Forgiven Much

Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
“‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:31-34

The unbelievers of Jesus' generation and every generation are like spoiled brats (children). They have their expectations of God's man. If he abstains from food and drink, he's considered weird (has a demon). If he is grace oriented, eating and drinking with the hoi polloi, he has questionable moral character. We have a popular phrase for this common assessment of the behavior of others. "Wrong if you do and wrong if you don't." You get my drift. The world has no clue what God expects from His messengers, but they have their standards of human good by which they love to judge the servants of God. Those who have believed God, however, can discern divine good and judge accordingly.

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
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 she is—that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“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,” Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:35-50

The Pharisee apparently thought he had done Jesus a favor by inviting Him to his table. Yet he didn't offer Jesus even the most basic hospitality (footwashing, kiss of greeting, anointing; all customary social graces of the time). How could Jesus be Who he claimed to be and not know this woman is a sinner? Why would He allow her to touch Him in this way? This prostitute, who had heard His grace teaching and had witnessed His miracles knew He was her only hope. She was here to honor Him. It was her great pleasure and privilege to anoint His feet with the expensive perfume as she shed tears of love and gratitude for Him. Which debtor will love more, Simon? Simon wasn't a stupid man. He knew the one who was forgiven the most would love the most. The woman's faith was rewarded as Jesus pronounced forgiveness of her sins. She was forgiven much. She loved much.