39. The Meal with Simon the Pharisee

        ³⁶One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table. ³⁷A woman of the city who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
        ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
        ⁴⁰And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
        And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?”
        ⁴¹“A certain creditor had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii^a and the other fifty. ⁴²When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?”
        ⁴³Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven the most.”
        And he said to him, "You have judged rightly.”
        ⁴⁴Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, yet you gave me no water for my feet. She has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, and this has led her to love much; but he who is forgiven little, sometimes loves little.” ⁴⁸And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
        ⁴⁹Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
        ⁵⁰And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you;^b go in peace.”
        (Lk. 7:36–50)

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a   “denarii”—A denarius was equal to a day's wage for a laborer.

b   “Your faith has saved you”—It is the woman's faith that saved her from her sins and opened the way to eternal salvation. In Jesus' gospel faith is the price we pay for entrance into the Father's eternal kingdom.

Lk. 7:36  asked Jesus to / asked him to (RSV)
Lk. 7:37  A / And behold, a (RSV)
Lk. 7:43  suppose, who was forgiven the most. / suppose, to whom he forgave more. (RSV)
Lk. 7:44  feet. She / feet, but she (RSV)
Lk. 7:47  forgiven, and this has led her to love much; / forgiven, for she loved much; (RSV) • little, sometimes loves / little, loves (RSV)   (147:5/1651–2)

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