Jesus was once asked, “what is the greatest commandment?”, to which our Lord said, “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:30)” .  Through an unexpected and scandalous scene, Jesus explains to Simon the Pharisee that the greatest obstacle to the greatest commandment is understanding the great price of forgiveness.

The Greatest Obstacle to the Greatest Command

Luke 7:36-50

Introduction

What is the greatest of all God’s commandments?  Which of God’s commandments is the greatest, the most elementary and most crucial?  Jesus answered this by saying, “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:30)” Jesus was quoting Deut 6:5.  The idea of love can be difficult to understand as it is somewhat of an abstract idea.  So God’s word provides shape and dimension to our love.  Love of God is first described in the dimension of our heart – the seat of our emotions.   Secondly, by the dimension of our soul – our inner being must be renewed so that we can love God.  Thirdly, by the dimension of our mind – our intellect, knowing, learning, so we may know and understand and obey.  And fourthly, by the dimension of strength which is our obedience to God as we serve God.  Our heart, soul, mind and strength give shape and dimension to the totality of our love and worship of God.

Proposition: What is the primary obstacle to worshiping God?

This morning I want to ask the question: what obstacle prevents us from loving and worshiping God?  I would go further and ask, what is the greatest obstacle that would prevent us from worshiping God?  I believe Luke’s account in the next few verses will tell us the answer to our question.   In this passage we are going to look at three main characters.  As we look at each major character we will find the answer to our question: what is the greatest obstacle to our love and worship of God.  The first character that we encounter is the woman in tears.

The Woman in tears

We are told in the opening verses that a Pharisee, whom we later know to have the name of Simon, invites Jesus to dinner.  We are not sure why Simon invites Jesus to dinner but we can suspect that he was invited probably to trap Jesus much like the others in the previous chapter 6 verse 7

Luke 6:7 (ESV) — 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.

Behold a woman of the city – a SINNER!

However the focus quickly turns from the Pharisee to an uninvited guest whom Luke refers to twice as a sinner.

Luke 7:37 (ESV) — 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,

Luke begs for our attention to go to this woman – Behold a woman of the city, a sinner!  He uses the phrase, “woman of the city” which is a euphemism that speaks of her character.  He is essentially saying that she is a “woman of the streets.”  We are not told what her sins were but everyone identified her as sinner soaked in sin, including Jesus.  Jesus Himself says that “her sins are many.”  Her sins must have been so great that her reputation preceded her that no name is given to her other than “sinner.”  Simon is named, Jesus is named, but the woman is not.  Instead of a name Luke gives her the title of “sinner.”  When we read this we may be tempted to think that oh, she’s one of us, a common sinner.  In fact aren’t all of us sinners?  Don’t read this passage that way.

She was not like you in that sense.  Your sins are well hidden and kept secret.  People know you by your love of sports, your athletic ability, and your ability to cook good food, your talented family, or your beautiful children.  People know you for those things all the while your sins are kept secret. Hers were laid bare that no quality of hers is remembered let alone her name.  The one dominant feature that stands out about her is that she is a sinner!  That is to say her sins spoke more of her than who she is as a person!  No one knows her for her heartache, her past life, her poverty, her struggles, or her joys.  None of that is known or remembered.  Commentators suggest she was likely a prostitute whose loose living was known and condemned by many.

A successful sinner

Imagine this woman, whose defiled and soiled reputation was well known, entering a house filled with men whom she knew would condemn and judge her.  They all knew how soaked in sin she is.  Her perverse lifestyle is emphasized by the fact that she brings costly perfume in an alabaster jar.  Consider this, the fact that she is able to afford such perfume, tells us just how successful she is in her trade.

She arrives uninvited to the party but this is not uncommon.  She practiced the social customs of that day that allowed the poor to come and eat the leftovers at large dinner parties.  What makes her stand out first is that she is a woman who approaches a group of holy men, religious men such as the Pharisee, who may have possibly invited other religious leaders.

Secondly she performs an unusual act washing the feet of Jesus, the invited guest of honor, with her tears.  She wipes the feet of Jesus with her tears then anoints him with this perfume.  I want to ask the question, why is this woman in tears?

What is it that moved this woman to be so overwhelmed with emotion that tears well up to the point that she has enough to clean the feet of Jesus.  These are not the tears that we often see in our children that we easily wipe away with our thumb or sleeve.  The woman’s tears continued to flow.  Something had moved her to this place of emotion.  What was it?  We are not yet told.  The crowd didn’t know.  Certainly Simon didn’t know.  This leads us to Simon the critical host.

