Post by M.R. Hagerty on Aug 18, 2023 13:05:29 GMT -7
Luke 7:31-50
31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 "They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.' 33 "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, `He has a demon!' 34 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, `Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35 "Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.
39 Now 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 person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
44 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. 45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" 50 And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
(Luke 7:31-50)
____________________________________________________________
Commentary
After commending John the Baptist, Jesus then characterizes the generation of Jews to which He has come.
Luke 7:31-33
31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
In almost every age, the advancing generations are often characterized disparagingly for not continuing to value the standards of their predecessors. In biblical times, there was less of the generational changes we see today, but there were seasons when indolence and disregard were heightened. In the time of the Baptist, Judaism had become ritualistic, while a small remnant were truer children of faith. These responded to John’s message. The former saw him as a curiosity.
In all events, for the Son of God to so characterize one’s generation was a grave matter, because we know Him to have supreme and final judgment in His hands.
32 “. . they say, `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'”
This is described elsewhere by Paul as receiving the prophecies and advice that tickled their ears. ”For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires” (2 Tim 4:4)
In modern churches today, it is surprising how congregations deal similarly with their ministers. There are churches that dictate what the people will tolerate from the pulpit. There are some churches that have actually told their pastor they no longer needed to be instructed from the Bible – that they knew the Bible and preferred topics on social and community issues instead.
Threats of leaving the church and their sizable donations with them often cower men into complacent professors lecturing on interesting topics. But John was not a “play along” type. He had his own message and cared little about what comfortable people wanted to hear.
33 "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, `He has a demon!'
In other words, if he is not going to sing to our tune, we will vilify him as having a demon. This does two things. It hides their indolence behind the charge that he is too strange to be entertained, and it ensures that no one of their class will continue to take him seriously, being poisoned by demonic influence. Jesus then opens the sore wider by showing how they have applied this to Him also. Public embarrassment is clearly imminent.
Luke 7:34-36
34 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, `Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
Jesus was certainly neither of these things. But because He enjoyed dining and drinking at table with those He met, the offended crowds had something on which to pounce that would turn other hearts away from Him and also mollify His stinging words about their hypocrisy.
It was a play on their part that depended on the principle that a little knowledge is dangerous. It played into the hands of people who only knew a few things about Jesus, who could be manipulated into believing that there was more to Him than was being portrayed. A friend of tax collectors and sinners was meant to convey association with their life style not that He merely condescended to speak to them.
In these charges, it was a matter of taking appearances and working them into defamations of character. This is repeated today when the world wishes to defame Christians, not for their good deeds, but for their message and intolerance.
35 "Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
This sounds like an existing adage Jesus’ is employing but it is not identified as such in commentaries specifically. It may be that something like this was known in contemplative cultures; it’s hard to conceive as being totally brand new. Whether new or old, Jesus is making its most famous and memorable use here.
The idea is that wisdom is personified as getting children whenever they emulate and acquire her. Vindication means to be shown to be correct or free of a charge. It is like the word acquit. The undeclared charge is that something is being falsely proclaimed as wisdom. The vindication is in the consistency of all those who live by the wisdom and who show it to be true by its application to life. Wisdom is an abstract idea but its purpose is to be lived out in real life. Those who succeed in demonstrating this are vindicating it as a wisdom that works.
Why does Jesus say this in response to what people are saying about Him? The charges are based on superficial awareness not real knowledge of Him. Whether He is wise despite distorted appearances can be proven by hearing Him and applying what He says to one’s life.
36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.
We learn in a moment that the Pharisee was a man named Simon. He is not by any evidence being cynical or merely entertaining in his invitation, so we are inclined to conclude he is friendly and curious toward Jesus. He is not a follower, but sees the merit and extraordinary nature of Jesus’ doctrine. Being schooled, he is keen for a more serious doctrinal interchange and in a setting well suited for unintimidating discourse.
The scene is sometimes assumed to involve a triclinium – a three-sided Roman table with adjoining furnishings for reclining while eating. But we don’t know how formal this dinner was, how many other guests were there or how wealthy Simon was. Smaller reclining arrangements were known than a full triclinium. It would fit the occasion and it can be assumed that the Pharisee’s friends were included.
To be sure, here in the Gospel account the guests reclined. Some picture this with guests lying on one side. But where many guests are present and there is meant to be dialog between everyone, lying on one side would limit you to the person turned to face you, and your back would be to most everyone else. Turning your head to speak to others would be rather uncomfortable.
