Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 7:36-50 "THE UNDESERVED REPUTATION OF JESUS"
Day 89 – Luke 7
Text: Luke 7:36-50
THE UNDESERVED REPUTATION OF JESUS
It is so easy to draw a caricature of a person. All you need to do is to pick up one or two outstanding features of the person, accentuate them and there you have a caricature.
The Pharisees and Scribes caricatured Jesus, even as John the Baptiser was. The latter was dismissed as having a demon, because he was “not normal”. John practised an almost ascetic life, giving up normal food and drink. He lived off the desert, garbed in camel’s hair and wearing a belt, surviving on locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). Actually, this shows that John knew how to survive in the wilderness. His choice of clothing and food was quite logical. It was just different from those who lived in the city.
The Pharisees and the Scribes caricatured Jesus as the opposite of John the Baptiser. Jesus was the “glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34). The background for this caricature of Jesus was of course the “self-righteous” lifestyle of the Pharisees and Scribes. They portrayed themselves as the people who lived exemplary lives. They measured others against themselves. Anything short of their personal standards would be spoken against. Anything “extra” by their standards would also be criticized as “excessive”.
This was the way in which the Pharisees and the Scribes painted Jesus. This was a truly undeserved reputation of Jesus.
AN UNUSUAL INVITATION
If the Pharisees as a social and religious group thought so poorly of Jesus, why was Jesus invited to a Pharisee’s home anyway? Though the reasons are not given to us, we can safely conclude that it was not out of genuine friendship and respect for the Lord Jesus Christ! How we arrive at this conclusion will become obvious as we study the text carefully.
Another interesting question may be raised. How did “a woman in the city who was a sinner” gain entrance into the house of the Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:37)? In the opinion of some scholars, it was not unusual for some of the prominent Pharisees to open up their homes on special occasions, when they entertained people who were well-known. Jesus was certainly very well known.
There would of course be a meal given, and then there would of course be the usual lunch conversation. Outsiders were allowed to feast their eyes on those who sat at the meal table, but they would of course not be participating in the meal. They could learn what they could from the conversations that would naturally ensure, as the meal progresses.
It is perhaps in this context, that the woman who was a well-known sinner gained entrance into the home of Simon the Pharisee. She would certainly have had no invitation to even watch the meal proceedings.
However, she “knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house” (Luke 7:37), and she came prepared to risk everything just to be in contact with Jesus.
A SPECIAL GIFT BROUGHT
The unnamed woman brought a special gift as she came to Jesus. This was not unusual. It was customary to bring a special gift for an honoured Person. In her mind, Jesus was special. She must have heard much about what Jesus said and did, and her heart was drawn to seek an audience with Jesus.
How was she to gain an audience with Jesus? She was not invited for the special lunch. She would not be able to engage Jesus in a conversation. She did not know Jesus personally, only by reputation. How would she communicate what was in her heart?
If Jesus was who He was, as her heart taught her, then He would surely be able to understand her completely, even if she did not utter a single word! Would He understand her, just by her actions?
WOULD JESUS UNDERSTAND HER COPIOUS TEARS?
Luke carefully recorded this scene. He noted that at first, the woman “stood at His (Jesus) feet behind Him weeping, and she began to wash His feet with her tears” (Luke 7:38). This picture is accurate, if we understand that at formal meals, those having a meal reclined on cushions. The tables were very low, and those who sat at such meals would normally stretch out their legs. Thus the woman went to the feet of Jesus, and even as she came near to the Person of the Lord, hot tears came to her eyes.
She could not speak of how sorrowful she felt deep inside her heart. She was no end sorry for her sins. Where words were not possible, tears spoke for her. Would Jesus understand?
WOULD JESUS UNDERSTAND THE WASHING OF HIS FEET WITH TEARS, AND THE WIPING OF HIS FEET WITH HER HAIR?
The unnamed woman noted the feet of Jesus. He was the invited guest, but the proper courtesy had not been shown to Him. Never mind that now, her tears would do. She would shed her tears, but wait, she had not planned it this way. She did not have a towel to wipe the feet of the Teacher.
But wait, she had long hair. She could use her “crown of glory” to wipe His feet! It was unheard of, but her heart instructed her to do just that! Would Jesus understand? He had not spoken a word to her yet!
WOULD JESUS UNDERSTAND THE KISSING OF HIS FEET AND THE ANOINTING OF HIS FEET WITH FRAGRANT OIL?
There was one more thing she must do. She had come prepared for this. She was going to give to Jesus a special present of fragrant oil. She was going to pour it at His feet and leave. However, when she noted the unwashed feet of Jesus, she knew that the householder had slighted Jesus, and she was hurt for Him, besides feeling sorrowful and sinful in the Holy Presence of the Master!
To all who were present there, what she did was totally out of the ordinary! Nobody wasted fragrant oil by pouring it on the feet! What was wrong with this person? She didn’t care what others thought. Her concern was, “Did Jesus understand all she
did?” Jesus kept silence all this while.