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In this lesson:
A Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner. This is one of the three times Jesus dined with a Pharisee. The other two can be found in Luke 11:37-54 and 14:1-6. Study Tip: Reading Bible passages a second time is an excellent way to learn. It helps you catch important points you might have missed with the first read. |
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The sinful woman washes Jesus' feet
By an unknown artist
By an unknown artist
The Gospel According to St. Luke
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Luke 7:36-50
The sinful woman and forgiveness 36 And 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. 37 And, 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, 38 And 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. 39 Now 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. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And 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. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore 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. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. |
Margin notes:
"One of the Pharisees." (7:36) - The Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner was Simon (7:40; 43-44) "Sat down to meat." (7:36) - "Sat down to eat." "Alabaster box." (7:37) - Actually, they were jars. "Stood at his feet behind him weeping." (7:38) - In Jesus' day, people ate while reclining on pillows on the floor. They rested on one elbow with their legs extended out behind them and the food spread before them on low tables inches off the floor. "When the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it." (7:39) - "When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw it." "He spake within himself." (7:39) - "He said (thought) to himself." In verse 7:40, we'll see that Jesus can read minds. "What manner of woman this is that toucheth him." (7:39) - The Pharisees' held sinners in contempt. "I have somewhat to say unto thee." (7:40) - "I have something to say to you." "Thou gavest me no water for my feet." (7:44) - Helping a houseguest wash the dust from their feet was an old custom going back to Genesis 18:4. For the Pharisee not to do this for Jesus was an enormous oversight. "For she loved much." (7:47) - "For she showed her love." "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" (7:49) - Since only God can forgive sins, the Pharisees' considered this blasphemy (Luke 5:20-21). |
New Living Translation
Luke 7:36-50
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.
37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.
38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"
40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you."
"Go ahead, Teacher," Simon replied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people-500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other.
42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?"
43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt."
"That's right," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
47 "I tell you, her sins-and they are many-have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 The men at the table said among themselves, "Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?"
50 And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.
37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.
38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"
40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you."
"Go ahead, Teacher," Simon replied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people-500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other.
42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?"
43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt."
"That's right," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
47 "I tell you, her sins-and they are many-have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 The men at the table said among themselves, "Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?"
50 And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"And 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." (7:38)
"And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. " (7:50)
"And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. " (7:50)
Today's Question:
1. What does the parable of the two debtors mean? (7:41-50)
"To live for Christ, we must learn to die to self."
(By an unknown author)
Answer: (Do you agree?)
1. In the parable of the two debtors, the creditor represents God. The debtor owing 50 pence symbolizes Simon the Pharisee. The person owing 500 pence represents the sinful woman. Neither the Pharisee nor the sinful woman could repay their debt to the creditor (God). So, the lender kindly forgave both debts. Because her debt was larger, the woman appreciated being forgiven more than Simon the Pharisee, therefore, she had more faith and loved God more.
We are all indebted to God with no way to repay Him. How much we love God is in direct proportion to how much He had loved and forgiven us (7:47). The arrogant Pharisee believed he had done little to warrant God's forgiveness. How much do we love God if we think we don't owe Him much?
Application tip for the day:
Re-read verse 7:50 to see what saved the sinful woman.
1. What does the parable of the two debtors mean? (7:41-50)
"To live for Christ, we must learn to die to self."
(By an unknown author)
Answer: (Do you agree?)
1. In the parable of the two debtors, the creditor represents God. The debtor owing 50 pence symbolizes Simon the Pharisee. The person owing 500 pence represents the sinful woman. Neither the Pharisee nor the sinful woman could repay their debt to the creditor (God). So, the lender kindly forgave both debts. Because her debt was larger, the woman appreciated being forgiven more than Simon the Pharisee, therefore, she had more faith and loved God more.
We are all indebted to God with no way to repay Him. How much we love God is in direct proportion to how much He had loved and forgiven us (7:47). The arrogant Pharisee believed he had done little to warrant God's forgiveness. How much do we love God if we think we don't owe Him much?
Application tip for the day:
Re-read verse 7:50 to see what saved the sinful woman.
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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© 2026 evolke