Simon the Pharisee Luke 7:36-50
I have tried to forget the day I met Jesus. It is not an occasion I remember fondly.
It all started when the young Rabbi came to teach in our synagogue. We had already heard on the grapevine that he was contentious and some had called his teaching heretical. So when we knew he was coming our way we were on our guard. The people all loved him, so we knew we had to tread carefully with him. And besides, most of us were secretly fascinated to hear what he had to say and see if he was going to perform any of the alleged miracles he was becoming famous for.
He arrived in town late one evening and turned up the next day to preach and teach in the synagogue. However he also seemed to teach and preach wherever he went and was as likely to be found out in a field or sitting in the market square than in the synagogue. Which was very odd. Anyhow, his teaching was simple and straightforward - I really couldnt find anything wrong with it. And he didnt do anything outrageous as far as I could see. I thought he was a rather interesting young man and I wanted to know more about him so I invited him to my home that evening for a meal. He accepted - and invited a crowd of his followers along too! I dont think my wife was too happy about the increase in numbers. But she accommodated everyone with her usual good humour. I am blessed in having a good wife.
Jesus arrived in good time along with all his friends and it was a bit of a squeeze to fit everyone in round the table. There really wasnt room for us to recline, so we sat upright and this enabled us to have more rigorous conversation than is usual. The Rabbi seemed to have a good appetite and enjoyed his food. The conversation flowed easily and everything was going really well until that woman burst in. I have no idea how she managed to get past the servants, but one minute we were all eating and talking and having a nice time and the next...... this woman from the streets, dirty, unclean, wailing and shouting, burst through the door and threw herself at the feet of Jesus.
My fellow Pharisees were appalled. We all knew who this woman was ( to be honest Im pretty sure some of those present knew her rather more intimately than they would have cared to admit). She should not have been there. I stood up and looked round for my house boy to order her to be removed. However, I couldnt see him. In fact I couldnt see any of my household servants. And I wasnt about to handle the woman to eject her myself. I caught the eye of my wife who had come to see if we men had everything we needed at the table and signalled to her to go and get some help. She looked horrified and scurried off.
Whilst I was trying to work out how we were going to get rid of the woman and get our evening back on track, the woman had pulled out a small jar from the pockets of her robes. It was a perfume jar which she proceeded to break open and then pour the contents all over Jesus's feet. The most wonderful smell washed over everyone as she put the perfume on her hands and then touched Jesus's hands and head and shoulders. He just sat there and let her do it!!! This was shocking. Surely if this Rabbi was a teacher worth his salt he would be able to instantly recognise the sort of street prostitute this woman was. Why he would let her touch him was beyond me. She probably had lice. She might very well have had leprosy or the pox or any number of horrible diseases. And besides that she was unclean. And we were at table. It was all unconscionable. My other guests were on their feet and backing towards the door.
Jesus didnt move. In fact he looked incredibly calm. He turned to me and said ' Simon , can I have a word?' ' I was deeply embarrassed and was about to start apologising when he cut in and said ' Imagine there are two men who each owe you money. One owes £500 and the other owes £50 but neither of them have the means to pay. If you forgive each of them their debt, who will be the most grateful? ' I had no idea what he was talking about and that woman was still grovelling around at his feet. But I answered the question ' The one who has the biggest debt cancelled will be more grateful I suppose'. ' Exactly!' said Jesus. He then gestured to the woman to get up from the floor and sit beside him.
' You see this woman? When I came into your lovely house this evening you didnt offer me any water for my feet but she has washed my feet with her tears. You didnt give me a kiss of welcome but she hasnt stopped kissing me since she got here. You omitted to anoint my head with a touch of oil as is the custom, but she has lavished anointing oil on me at great personal cost no doubt. She has demonstrated a huge amount of love and because of this I am telling her now ( and at this he looked her straight in the eye and took her hand) all her many sins are forgiven.' The woman stopped sobbing and snivelling and smiled at him, wiping her hands on her dress. ' People who dont ask for much forgiveness dont tend to express much love.' Again turning to the woman he said ' Thank you for the love you have shown me this evening. Go now, your sins are all forgiven' At this, she picked up the pieces of her broken bottle and scurried out of my house.
I was mortified that in front of my guests Jesus was pointing out my failings as a host. And comparing me to THAT woman! How dare he? But he didnt seem to be out to humiliate me - that was the odd thing. He seemed to be more concerned with her than he was with me or even with his own reputation. I felt like a small child who has been mildly rebuked by a loving parent. It made me feel completely at sea. I sat down and poured myself a cup of wine.
My guests were at as much of a loss as I was. Nobody knew what to do or say or think. I heard old Levi murmer to Elias ' Who does he think he is, forgiving people their sins? Surely only God can do that' Jesus meanwhile had sat back down and was finishing his food. His followers seemed to be entirely unphased by what had just happened. The rest of us looked at each other and everyone awkwardly took up their places again at the table. Before long the meal was back underway and the incident with the prostitute was not mentioned again. Eventually, in the wee small hours Jesus and his disciples left to go home and my wife and I went to bed. Neither of us mentioned what had happened
But the lingering scent of perfume remained in my house for days
.
