Luke tells the story of a woman who boldly anoints Jesus in the presence of the Pharisees in Luke 7: 36-50.
"One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 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.
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!”
Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
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. 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?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. 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. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
“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.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (NLT)
How can we re-read this story through a lens focused on how Jesus interacted with this woman, verses how the other character's in the story reacted? The story opens with labeling people, Jesus is going to a Pharisee's house, and a sinful woman arrives. Readers of Scripture recognize the title of "Pharisee," and certain connotations and assumptions enter the text as soon as that label is given. Most readers connect the sect with holding power, acting judgmentally, reading Scripture legalistically, and often opposing the actions of Jesus. Calling the woman "immoral" and "sinful" also takes our minds on a journey. What could that mean? Do you quickly assume it was sexual sin? Why do you think that is? It seems her whole town knew she was sinful. Can you imagine that? I wonder what gave her the courage to walk right into this Pharisee's house when she knew how people felt about her. I think she knew the reality of who Jesus was, and was determined to worship him.
She gives all of what she has to serve Jesus. She uses her expensive perfume, her own tears, and her hair to anoint the feet of her savior. She openly weeps, right there in front of all those people. I don't think she could hold it all in anymore. Have you ever been so overwhelmed in a public place that you completely broke down and sobbed? Have you been seen as someone whose emotions are sometimes "too much?" What would it take to get you to the place where you just did not care what others thought anymore? I like to think that this woman felt immediately seen and loved by Jesus, and that is what broke the walls down. She knew with all her soul that she was in a safe place to be her true self.
And of course, the person who perceived himself to hold the highest authority in the room decided to insult Jesus as a prophet and the woman as a sinner in just one accusation. I wonder if the woman froze in fear at this point? Or maybe her faithful sobs drowned him out. Either way, Jesus spoke up, bringing justice and righteousness into the conversation. He did not imediately rebuke Simon, but answered him with a question in the form of a story. Jesus is the most effective teacher ever. This way, Simon is not put on the defensive, but must engage his mind to evaluate the story and provide the answer that effectively put his own sinful nature on display. Never does Jesus shame the woman. He instead praises her bold acts of hospitality, in contrast to Simon's missed acts of the importanct cultural mandates.
Jesus pronounces the woman's sins are forgiven, igniting another theolgical debate among the Pharisees. Who IS this man who says he has the authority to forgive sins? Instead of addressing their concerns, he blesses the woman and sends her away with peace.
"One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 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.
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!”
Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
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. 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?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. 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. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
“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.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (NLT)
How can we re-read this story through a lens focused on how Jesus interacted with this woman, verses how the other character's in the story reacted? The story opens with labeling people, Jesus is going to a Pharisee's house, and a sinful woman arrives. Readers of Scripture recognize the title of "Pharisee," and certain connotations and assumptions enter the text as soon as that label is given. Most readers connect the sect with holding power, acting judgmentally, reading Scripture legalistically, and often opposing the actions of Jesus. Calling the woman "immoral" and "sinful" also takes our minds on a journey. What could that mean? Do you quickly assume it was sexual sin? Why do you think that is? It seems her whole town knew she was sinful. Can you imagine that? I wonder what gave her the courage to walk right into this Pharisee's house when she knew how people felt about her. I think she knew the reality of who Jesus was, and was determined to worship him.
She gives all of what she has to serve Jesus. She uses her expensive perfume, her own tears, and her hair to anoint the feet of her savior. She openly weeps, right there in front of all those people. I don't think she could hold it all in anymore. Have you ever been so overwhelmed in a public place that you completely broke down and sobbed? Have you been seen as someone whose emotions are sometimes "too much?" What would it take to get you to the place where you just did not care what others thought anymore? I like to think that this woman felt immediately seen and loved by Jesus, and that is what broke the walls down. She knew with all her soul that she was in a safe place to be her true self.
And of course, the person who perceived himself to hold the highest authority in the room decided to insult Jesus as a prophet and the woman as a sinner in just one accusation. I wonder if the woman froze in fear at this point? Or maybe her faithful sobs drowned him out. Either way, Jesus spoke up, bringing justice and righteousness into the conversation. He did not imediately rebuke Simon, but answered him with a question in the form of a story. Jesus is the most effective teacher ever. This way, Simon is not put on the defensive, but must engage his mind to evaluate the story and provide the answer that effectively put his own sinful nature on display. Never does Jesus shame the woman. He instead praises her bold acts of hospitality, in contrast to Simon's missed acts of the importanct cultural mandates.
Jesus pronounces the woman's sins are forgiven, igniting another theolgical debate among the Pharisees. Who IS this man who says he has the authority to forgive sins? Instead of addressing their concerns, he blesses the woman and sends her away with peace.
Title of Art: Christ at the House of Simon the Pharisee
Subjects: Woman anointing Jesus in Luke 7
Subject Century: 1st
Ritual Pose/Object: bowed down, alabaster jar, perfume
Artist: Dirk Bouts
Art Form: Painting
Date of Composition: c. 1465
Event: Jesus Anointed
Exhibit Institution: Gemaldegalerie
Exhibit Location: Berlin, Germany
VM Image #: 218
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