Day 33 – excuse me for the interruption, I was battling a nasty cold. And let’s face it, I’m a bit of a cry-baby when I’m sick. Which is why I hate being sick. It’s undignified.
A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus
Luke 7:36-50
- A pharisee invites Jesus to come dine at his home and Jesus accepts.
- In Jesus time, it was a sign of respect and indeed, common courtesy to have the guests feet washed (due to area, climate & footwear, feet got very dirty), their head anointed with oil and most importantly to greet them with a kiss. Jesus’ host was a pharisee and therefore very aware of the necessity of these polite gestures but he didn’t offer any of them. Passive aggressive much?
- Jesus is no fool. He notices the oversight/insult but let’s it go because he’s not petty like that. There is an opportunity here.
- A sinful woman enters, despite neither having been invited nor being welcome. (don’t ask me how that happened…maybe there were so many other guests that she snuck in…maybe she was already in the house as a private guest if you know what I’m saying… I don’t know!)
- At that time, when one sat down to have dinner, one would recline on a type of day-bed-thing with one elbow supporting the body. That way the feet were furthest from the table and she had access to his feet without approaching the table. She sits there, her head bent with her precious perfume in her hands. Her tears are falling silently but relentlessly as she struggles to control the suffocating pressure in her throat, wiping them off his feet as quickly as they fall. What will he think of her, sitting here silently crying on him? Better quickly do what she came here for so that he may feel in this tiny way, how humbled she is and how desperately she wants to please him and how great her need is.
- The pharisee is having all kinds of observations about Jesus. Not about the woman, apparently. He appears to have no trouble with accepting what she is and that she is in his house. But that Jesus would allow himself to be touched by her after proclaiming himself as he has? It’s unthinkable! But note: if this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner! I snort at you, sir! Jesus never claimed to be a prophet. Aside from that, clearly she was known in town. It wouldn’t take a prophet to know about someone’s reputation. It would take a gossip.
- Jesus knows not only who she is and what she has done but also the thoughts of her heart and he does something unheard of. As usual. Sitting at the table surrounded by important men… he moves to defend a woman. Not only does he offer her what she needs – compassion and forgiveness – but he also offers the same thing to everyone who is listening. In so doing, he places himself into position to be the one that is criticized and mocked, rather than her. He takes her place and let’s her go, away from this poisonous atmosphere.
- To accomplish all this he (he’s so smart I love it) does 2 things. I have something to say to you, Simon.
- He offers information but waits for Simon to invite to be educated. See…God doesn’t push revelation on us. We don’t see truth when we aren’t looking for it. We don’t learn/remember, when we don’t see the need/ask for the information.  (A bit of wisdom I recently learned from a certain homeschooling Mom I know.)
- He tells a parable to get his point across, past all defenses. Once upon a time, there was a mostly good boy and a mostly bad girl. Their father loved them equally. Which one, do you suppose, ultimately treasured/appreciated his acceptance more?
- What do you do when someone confronts you with the facts/consequences of your behaviour? Enough about you, let’s talk about me. I dig in my heels, along with maybe a few suggestions for that someone’s understanding of the facts. It’s not tremendously noble behaviour but it is common and very human. But what would happen if you asked my opinion on the facts/consequences of someone else’s behaviour? I’d be a lot more open to discussion. (Don’t I sound like a treat??) Because I’m not under attack, there’s no need to be defensive. By the time the light dawns on me, the facts are way past all my walls and defenses and revelation sweeps over me without objection.
- Personally this gives me great validation as a storyteller since Jesus was a fantastic storyteller and people always learned from them.
- Jesus explains the point of his story so that nobody can refute the revelation and proceeds to reward the woman’s faithful act with forgiveness of her sins, which is what she needed from him. She accepts it as that but everyone else there is shaken by his continued insistence to claim this authority for himself.
Because if what he says is true…if he truly is the son of God, the creator of the universe… if he is truly capable of revealing everyone’s innermost motivation…if he truly expresses the love and compassion and forgiveness that comes from our father in heaven … what would that mean for them? What would it mean for Simon, the pharisee? What does it mean for you?Â
Wildwspr 
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