It all started when the young Rabbi came to teach in our synagogue. We had already heard on the grapevine that he was contentious and some had called his teaching heretical. So when we knew he was coming our way we were on our guard. The people all loved him, so we knew we had to tread carefully with him. And besides, most of us were secretly fascinated to hear what he had to say and see if he was going to perform any of the alleged miracles he was becoming famous for.
He arrived in town late one evening and turned up the next day to preach and teach in the synagogue. However he also seemed to teach and preach wherever he went and was as likely to be found out in a field or sitting in the market square than in the synagogue. Which was very odd. Anyhow, his teaching was simple and straightforward - I really couldnt find anything wrong with it. And he didnt do anything outrageous as far as I could see. I thought he was a rather interesting young man and I wanted to know more about him so I invited him to my home that evening for a meal. He accepted - and invited a crowd of his followers along too! I dont think my wife was too happy about the increase in numbers. But she accommodated everyone with her usual good humour. I am blessed in having a good wife.
Jesus arrived in good time along with all his friends and it was a bit of a squeeze to fit everyone in round the table. There really wasnt room for us to recline, so we sat upright and this enabled us to have more rigorous conversation than is usual. The Rabbi seemed to have a good appetite and enjoyed his food. The conversation flowed easily and everything was going really well until that woman burst in. I have no idea how she managed to get past the servants, but one minute we were all eating and talking and having a nice time and the next...... this woman from the streets, dirty, unclean, wailing and shouting, burst through the door and threw herself at the feet of Jesus.
My fellow Pharisees were appalled. We all knew who this woman was ( to be honest Im pretty sure some of those present knew her rather more intimately than they would have cared to admit). She should not have been there. I stood up and looked round for my house boy to order her to be removed. However, I couldnt see him. In fact I couldnt see any of my household servants. And I wasnt about to handle the woman to eject her myself. I caught the eye of my wife who had come to see if we men had everything we needed at the table and signalled to her to go and get some help. She looked horrified and scurried off.
Whilst I was trying to work out how we were going to get rid of the woman and get our evening back on track, the woman had pulled out a small jar from the pockets of her robes. It was a perfume jar which she proceeded to break open and then pour the contents all over Jesus's feet. The most wonderful smell washed over everyone as she put the perfume on her hands and then touched Jesus's hands and head and shoulders. He just sat there and let her do it!!! This was shocking. Surely if this Rabbi was a teacher worth his salt he would be able to instantly recognise the sort of street prostitute this woman was. Why he would let her touch him was beyond me. She probably had lice. She might very well have had leprosy or the pox or any number of horrible diseases. And besides that she was unclean. And we were at table. It was all unconscionable. My other guests were on their feet and backing towards the door.
Jesus didnt move. In fact he looked incredibly calm. He turned to me and said ' Simon , can I have a word?' ' I was deeply embarrassed and was about to start apologising when he cut in and said ' Imagine there are two men who each owe you money. One owes £500 and the other owes £50 but neither of them have the means to pay. If you forgive each of them their debt, who will be the most grateful? ' I had no idea what he was talking about and that woman was still grovelling around at his feet. But I answered the question ' The one who has the biggest debt cancelled will be more grateful I suppose'. ' Exactly!' said Jesus. He then gestured to the woman to get up from the floor and sit beside him.
' You see this woman? When I came into your lovely house this evening you didnt offer me any water for my feet but she has washed my feet with her tears. You didnt give me a kiss of welcome but she hasnt stopped kissing me since she got here. You omitted to anoint my head with a touch of oil as is the custom, but she has lavished anointing oil on me at great personal cost no doubt. She has demonstrated a huge amount of love and because of this I am telling her now ( and at this he looked her straight in the eye and took her hand) all her many sins are forgiven.' The woman stopped sobbing and snivelling and smiled at him, wiping her hands on her dress. ' People who dont ask for much forgiveness dont tend to express much love.' Again turning to the woman he said ' Thank you for the love you have shown me this evening. Go now, your sins are all forgiven' At this, she picked up the pieces of her broken bottle and scurried out of my house.
I was mortified that in front of my guests Jesus was pointing out my failings as a host. And comparing me to THAT woman! How dare he? But he didnt seem to be out to humiliate me - that was the odd thing. He seemed to be more concerned with her than he was with me or even with his own reputation. I felt like a small child who has been mildly rebuked by a loving parent. It made me feel completely at sea. I sat down and poured myself a cup of wine.
My guests were at as much of a loss as I was. Nobody knew what to do or say or think. I heard old Levi murmer to Elias ' Who does he think he is, forgiving people their sins? Surely only God can do that' Jesus meanwhile had sat back down and was finishing his food. His followers seemed to be entirely unphased by what had just happened. The rest of us looked at each other and everyone awkwardly took up their places again at the table. Before long the meal was back underway and the incident with the prostitute was not mentioned again. Eventually, in the wee small hours Jesus and his disciples left to go home and my wife and I went to bed. Neither of us mentioned what had happened
But the lingering scent of perfume remained in my house for days
.
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