today for tomorrow. Jesus does not mention her past. Instead, he said, “Go in peace because I will be with you.” Jesus blessed her present and future. 1 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” May this blessing be yours.
Luke 7:36-50
In today’s passage, we see two people’s attitude toward Jesus.
I. A sinful woman’s love (36-38)
Look at verse 36. “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.” Usually the Pharisees were hostile to Jesus. But a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to his house for dinner. This is unusual. What was his motive? Was it to respect him or listen to his word? Or was it to find some clues to accuse him?
In verse 37, we see a woman. She had lived a sinful life. ‘A sinful life’ meant that she was a prostitute. We do not know how she sold her body to earn money. In all reasons, in that legalistic society, she is looked down upon as the scum of the society. She is despised, condemned, isolated and avoided by her town’s people. Inwardly, she must have been broken with deep wounds and feelings of guilt, shame and self-condemnation.
When she learned that Jesus was a Pharisee’s house, she went there. This is very risky. She was not in the list of guests. She would be kicked out by the Pharisee. But her affection for Jesus was so flaring that she overcame all obstacles and came to the Pharisee’s house with an alabaster jar of perfume.
There, she noticed something very strange, ungraceful and rude. Verse 44 says "You did not give me any water for my feet." The streets of Israel are dusty. When a host invites his guests, he is supposed to provide water to their guests to wash their feet and hands. However, he did not provide water to Jesus.
Verse 45 says, “You did not give me a kiss.” A kiss is equivalent to a warm smile and handshaking today. Yet, he turned away from Jesus. He was mean and cold to Jesus. Verse 46 says, “You did not put olive oil on my head.” In dry weather, man’s hair becomes easily dishevelled. The host is supposed to give oil, cheap and common to their guests to straighten and cool their hair. Yet, he did not provide it to Jesus.
By failing to treat Jesus with proper hospitality, Simon intentionally and publicly insulted, despised, humiliated and ostracized Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God and the King of kings was treated so poorly. The woman was heartbroken. "No! Jesus is not someone who deserves such poor treatment. How could they treat the Lord like that?” She wept. Then she did something very extraordinary to honor Jesus.
Look at verse 38. “As she stood behind him at the feet weeping,” The word, ‘weep’ is ‘brechō’ which means rain. Literally she shed tears like rain. Why? It might come from her deep remorse of her sinful life. It might come from her deep gratitude toward Jesus. And most likely, knowing that the host had never provided water to wash the feet of Jesus and that Jesus’ feet are still dirty, (this is social disgrace) she cried with tears, “O, Lord, how do these people treat you so lightly?” Her tears dropped on Jesus’ feet like rain. His feet became wet. She had no towel. Then she wiped them with her hair.
Hair is special and important to women. It is the symbol of woman’s beauty and glory. Most women spend plenty of time and money to take care of their hair. In the past, this woman used her hair to attract men and win their favor. But now she offered it to Jesus like a towel or rag to wash his feet.
People must have been astonished. "Wow, she is washing Jesus' feet with her hair!" The atmosphere of disregarding and mockery was reversed. "Oh, what is that?" Jesus’ honor was elevated. Such a reversal was achieved through one woman’s act of devotion.
And she kissed Jesus’ feet continually. The Messiah’s feet, how dusty and dried they were with lots of dirt! He is the Son of God. He is the Savior of the world. He sacrifices his precious life for sinners, the broken and the poor. However, no one respected him. No one honored him. No one welcomed him. No one gave him a warm kiss. Everyone treated him poorly. “Lord, I do not deserve to kiss you. Let me kiss your feet.” It was her total submission, affection and worship to Jesus. And she poured perfume of the alabaster jar on them.
No guest brought a gift for Jesus. Every distinguished people came with empty hands just expecting gourmet food at the dinner and showing off their career, business, educational background and scholastic knowledge. But she brought something precious to Jesus, an alabaster jar of perfume worth $ 60,000 and she broke it and poured it all on Jesus’ feet.
The jar of perfume could well represent her whole life’s savings. But she did not spare anything in giving to Jesus. Tears, kissing and pouring perfume, these were her affection, submission and whole devotion to Jesus. This is worship toward God, the Creator and the Redeemer.
The room was filled with the fragrant smell of perfume. "Wow, who on earth is this man that this woman poured completely such expensive perfume on him?" The glory of Jesus was elevated to its highest level.
She said nothing. She only showed her love and thanks through acts and devotion. We say it ‘silent adorning.’ Some say, “I love the Lord. I want to offer my whole life to you.” That is beautiful. However, they are dry, stingy and calculative. They are like people in Isaiah 29:13, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
In fact, our love can be compared to the woman’s. It seems like our love for Jesus isn't that deep but superficial and shallow. We aren't that close with Jesus.
People do not tolerate it when their pride is disregarded. However, this woman couldn’t bear it when Jesus was despised. Jesus gave people everything (life saving word, healing, freedom, His blood on the cross, eternal life…) yet Simon and the guests ignored Him. It tore her heart apart. She wept and honoured Jesus with everything what she had and what she could do.
II. Her many sins have been forgiven (39-50)
See the Pharisee’s response. Look at verse 39. “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman of woman she is—that she is a sinner.’” Simon did not see the woman’s affection and devotion. Oh, what a poor man! He was judgmental and self-righteous.
Out of mercy, Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher.” “‘Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.’ ‘You have judged correctly,’”
A denarii is a wage of one day. One of them owed the moneylender 500 denarii, about $60,000 today and the other owed 50, $6,000.
