A man named Simon invited Jesus to come to his house for a meal. While they were eating, a woman came in and stood behind Jesus weeping.
The woman had not been invited, but had heard that Jesus was there, and she wanted so much to come to Him, that she seems not to have thought she was intruding, or of anything but of Him. Her tears fell on His feet and she wiped them with her hair and put on the ointment she had brought.
Why did she weep? It seems to have been because she was so grateful for something Jesus had done for her. And when she had heard He was there, she brought the best she could to honor Him.
A Lowly Servant
It was a custom in that land, because of the warm, dusty streets, to remove the sandals at the door, and to bathe a guest’s feet, sometimes oil was then put on, and it was a mark of special honor to put oil on the head of a guest, also for the host to give a kiss of friendship.
Simon had not done any of those favors for Jesus, but the woman did much more, she wiped the dust from His feet with her own hair, and kissed His feet and put the oil on them. It was as though she did not feel worthy to place the oil on His head. It must have been the best ointment she could procure, as it was in an alabaster box, or flask, which are said to have come from Egypt, being used for expensive oil and perfumes.
But all she did was as a lowly servant, grateful to Jesus, and He was honored. But Simon was not so pleased; he thought to himself that if Jesus were a prophet He would have known this woman was a sinner, not fit to touch anyone.
Simon had heard Jesus talk to the people, and no doubt knew of His great miracles, yet he doubted He was even great as a prophet. But Jesus knew Simon’s thoughts, and answered him, which should have made him realize that Jesus was even greater than any prophet. Jesus knew that the woman had sinned, for He said her sins were “many,” but He also knew she wept because of them, and notice also that He said, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven.”
She had come humbly to the One who could forgive her all her sins. She loved and honored Him, and how His words before all must have comforted her! She had not even waited for what others might think a suitable time, she had come at once when she knew where Jesus was.
Some have thought this is the same woman who had anointed Jesus a few days before His death, written of in Matthew 26, Mark 14, John 12, and both anointings were in the house of men named Simon, but this Simon is called, “a Pharisee,” and lived in Galilee.
That Simon is spoken of only as a leper, and lived in Bethany of Judea. This woman is not named; that woman was Mary of Bethany. The Lord said to Simon, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven.”
Further Meditation
1. How did Simon treat his guest?
2. How did the woman show her value and appreciation for the Lord Jesus? In what practical way can we do the same thing every day of our lives?
3. Some of the details of this chapter are easier to understand if we have a good grasp of the culture in Bible times. One helpful resource in studying subjects like feet washing is Manners and Customs of the Bible by J. H. Freeman.