In imperial Roman dining, the more noble guests had pillows and arrangements for lying at an angle on their backs and being fed by servants. That would not be the case here. It is more likely that where group interaction was desired, people reclined on their stomachs. Also the legs and feet did not lay out flat but were inclined somewhat downward away from the table by mats so designed.
Luke 7:37-39
37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner . . she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears”
We are first surprised that a woman of her station enters and gets this far without being intercepted and put out. However, what she does is actually part of the arrangement for the dinner. There were servants who came along behind and washed the feet of the guests as they reclined. However, we need to observe that in Simon’s case this had not been arranged for, since Jesus makes a point of this later. In general however, her specific identity would have been easily missed in the busy work of serving the table.
The stereotypical portrayal of this is with Jesus sitting up and her approaching face to face, then anointing His feet. But in reality His feet would have been out behind Him as she came to them. And we see Jesus turning in order to observe her.
The identity of this woman is difficult. John says that Mary of Bethany was the one who came and anointed Jesus’ feet, and used her hair. But the woman here is a sinner and Mary of Bethany had no such reputation. Some have inferred the Magdalene, but Jesus has not yet met her and when He does, she does not appear to know Him already. So this is an unnamed woman, meaning there were at least two anointings of similar description.
But the host soon discovers she is an intruder.
39 he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."
What is not obvious but extremely interesting is that Simon says this to himself which means that the author did not get the man’s thoughts into this narrative by hearing him say it. Jesus was really the only one in the room who would have known what he was thinking. John then would have to have gotten this from Jesus or by inspiration from the Holy Spirit at the time he wrote.
We need to be careful about judging the Pharisee too harshly about his concern. He is expressing proper Mosaic legal concerns about defilement. These are not man-made minutia over which he had unwarranted concern. If a woman was involved in carnal sins she was defiled. [if] a man lie with her carnally, . . and she be defiled, Numbers 5:13
To come in contact with someone defiled (or an uncleanness), transmitted defilement to that person. Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. Lev 5:3.
Luke 7:40-50
40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."
For Jesus to allow her to touch Him meant ceremonial uncleanness was transmitted to Him, about which He ought to be very concerned.
Notice that Jesus does not come right out and speak the man’s thoughts in public which would have directly offended his host.
Instead, Jesus introduces a new line of talk with his host. ”I have something to tell you.” He is going to relate a parable that will indirectly make the point about judging and compassion.
41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. . . 42 he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"
It is simple to conclude greater gratitude and love for greater debts forgiven. But this will now be used to pinpoint what Simon was doing in respect to the woman and all such sinners in general.
44 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.
He asks at first that Simon observe the woman, to set the application at the forefront. This is ultimately going to be about the woman and how her act will instruct everyone present.
But Jesus immediately shifts to what Simon has neglected doing. This is to make the woman’s deed stand out clearly and unmistakably. He doesn’t just say, “Look at what she is doing.” He contrasts what she is doing to what Simon did not do. Furthermore, he is the host and she is uninvited - neither guest nor servant.
47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
We are at first puzzled why this distinction is made because if Simon has fewer sins, how is this a detriment? How should a person with greater sins and a worse reputation be a lesson to a man who is of good reputation and for the right reasons – has personal piety?
The lesson is about the potential the woman represents compared to Simon’s own piety and legitimate concern for the Law. There is a potential here in his home to convert sins into tremendous love and that is a reason to set aside judgment in favor of compassion. Yes the Law is valid as to the condition of the woman. Yes, it is correct to not ignore or condone sin. But Jesus is showing the attitude of the Father. Jesus loves the sinner. He desires to forgive not condemn; to lift them out of sin toward righteousness. And so should Simon.
Then Jesus does something very edgy. Something that could alienate Simon from any further lessons.
48 . . "Your sins have been forgiven." . . . 49 "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" . . . 50 "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Simon has not seen Jesus yet as Messiah and the dinner is not a sign that he is entertaining this. He is certainly interested in hearing more from Jesus on an intimate level without crowds of people present. But Simon is still a Pharisee and bound to the conservative rigidity of that order. To forgive sins is seen in his eyes as blasphemous because only God can do this, meaning the claimant is taking God’s position.
Simon does not rend his clothes, which tells us that he is notably conflicted, knowing full well what his response ought to be, yet restrained by the unmistakable heavenly signs of his Guest.
Several ask the obvious question, “who is he that forgives sins?” but we are not told whether this precipitated into immediate action by the authorities. There were plenty of witnesses but nothing immediately comes of it. No doubt this later served as circumstantial evidence that furthered the plans of the Sanhedrin, but it is interesting that this is not offered as evidence of His actionable behavior.
