Parable of the Two Debtors, Luke 7:41-43 Copyright 2009

Jesus gives the parable of the Two Debtors, Luke 7:41-43, while being a guest to dinner at the house of Simon a Pharisee. But to get the whole story we have to look at all the verses involved starting at Luke 7:36 and finishing at verse 50.

(Luke 7:36)  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.

I think it reasonable to say that this dinner invite made by Simon was not a happy, honest occasion. We see back in Luke 7:29-30 that the poor and sinners among the people where accepting Jesus and his words but the Pharisees had rejected Jesus and the testimony of John the Baptist who the people had received in great numbers.

It’s possible that Simon invited Jesus to his home not to hear and learn from him, but to trip Jesus up some way, trap him in a false teaching, to discredit him.

Luke 7:29-30
(29)  And all the people when they heard, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
(30)  But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God, being not baptized of him.

We can only assume to know the intentions of Simon when he invited the Lord to dinner. But we do get a good insight to Simon’s heart in verse 39, which we will look at in a moment.

Luke 7:37-38
(37)  And behold, a woman which was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment,
(38)  and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Dr. McGee makes the statement in his Commentary that in this day when you had guest, your neighbors had the right to come into your house and observe the occasion. Not knowing the customs of Jesus day to comment on this, I do have to admit that it makes perfect sense and explains how this woman, a sinner, got into Simon’s home.

Either way, there she is, sticking out like a sore thumb. A Pharisee would never, under normal circumstances acknowledge such a sinner if he passed her on the street, and this allowing her into his home would be ridiculous.

It is very possible that this woman was in the crowd or a witness to Jesus as he previously raised the widow’s son from the dead. Obviously she had some sort of contact  with the Lord for her to feel such remorse over her sins and to brave coming to a Pharisee’s home to wash Jesus feet with her tears and hair and then anoint his feet.

Oh how brave she is. I think of all the times I have sat in the pew and needed or wanted to go to the alter and pray, but fear of stepping forward in front of others held me back.

My opinion of this woman is that her need and desire for forgiveness was so great that she probably didn’t notice the finger pointing in the room, she had tunnel vision, a woman on a mission. That room disappeared when she entered and saw Jesus reclining there. That’s how it was when I repented, my need to get to my knees and ask for forgiveness became greater than my fear of others and their opinion of me, and I got down to business with God.

Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is which touched him, that she is a sinner.

Now we get a good look at Simon’s heart. His opinion is that Jesus can’t be a prophet or else he would not let a sinner such as this woman touch him. After all no respectable Pharisee would allow this woman to touch him. Simon obviously feels superior not only to this sinner but also to Jesus. Pride and arrogance in a mans heart can blind the eye to the truth of ones own sin and needs. A feeling of superiority over someone else is a sure sign that a person does not perceive or understand his own predicament before God, who sees everything!
Luk 7:40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

Do you think Simon was surprised when Jesus looks over at him, while having this woman wash his feet with her tears and say, I have something to say to you? Inside do you think his response was really, why don’t you say something to this woman! But he, Simon, says to Jesus, Master, say on.

Now Jesus gets into his parable.
Luk 7:41-42  A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.  (42)  When they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?

Jesus gives this parable to contrast two different people, one owed a great amount, five hundred pence, and one owed a small amount, fifty pence. No doubt that Simon got the similarity between himself and the woman. No doubt he would have seen himself as owing the lesser amount.

The point that Simon missed is that though the woman owed God much and he himself would owe God little, he was just as unable to pay his debt as the woman. A hard lesson for such a follower of the law to understand.

In Jesus’ parable, the debtor forgave both debts. In this setting we get no indication that Simon was forgiven anything. I think for Simon to be forgiven he would have had to recognize his debt and his inability to pay, just as the woman had done. But wrapped up in self righteousness, Simon let the visitor slip away not receiving the free gift of forgiveness that only Jesus could give.

Luk 7:43  Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

Simon gets the answer right and Jesus affirms him that he is correct. Do we not love Jesus more, the more we have been forgiven of? The trouble is that sometimes we just don’t see our need, we see other peoples needs like Simon saw the sin in this woman, but his own need for God’s forgiveness he missed. How many times have I sat and listened to a message spoken by the man of God and said to myself, If only so and so where here to hear this, they really need it. And how many times have I missed what God was trying to say to me because I had my eyes on the wrong point, or my own arrogance and self-righteousness blinded my eyes to the truth.

Our prayer to God should always be, “Oh God, don’t let me get so wrapped up in my own self-righteousness that I miss what you are trying to say to me. Don’t let me delude myself and become hardened to your word and truth.”

Luk 7:44-47  And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.  (45)  Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.  (46)  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment.  (47)  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.

Here now Jesus is going to draw a stark contrast between Simon “the self righteous”, and the woman “a sinner”. Jesus now turns to the woman and acknowledges her for the first time since she started kissing and crying over his feet, until this turning to the woman he had been content to seemingly ignore her adoration and worship. Now turning to her he draws Simon’s undivided attention to the loving care this woman has been showing him and brings Simon’s attention to his lack of respect Jesus.

Simon had invited Jesus to dinner, and even called him master. Yet when Jesus enters into the home of Simon, Simon does not even show Jesus the hospitality and respect that was custom in that day to show to a guest. Jesus does not get water for his feet, a kiss for his check or oil for his head. Yet the woman behind him wets his feet with her own tears, drys them with her hair, kisses his feet continually and breaks a precious box of ointment over him. The woman obviously loved Jesus much and Simon who we know had contempt in his heart for Jesus, shows no love at all for him.

In the parable both debtors where forgiven, but in real life we have to conclude that Simon was forgiven of nothing, and proved it by loving not at all.
Luk 7:48  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

How wonderful to turn to Christ and hear the words that the penitent sinner longs to hear, Your sins are forgiven! For the Christian that has experienced Gods grace and forgiveness our hearts shout with praise to the one that has freed us from our sins and forgiven us our trespasses.

Luk 7:49  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins?

Many of these dinner quest had no doubt just witnessed Jesus raise the widows son from the dead, and if not eye witnesses, surely they had heard of it from the townspeople. Jesus forgives this woman of her sins and brings displeasure and criticism upon himself from those that refuse to believe in him. Today in our own society we recognize that hatred and ire upon ourselves from those that hate Christ and refuse to bow to His Honor and Glory.

Luk 7:50  And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Jesus points out to Simon all the works that this woman had bestowed upon himself, she had wet his feet with her own tears, dried them with her hair, kissed his feet and anointed them with precious oil! These are the works she had done but notice now what Jesus says to her, “Your faith hath saved thee”. The works that she had down to Jesus where not works to earn favor and forgiveness, her works were the natural outgrowth of her faith!

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a re-warder of them that seek after him.

This woman’s faith is on display for all the world to see, and unfortunately so is Simon’s faith. Her faith in Jesus has saved her from her sins and Jesus tells her to go in peace! Peace from your sins, remember when your own burden from sin was lifted? Remember the joy that you felt knowing that you were no longer under the penalty of sin? Sin is a burden and a prison, unfortunately we as people have the ability to grow accustomed to sin and the degradation that it brings. Sinners are no more free than murderers sitting on death row awaiting certain destruction, yet they find ways to occupy their minds and keep themselves busy not worrying about the penalty for such self absorbed and reckless living.

But, Oh for the sinner set free! Peace and Joy from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!