She Did What She Could Part 3

Luke 7

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and took his place at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him 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. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7)

This is the third letter to you about this remarkable story. I must warn you, though, if you are expecting answers. Because for me, my version of the story raises more questions than answers. So, if you are hoping for certainty, you might want to stop right now.

Still here? Well, you’ve been warned.

First of all, is this the same event that you read about in the earlier letters? In some ways, it seems the same, but in others, it’s very different. I’m going to leave it to you to decide, but I can tell you that, no matter what, this story is true. How do I know? I know because I was present in Simon’s house at the table with Jesus. You see, I am Samuel, Simon’s neighbor. I think I was invited to this meal by Simon as his attempt to impress me. You see, Jesus was becoming well known, not only as a teacher and healer, but especially as someone who was willing to take on our religious leaders. Simon wanted to show Jesus off to me, and also to show that he could invite a man who was a bit controversial.

That was the easy question. Here’s another, a little more difficult:

Why did Simon invite Jesus to the meal, and then withhold the normal customs of hospitality? Let me add that I was afforded those same rituals that Jesus mentioned: water for foot washing, a kiss of welcome, and oil for anointing. Why was Jesus deprived of those same courtesies?

I can only presume that Simon was delivering a message to Jesus. To Simon, the act of withholding hospitality told Jesus that, while he was, in a way, welcome, he was there only to serve Simon’s purpose; not as a full equal, but almost as a tradesman to entertain Simon and impress his guest (me). My hope is that, in your day, the differences in class will no longer define hospitality, and that hosts will be gracious to all.

In fact, Jesus made such an idea central to his message. Don’t you remember his story about the banquet where those prominent citizens who’d been invited failed to appear? And the host then told his servants to collect anyone and everyone, including strangers and travelers, to attend? (Matthew 22) And remember, in another, he advised that, if you grab the seat of honor at a banquet, you may be embarrassed when the host asks you to make way for someone more important. (Luke 14)

Next, the woman. Who was she and why was she allowed to enter Simon’s house?

As to who she was, I can’t even guess. I’d never seen her. Was it possible that she knew Simon? I suppose, but she did nothing to expose anything of that sort. In our culture, the classes do not mix.

Could she have had an earlier encounter with Jesus? There was no sign of that, either. All that I can say is that, somehow, she knew that Jesus would be a guest at Simon’s house on that particular day. And you must understand that, in our day, homes were open to the street, allowing passersby to look in while a meal was going on. Sometimes, they even struck up conversation with the invited guests!

But she wasn’t just a random passerby, was she? No, she was prepared! The ointment was expensive, not something she was likely to be just carrying around with her on the street. All that I can imagine is that she’d heard about Simon’s invitation through a follower of Jesus, or even, perhaps, from one of Simon’s servants. However it happened, she was ready, no doubt spending a sizable sum of money for her dramatic act.

Meal in the Houses of Simon the Pharisee

15th century

And what motivated the woman to do this? Surely, she was brave enough to interrupt the meal, and braver still to touch Jesus as she did, to anoint him, weep on him, use her hair and kiss his feet. All of that went far beyond any social norms of our day. I couldn’t imagine what would drive a person to such an extreme expression of humility and care. For the moment, those of us who watched this, simply froze in amazement.

Perhaps, reading about it in your time, the pathos of the scene may be lost. All that I can say is that it was not lost on me. The emotion of her act was something I had never before witnessed. It was a passion that perhaps, only a woman can exhibit. It was a love from the depths of a desperate soul. It could have been her final act of misery, as someone who is drowning and reaches for anything on which to cling for life. Was this, for her, a sort of act of last resort? Had she hit bottom?

I believe she had. I believe her heart was literally breaking. Over what? It would be easy to say her heart was breaking over her manifold sins. Perhaps. But I believe there was more. Yes, there was more that drove her to Simon’s house. More than just her sins.

I think it was love. Love for Jesus? Yes, of course, for the forgiveness that he offered. Yet it was more, I believe, a primal need for love itself. A need to be loved, yes, a need to be loved despite everything in her life, everything that was so wrong. You see, forgiveness and love can go hand in hand. Remember the words of Jesus: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

That need for love, to fill her emptiness, could not be met by anyone but Jesus, who forgave her. Let me repeat that: her need for love could not be met by anyone but Jesus. That explains the expensive ointment and it explains her extreme actions. She had found, in the words of Jesus, the “pearl of great price.” (Matthew 13)

Which raises the final question: how did she know? I mean, how did she know that the love that she was so desperate for could be found only in this man who was reclining at Simon’s table?

I can’t answer that, but perhaps, you can. And by the way, it’s ironic, isn’t it, that even though Simon withheld his hospitality from Jesus, it was this strange woman who offered him the hospitality that Simon held back.

So, what do you think? How did she know that the love that she was so desperate for could be found in Simon’s house on that particular day?

Here’s what I think. In my opinion, the woman was led to Simon’s house. More than that even, she was led to purchase the ointment, to plan the entire event, to offer Jesus the hospitality and love that he did not receive from his host. Nothing less than the spirit of our living YHWH God was at work here, behind the scenes.

And one more thing for you to ponder. This unnamed woman suddenly appeared at Simon’s house, gave of herself in an extreme act of humility and love, and then just as suddenly, disappeared. I can tell you that I never saw her again. And you know what? She did all of this without uttering a single word.

That’s why, unless you have a better explanation, I believe that this was the work of our Living YHWH God.

Finally, I am left to wonder. Yes, I wonder, what about me? Do I feel a need for such a love? A love that goes beyond any rational explanation? A love so deep that it might drive me to an extreme act of humility? A desperate love, from the depth of my soul? Could I experience a love as deep as hers?

If I am honest, I admit that I envy this “woman of the city.” Yes, she was a woman far below my class in every way. But still, her act proved something, that she placed love and forgiveness above all else. Would my pride allow me to do the same? Have I covered up my own primal desperation for love with the respectability of my position? With my possessions?

Yes, if I am honest, I envy her, this anonymous woman. In her act, she set an example for me that will not let me go. How about you?