Jesus then leaves this scene and begins an active tour of cities and preaching.
31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 "They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.' 33 "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, `He has a demon!' 34 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, `Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35 "Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.
39 Now 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 person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
44 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. 45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" 50 And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
(Luke 7:31-50)
____________________________________________________________
Commentary
After commending John the Baptist, Jesus then characterizes the generation of Jews to which He has come.
Luke 7:31-33
31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
In almost every age, the advancing generations are often characterized disparagingly for not continuing to value the standards of their predecessors. In biblical times, there was less of the generational changes we see today, but there were seasons when indolence and disregard were heightened. In the time of the Baptist, Judaism had become ritualistic, while a small remnant were truer children of faith. These responded to John’s message. The former saw him as a curiosity.
In all events, for the Son of God to so characterize one’s generation was a grave matter, because we know Him to have supreme and final judgment in His hands.
32 “. . they say, `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'”
This is described elsewhere by Paul as receiving the prophecies and advice that tickled their ears. ”For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires” (2 Tim 4:4)
In modern churches today, it is surprising how congregations deal similarly with their ministers. There are churches that dictate what the people will tolerate from the pulpit. There are some churches that have actually told their pastor they no longer needed to be instructed from the Bible – that they knew the Bible and preferred topics on social and community issues instead.
Threats of leaving the church and their sizable donations with them often cower men into complacent professors lecturing on interesting topics. But John was not a “play along” type. He had his own message and cared little about what comfortable people wanted to hear.
33 "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, `He has a demon!'
In other words, if he is not going to sing to our tune, we will vilify him as having a demon. This does two things. It hides their indolence behind the charge that he is too strange to be entertained, and it ensures that no one of their class will continue to take him seriously, being poisoned by demonic influence. Jesus then opens the sore wider by showing how they have applied this to Him also. Public embarrassment is clearly imminent.
Luke 7:34-36
34 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, `Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
Jesus was certainly neither of these things. But because He enjoyed dining and drinking at table with those He met, the offended crowds had something on which to pounce that would turn other hearts away from Him and also mollify His stinging words about their hypocrisy.
It was a play on their part that depended on the principle that a little knowledge is dangerous. It played into the hands of people who only knew a few things about Jesus, who could be manipulated into believing that there was more to Him than was being portrayed. A friend of tax collectors and sinners was meant to convey association with their life style not that He merely condescended to speak to them.
In these charges, it was a matter of taking appearances and working them into defamations of character. This is repeated today when the world wishes to defame Christians, not for their good deeds, but for their message and intolerance.
35 "Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
This sounds like an existing adage Jesus’ is employing but it is not identified as such in commentaries specifically. It may be that something like this was known in contemplative cultures; it’s hard to conceive as being totally brand new. Whether new or old, Jesus is making its most famous and memorable use here.
The idea is that wisdom is personified as getting children whenever they emulate and acquire her. Vindication means to be shown to be correct or free of a charge. It is like the word acquit. The undeclared charge is that something is being falsely proclaimed as wisdom. The vindication is in the consistency of all those who live by the wisdom and who show it to be true by its application to life. Wisdom is an abstract idea but its purpose is to be lived out in real life. Those who succeed in demonstrating this are vindicating it as a wisdom that works.
Why does Jesus say this in response to what people are saying about Him? The charges are based on superficial awareness not real knowledge of Him. Whether He is wise despite distorted appearances can be proven by hearing Him and applying what He says to one’s life.
36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.
We learn in a moment that the Pharisee was a man named Simon. He is not by any evidence being cynical or merely entertaining in his invitation, so we are inclined to conclude he is friendly and curious toward Jesus. He is not a follower, but sees the merit and extraordinary nature of Jesus’ doctrine. Being schooled, he is keen for a more serious doctrinal interchange and in a setting well suited for unintimidating discourse.
The scene is sometimes assumed to involve a triclinium – a three-sided Roman table with adjoining furnishings for reclining while eating. But we don’t know how formal this dinner was, how many other guests were there or how wealthy Simon was. Smaller reclining arrangements were known than a full triclinium. It would fit the occasion and it can be assumed that the Pharisee’s friends were included.
To be sure, here in the Gospel account the guests reclined. Some picture this with guests lying on one side. But where many guests are present and there is meant to be dialog between everyone, lying on one side would limit you to the person turned to face you, and your back would be to most everyone else. Turning your head to speak to others would be rather uncomfortable.
In imperial Roman dining, the more noble guests had pillows and arrangements for lying at an angle on their backs and being fed by servants. That would not be the case here. It is more likely that where group interaction was desired, people reclined on their stomachs. Also the legs and feet did not lay out flat but were inclined somewhat downward away from the table by mats so designed.
