A poor, sinful woman once came to Jesus when He was here on earth. There was no question as to her guilt; she was notorious in the city where she lived. Ashamed both for her sin and for herself, with an aching heart she followed the Lord into the Pharisee’s house. There, with tears of penitence, she washed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with the hairs of her head. (See Luke 7:36-5036And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:36‑50).)
What a picture! Was there ever such a contrast? There was the holy, sinless Son of God, and there was an unholy, sinful, degraded woman-and they met!
How should we have acted in such a case, if such a one entered our house while we were entertaining guests? Wouldn’t we have done our best to quietly get rid of her, to prevent at any cost our most honored guest from even a glimpse of her polluting presence?
Not so Jesus! He was not ignorant of the character of the woman who knelt to wash His feet. Well did He know her sins were many. Well did He know the conflict raging in her heart between hope and fear. Well did He know the change which had taken place in the heart of that poor, sinful, penitent woman. He needed no information as to all that. He knew it all, and He allowed her to have her own way and to express what was in her heart.
And what shall we say of Jesus now? Is He changed at all?
No, truly! He is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)). The most degraded and abandoned may come to Him still and find the truth of His own words, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).
Jesus did not make light of nor excuse the woman’s sin. No. He said, “Her sins, which are many, ARE FORGIVEN.” Then turning to the woman herself, He gave her the assurance in her own soul of forgiveness-salvation-peace. He made no demands. He gave these blessings and gave them ungrudgingly.
Now, suppose we had met that woman on her way from the Pharisee’s house and had asked her how she knew she was forgiven and saved. What do you think she would have answered?
She would not have spoken of her tears, nor the ointment she put on the Lord’s feet, nor would she have spoken of her feelings or experiences. No! She would only have said, “He said it!”
What did He say to her? He said, “Thy sins are forgiven.” He said, “Thy faith hath saved thee.” And He said, “Go in peace” (Luke 7:48,5048And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (Luke 7:48)
50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:50)). Wouldn’t that be assurance sufficient for anyone?