The Host who is critical

Simon, along with everyone else is shocked by what they see.  At this point I imagine people are scratching their heads as to why this is taking place.  Why is a local woman performing an act of social impropriety by letting her hair down and touching another man in public?  In the midst of this scandalous scene, Simon’s thoughts focuses our attention.

Luke 7:39 (ESV) — 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, 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.”

The Scandalous Scene

What we have before us is a scandalous scene.  You have a woman of the streets, a prostitute touching Jesus in a way that would scandalize his reputation and his ministry.  The scandal is not that she is touching him, but that Jesus is letting her!  Who would want to be associated with a prostitute?  Religious leaders today deny the slightest rumor of their intimate association with anything ungodly and immoral.  The fact that Jesus does not turn her away would cause others to conclude that there is familiarity between these two.  Why didn’t Simon conclude this very thing?  Of all the things that Simon the Pharisee could accuse Jesus of, scandalous immorality was not one of them.  This speaks volumes of the absolute righteous purity of Jesus life.  Jesus was absolutely sinless that the Roman governor Pontius Pilate could conclude along with all, “I find no guilt in this man.” (Luke 23:4).  Up to this point Jesus had been preaching all throughout Galilee for a year and his life was known by all.  The Pharisees could have pinned this very public association with the woman to disqualify him from ministry.  But they could not because that accusation was not even remotely in the mind of Simon.

Instead Simon concluded in his private thoughts that Jesus was just a non-prophet.   He concluded that Jesus was merely ignorant!  He concluded that Jesus was no wise man, no spoke-person for God.  He was clueless to who this woman is and clueless about how a real prophet should treat such sinners.  Simon became critical that there is a sinner hanging out with his guest of honor.  Secondly he became critical that his guest of honor is hanging out with this sinner!  What an embarrassing house party this is becoming!

Who is the greater sinner in this room?

Simon was blind to what he was seeing.  Simon, like all religious people, is blind to his own sinfulness.  Simon placed himself in the same category as Jesus.  He placed himself in the category of holy while condemning this whore of a woman as unholy.

Some of you today may be reading this story and thinking to yourself, “I’m a sinner, I’m like that woman.”  Dear friend, the sin of this woman is not what is in view here.  Don’t think that you’re sin is like this woman, think instead that your sin may be like this man’s.  The greatest sinner is in this dinner party and it’s not the woman.  The greatest sinners are the ones who are blind to their own sinfulness because of their self-righteous view of themselves.

Are you blind like Simon because you think that your sins are not enough to need Christ and His forgiveness?  You believe that you sin, you just don’t believe that your sins are many!

After Simon’s private criticism of Jesus and the woman, Jesus is told to have “answered” Simon.  Simon must have been shocked that Jesus would know his private thoughts so when Jesus says, “I have something to say to you,” Simon’s only response was “yes, say it teacher.”

The Savior who forgives

A simple parable by the master teacher:

Luke 7:41–43 (ESV) — 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Jesus tells a simple parable to teach a very basic concept of forgiveness and love.  Jesus is essentially going to take this PhD Pharisee to school using kindergarten Christianity.  He uses the simplest of examples to teach this highly educated Pharisee the basics of forgiveness and love.  Before we look at Jesus’ parable, let me ask you this.

Defining forgiveness

How would you define forgiveness? How would you define love?  These two terms are very abstract and need concrete examples to give them practical meaning.  Jesus repeatedly does this for us when he teaches.  According to one resource, “[the Bible has] more than two thousand references to money and possessions. Out of thirty-eight parables that Jesus told in the Gospels, sixteen deal with how we handle our money. Jesus said more about money and possessions than about heaven and hell combined. One out of every ten verses in the Gospels deals with money or possessions—288 verses in the four Gospels.^[1]”

Simon, like us, struggle with the concept of forgiveness.  So Jesus uses money to give dimension and shape for us to grab on to, in order to understand forgiveness.  Two debts are owed to a money lender, 500 denarii (roughly a year and half’s wages) and 50 denarii (roughly a month and half’s wages).

The money lender forgives both men their debt!  Wouldn’t you enjoy that this time of year as you run up your credit card during the Holidays!  Which amazon.com credit card has the greater debt, I forgive them all!  Wouldn’t that be a great gift this holiday season, credit card is paid for!  Your car is paid for!  Your mortgage is paid for!  Your debt is completely removed!  Hallelujah!

Forgiveness is not the removal of debt, but the transfer of debt

But the removal of debt is not foundation of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not just the removal of debt but the transfer of debt.  When your debt is removed, it is simply removed from you.  But like all debts they must be paid.  Instead of you paying that debt, it is transferred to the forgiver’s account.  You don’t pay – the one you owe pays.  When we think of forgiveness we think it comes without a price.  Forgiveness is not accomplished with just words.  It is accomplished with a cost.  It is not free, it comes with a price.