Luke 7:37-39
37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner . . she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears”
We are first surprised that a woman of her station enters and gets this far without being intercepted and put out. However, what she does is actually part of the arrangement for the dinner. There were servants who came along behind and washed the feet of the guests as they reclined. However, we need to observe that in Simon’s case this had not been arranged for, since Jesus makes a point of this later. In general however, her specific identity would have been easily missed in the busy work of serving the table.
The stereotypical portrayal of this is with Jesus sitting up and her approaching face to face, then anointing His feet. But in reality His feet would have been out behind Him as she came to them. And we see Jesus turning in order to observe her.
The identity of this woman is difficult. John says that Mary of Bethany was the one who came and anointed Jesus’ feet, and used her hair. But the woman here is a sinner and Mary of Bethany had no such reputation. Some have inferred the Magdalene, but Jesus has not yet met her and when He does, she does not appear to know Him already. So this is an unnamed woman, meaning there were at least two anointings of similar description.
But the host soon discovers she is an intruder.
39 he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."
What is not obvious but extremely interesting is that Simon says this to himself which means that the author did not get the man’s thoughts into this narrative by hearing him say it. Jesus was really the only one in the room who would have known what he was thinking. John then would have to have gotten this from Jesus or by inspiration from the Holy Spirit at the time he wrote.
We need to be careful about judging the Pharisee too harshly about his concern. He is expressing proper Mosaic legal concerns about defilement. These are not man-made minutia over which he had unwarranted concern. If a woman was involved in carnal sins she was defiled. [if] a man lie with her carnally, . . and she be defiled, Numbers 5:13
To come in contact with someone defiled (or an uncleanness), transmitted defilement to that person. Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. Lev 5:3.
Luke 7:40-50
40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."
For Jesus to allow her to touch Him meant ceremonial uncleanness was transmitted to Him, about which He ought to be very concerned.
Notice that Jesus does not come right out and speak the man’s thoughts in public which would have directly offended his host.
Instead, Jesus introduces a new line of talk with his host. ”I have something to tell you.” He is going to relate a parable that will indirectly make the point about judging and compassion.
41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. . . 42 he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"
It is simple to conclude greater gratitude and love for greater debts forgiven. But this will now be used to pinpoint what Simon was doing in respect to the woman and all such sinners in general.
44 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.
He asks at first that Simon observe the woman, to set the application at the forefront. This is ultimately going to be about the woman and how her act will instruct everyone present.
But Jesus immediately shifts to what Simon has neglected doing. This is to make the woman’s deed stand out clearly and unmistakably. He doesn’t just say, “Look at what she is doing.” He contrasts what she is doing to what Simon did not do. Furthermore, he is the host and she is uninvited - neither guest nor servant.
47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
We are at first puzzled why this distinction is made because if Simon has fewer sins, how is this a detriment? How should a person with greater sins and a worse reputation be a lesson to a man who is of good reputation and for the right reasons – has personal piety?
The lesson is about the potential the woman represents compared to Simon’s own piety and legitimate concern for the Law. There is a potential here in his home to convert sins into tremendous love and that is a reason to set aside judgment in favor of compassion. Yes the Law is valid as to the condition of the woman. Yes, it is correct to not ignore or condone sin. But Jesus is showing the attitude of the Father. Jesus loves the sinner. He desires to forgive not condemn; to lift them out of sin toward righteousness. And so should Simon.
Then Jesus does something very edgy. Something that could alienate Simon from any further lessons.
48 . . "Your sins have been forgiven." . . . 49 "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" . . . 50 "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Simon has not seen Jesus yet as Messiah and the dinner is not a sign that he is entertaining this. He is certainly interested in hearing more from Jesus on an intimate level without crowds of people present. But Simon is still a Pharisee and bound to the conservative rigidity of that order. To forgive sins is seen in his eyes as blasphemous because only God can do this, meaning the claimant is taking God’s position.
Simon does not rend his clothes, which tells us that he is notably conflicted, knowing full well what his response ought to be, yet restrained by the unmistakable heavenly signs of his Guest.
Several ask the obvious question, “who is he that forgives sins?” but we are not told whether this precipitated into immediate action by the authorities. There were plenty of witnesses but nothing immediately comes of it. No doubt this later served as circumstantial evidence that furthered the plans of the Sanhedrin, but it is interesting that this is not offered as evidence of His actionable behavior.
Jesus then leaves this scene and begins an active tour of cities and preaching.