Debtors suffer constant pressure, stress and insomnia. If debt amount is too high, the burden increases until some even act antisocially or quit their lives. In our society, people frequently go into credit card debt. Many university students have debt. Some have around $ 50,000 when they graduate. They make a sigh constantly. It is a real burden to be in debt of any kind, be it credit card, school loans or personal loans.
At that time, if debtors failed to pay the debt, they were either imprisoned or became slaves of the moneylender. They had to die in prison or live as slaves forever. Incredibly, the moneylender in this passage decided to cancel their debts. It meant a new life and freedom to both of them. What a grace!
The word “cancel,” charizomai, includes the word charis, grace. This is a business term used for forgiving a debt as well as a theological term used by Paul of the forgiveness that God gives us in Christ.
Here debtors represent sinners. Moneylender is God. Debt is sin. Both the woman and Simon are sinners. They both owed God equally unpayable debt resulting in death and eternal judgment of hell.
But Simon does not know that he is a sinner. This is his argument. "Look at the woman. I didn't live like her. If I had a debt to God, mine is 50 but she is 500 denarii." Between the Pharisee and the woman, whose sin is greater?
Simon was a Pharisee. A Pharisee is one who is a professional in the law. He might not murder, nor did he commit adultery. So, he thought he was good man. However, before God, both the woman and Simon are equally guilty.
However, condemned the woman, “she is prostitute but I am not.” How about his thought? He condemned that she was sinful in her body but he is sick in his spirit. He was inhospitable, proud, self-righteous and judgmental. He was a grave sinner before God.
Who do you think you are? How much do you think you owe God? 50, 500 or 5 or none? We need to know who God is and who we are. The more we realize that we are sinners and the more we realize that we have been forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus, we will love Jesus more like the woman, weeping, washing and pouring the most precious perfume.
Some know they are sinners. So they easily shed tears out of gratitude and they feel apologetic when they do not devote to the Lord. However, some are confused. “Am I a sinner? Okay. But at least I am not that bad like that woman.” No, if you and I acknowledge that we are like the woman, much much much grace of God will be given to us and we will love the Lord weeping, kissing and pouring our most precious alabaster jar of perfume on Jesus.
God is love. We would never measure and understand the size, width, depth and height of God’s love. John was so touched by God’s love that he wrote, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God!” We were the slaves of Satan and hell. But while we were sinners and enemies of God eating and drinking the sin of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, Jesus shed his blood on the cross and prayed for us, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Jesus poured all of his blood to the last drop to forgive us and give us a new life and eternal life. Jesus was over the top for us. He did for us too much. He went overboard for us. The woman experienced that love of Jesus. Then she poured her most precious treasure, the alabaster jar of perfume on Jesus down to the last drop. She also went overboard for Jesus. Those who know the grace of God are so extra like the woman.
Shouldn’t we be too? But we don’t overdo it for Jesus. We are too normal and sane. Someone said, "Oh, I accidentally gave an offering too much.”
I have known not a few Christians who devote their time and money for the Lord though they are busy and they are not that rich. Our church also has such devoted servants of God. And I see that the Lord has blessed them and they are thankful and devote to the Lord constantly. At the same time, I have seen some who always live with busy and lacking mentality saying, “I am busy and have little. Later, later I will devote to the Lord.”
Out of love and gratitude, the woman wept, kissed Jesus’ feet and broke her only possession, her alabaster jar, and poured it all to Jesus. Then Jesus rebuked Simon.
Simon, You didn't do anything for Me. You showed Me no honor, you showed Me no respect, you showed Me no affection, you gave Me no sacrifice, you showed Me nothing. You insulted Me with your lack of respect, your lack of love, your lack of tribute. You say that you are righteous and the woman is sinful but you gave me no water, she gave me her tears. You gave no towel, she gave her hair. You gave me no kiss, she repeatedly kissed my feet. You gave no...not even cheap oil, she poured out pure and expensive perfume. And for this reason, I'm telling you, she did this because she's been forgiven much.
This is what it looks like when you're really forgiven. Have you been forgiven? Do you know the grace of God? I pray we may not insult Jesus. I pray we may stop calculating. Why should we give the Lord minimum and left over?
The woman humiliates me. I have received amazing grace from the Lord, but how small and little my love to the Lord! Still, I give thanks to the Lord to give me new desire to devote myself to the Lord.
Today, I hope there are a few more people like her in our congregation and campus. I respect Moses, Samson, Elijah and Paul because they were like the woman. Elijah said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, I am the only one left, Lord.” (1 Kings 19:10) I hope you become like the woman.
Look at verse 48. Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Her act of devotion was her faith in Jesus. The Pharisees focused on the past. “That woman has committed many sins." But Jesus blessed her future. “Go in peace. I will be with you."
Freud says that the past shapes man’s present. Freud tells us to bring out the trauma and wounds of the past. As a result, many cry with anger or resentment, “I was hurt. I have wounds." They continue to go back to their past and remain there. The root of it is Freud who said, “Your past determines your present.” I don't buy it. Why would let my past determine my present and future? It is Jesus who determines my present and blesses my future.
Do not evaluate or determine your present through the past. Rather, have dreams and visions in Jesus and pay a price today for tomorrow. Jesus does not mention her past. Instead, he said, “Go in peace because I will be with you.” Jesus blessed her present and future. 1 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” May this blessing be yours.