A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’
Jesus, despite being often criticized by Pharisees, does not shy away from social engagement with them. Reclining at table is a customary posture during formal meals in the ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman world. Instead of sitting upright in chairs as is common in many cultures today, participants at banquets or formal dinners would lie on couches or cushions arranged around a low table. They would rest on their left side, supporting their head with the left hand, while their feet extended away from the table. This position allowed their right hand to remain free for eating. It also allowed the “sinful woman” to approach Jesus’ feet without interrupting the meal. It was also a posture associated with freedom, which has its roots in the Jewish tradition from the Passover meal, where reclining symbolized the freedom the Israelites experienced after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 12:11).
A woman living a life of public sin like prostitution who would be scorned in the Pharisee’s house brought a jar of expensive ointment. Weeping, she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the expensive ointment. Washing feet was a sign of servitude, reflecting her humility, and in ancient Jewish culture, unbinding one’s hair was considered highly immodest.
Simon, the host, presumed that if Jesus were truly a prophet, he would know what kind of woman this was and would not allow her to approach, thinking that her status as a sinner made her morally impure and unworthy of contact. Simon’s concern was not merely ritual purity but also Jesus' failure to discern her sinfulness. Jesus told Simon a parable about two people in debt. He used business imagery to communicate the reality of God's gratuitous mercy. The larger debt represents greater sinfulness, but the emphasis is on forgiveness and gratitude rather than the quantity of sin. The creditor’s forgiveness symbolizes God’s gratuitous mercy which is freely given to those who cannot repay Him. Simon intellectually understood the parable but did not grasp its deeper meaning.
Jesus then contrasted Simon’s lack of hospitality with the woman’s acts of devotion. Simon neglected three important gestures that a host at that time was expected to make when welcoming a guest: Greeting the guest with a kiss, anointing the guest’s head with oil, and washing his feet (usually done by women or servants). In ancient Palestine, the pouring of sweet-smelling ointment on the head of a highly regarded person was not unusual but the woman poured the ointment on Jesus’ feet indicating the reverence and esteem with which she held Jesus. Roads were unpaved and travelers would walk long distances on foot. People typically wore sandals, leaving their feet exposed to dirt, dust, and mud. As a result, feet would become quite dirty after a journey. Washing the feet was a practical necessity to ensure cleanliness before participating in a meal or entering someone's home. Simon’s failure to offer these basic acts of hospitality revealed not just a lack of courtesy but a deeper spiritual blindness. He did not recognize his own need for forgiveness and, as a result, exhibited little gratitude and love for Jesus.
The Pharisees believed that forgiveness of sins was a divine prerogative so when Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven” the guests immediately assumed he was making himself equal to God (Lk. 5:21) and murmured among themselves. Jesus made it clear that it was the woman’s faith, demonstrated through her repentance and love, that has brought her salvation. Her acts of love, such as washing and anointing His feet, were outward signs of her internal repentance, reflecting the depth of her faith. In contrast, Simon’s lack of love stemmed from his failure to recognize his need for mercy.
Heavenly Father, out of Your abundant mercy You welcome humble sinners with forgiveness and love. Grant us hearts full of repentance and faith, and help us to turn from pride and seek Your grace so that You may heal and restore us. This we pray through Christ our Lord Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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