Scandals and Judgments
based on Luke 7:36-50
Rev. Frank Schaefer

Luke is the only one who records the story of this sinful woman anointing the feet of Jesus. It is not told in any of the other gospel accounts.

Let us spend a minute talking about this unnamed woman. I realize that she is identified in the account as a woman who lived a sinful life. I think we can imagine what “kind of woman” the text is referring to and quite frankly, the whole concept is quite scandalous. So scandalous that I have trouble mentioning the word that is used to describe this kind of sinful woman from the pulpit. But, I think we need to name her for what we all know she was in order to get the full impact and teaching that Luke wants us to experience: this woman was a prostitute. To the pious faith community of first century Judea prostitution was on the lowest rung of the sinner's ladder, along with murderers, Samaritans and tax collectors.

Given the scandalous background of this woman, I found myself initially sympathizing with Jesus' host, Simon. I would have a problem with a “woman like that” coming into my house and touching my guest of honor, a fellow preacher or pastor.

He has a point, doesn't he? Just imagine this would happen at your dinner event at home.

However, when Simon, the Pharisee, sees what this sinful woman is doing to Jesus, he actually judges Jesus, not just the woman. This is what the text says he is thinking: “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!” (Luke 7:39).

So, he acknowledges that Jesus did not meet this woman before, that he did not know what she did for a living. However, Simon judges Jesus on the basis of a religious idea, namely that if he were a true prophet then he should have some other way of knowing that this woman was a prostitute.

Perhaps that was Simon's ulterior motif to invite Jesus into his house in the first place, i.e. to investigate him, suspecting him to be an imposter. In any case, because of his judgmental attitude he completely misses a beautiful thing that God is doing right in front of his eyes. He's looking at it, but he cannot see it because of his condemning judgments.

Jesus said in Luke 6:37, the preceding chapter: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

As Simon the Pharisee is making condemning judgments in his heart, he misses a beautiful story of forgiveness that is unfolding in his presence—a story of God's amazing grace and unconditional love at work.

For what he cannot see is that Jesus does indeed know who and what this woman is, but Jesus also knows that this woman came with a repentant heart to receive forgiveness from God. From the moment she enters the room, she cannot stop crying. Perhaps the tears she cries are over the life she could have had and should have had, perhaps she cries over the circumstances that pushed her into the life she ended up with, and certainly she must have cried over the sins that she did commit by making wrong choices herself.

From what we can tell, the woman says nothing throughout the whole experience. She does not engage in a conversation with Jesus. She does not ask questions, or make the kind of confession we would expect, such as “forgive me,” or “I'm so sorry.”

But, strangely, Jesus is moved by what this woman is doing. He says to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus explains why he forgives her in verse 50, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Contrary to Simon's judgment, this prostitute comes to Jesus with faith and that faith saved her according to Jesus' words. It's totally amazing: Jesus looked into her heart and he saw something beautiful, a wayward child of God who yearned to return, a sinner who was asking for forgiveness. And that's exactly why Jesus had come, not to judge, but to save. Here we have a pristine glimpse into God's grace which is tested and found true even in the most extreme of cases.

But perhaps the most extreme case of grace is not even applied to the sinful woman, but rather than to the “judging” Simon.

Though Simon did not share out loud his judgments on Jesus (the text says “he said to himself...”) Jesus knew what he was thinking in his heart. But instead of chiding Simon, Jesus reaches out to him too. He says, “Simon, I have something to tell you...” and then Jesus goes on to tell him a story of forgiveness. Take notice of what Jesus says after Simon gets the answer right about the story! Jesus says to him: “You have judged correctly.” The way I understand this, Jesus gives Simon a chance to adjust his judgments. He is giving him a new perspective and invites him to refrain from condemning judgments and, instead, make positive judgments. What are positive judgments? They are acknowledgments of how the grace of God works. These are the kind of judgments that we can all benefit from. These are judgments that save rather than condemn!

I don't know if Simon changed his mind, whether he repented of his judgmental attitude, but in true Messiah-fashion, Jesus certainly offered grace, salvation, and forgiveness to all who needed it in that moment.

Hear the good news: If there is hope and salvation for the prostitute and judgmental Simon, there is hope for us too. Through this beautiful encounter Jesus had with the prostitute, God reaffirms his unconditional love to all of us; all we have to do is return into the arms of our Creator and accept his grace and offer of forgiveness and He will surely accept us, forgive us and set us on a new path. Amen.