I thought of this a few summers ago when I considered the idea that God is the one who created everything out of nothing.  “Let there be light and there was light.  Let there be land, birds, fish of the sea.. and it was so.”  Something out of nothing.  In other words it did not cost God anything to create the world and our universe.  Ex-nihlo, the Latin phrase, “out of nothing.”  I wondered, why couldn’t the God of the universe speak the words, “let there be forgiveness and it was so.”

The great exchange

Dear church it is because forgiveness of sin is not free, it cost something.  Or more precisely it cost Someone their life!  Paul speaks of this great transfer of debt and the great transfer of righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We cannot miss this important lesson on forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not the removal of debt but the transfer of debt.  Jesus shows Simon the idea of debt being transferred from one to another.  So Jesus asks Simon, “which of the two will love him more?”  Simon understood clearly the simple and indicting parable.  He responds saying, “the one who is forgiven more will love more.”

Jesus the Wonderful Counselor

Jesus, the wonderful counselor, exposes the obstacle in Simon’s heart that prevents him from loving and worshiping God rightly.  Jesus is drawing out a principle that Simon has missed.

Proverbs 20:5 (ESV) — 5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Jesus has drawn out a principle from the heart of Simon.  The principle is very simple: he who is forgiven much loves much, he who has been forgiven little loves little.  Jesus takes this principle that Simon has fully grasped applies to the scene at hand.

Luke 7:44–47 (ESV) — 44 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. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Tears of Rejoicing

This woman loves much because she has been forgiven much!  The Holy Spirit through Luke associated sin to this woman 5 times in this passage.  The woman is a great sinner!  Her sins, Jesus says, are many.  The reason why she has tears that overflowed is because they were tears of love produced by the forgiveness in Christ!  They were tears of rejoicing in Christ her Savior!  She is not coming to the point of conversion, she is not repenting at this moment, she is worshiping Christ!

Imagine that Jesus would use an immoral prostitute the fundamentals of worship to a self-righteous religious leader like Simon the Pharisee.  He’s effectively saying to Simon, “she’s a worshiper, you’re not.  She’s broken, you’re ice-cold.  She does not care about what others think, you’re embarrassed from your house party.  You’re more concerned about your religious reputation.  All she’s concerned about is caring for her Savior!  Jesus is using this woman as a crooked stick to draw a straight line taking you straight to the heart of the Gospel!

Forgiveness produces worship, worship will never produce forgiveness

This woman is worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ.  She is worshiping him not so that she would be forgiven.  She is worshiping Him because she is forgiven!  Forgiveness produces worship!  Worship will never produce forgiveness.  Simon, like all religious people, attempt to worship to receive life.  They attempt to worship to receive forgiveness.  Isaiah prophesied of this very kind of worship in Isaiah 29:13

Isaiah 29:13 (ESV) — 13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

The heart will never be near God unless they view themselves as a sinner in need of forgiveness.  Too many people see themselves as spiritually healthy.  Jesus did not come for those who are healthy, he came for sinners!

Mark 2:17 (ESV) — 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The greatest obstacle in obeying the greatest command

The greatest obstacle in obeying the greatest command to love and worship God is forgiveness.  Many have become like Simon who cannot love because they have not been forgiven.  Many have tried to worship in order to be forgiven but you cannot worship, unless you are forgiven!  People will come to church and worship the God, hoping that someday God will forgive them.  That is the hallmark of every works-based religion, working, serving in the hopes of being forgiven.

Do you see yourself like Simon?  Jesus has something to say to you.  You must respond and tell, “Say it teacher!”  Jesus has something to say to all the Simon’s in this room.  If you are like Simon, Jesus has something to say to you: “I paid the debt of sin that you could not pay.  You’re forgiven.  Believe that my life and death on that cross is what paid the price of your forgiveness.”

The sinner forever remembered as a worshiper of Christ

Jesus ensures that our memory of this nameless woman will forever change.  She will no longer be known as the sinner.  She will now be known as the worshiper of Christ!

Luke 7:48–50 (ESV) — 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

How do we know that this woman was truly forgiven by God?  How do you know if you have truly been forgiven by God?  Jesus said of this woman, “For she loved much.”

Conclusion

What is the greatest obstacle to obeying the greatest command?  He who has been forgiven little will love little.  Recall your testimony of where God rescued you and brought you into a saving relationship with Him!  Recall the great price of the forgiveness that we now enjoy in Christ!

If you have not given your life to Christ, know this: there are two kinds of sinners in this story.  One who believes that their sins are many and one who believes their sins are few.  You need to see your need of forgiveness so that you can love and worship God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  Amen.