The more we endeavor to explore the world Jesus lived in, the more we discover that there was almost always a lot more going on around Him than might appear on the surface. A prime example of that is the story in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 7:36-50) that we began to consider together last week. We learned, for instance, that what looked like a simple, ordinary invitation to dinner turned out to be neither simple nor ordinary. Actually it turned out to be something like what we call in our culture, “dinner theater”.  The event Jesus attended was “dinner theater” alright, but those at the dinner weren’t there just to watch a show; they were the show, and the production that played out in their presence turned out to be a love story, unlike any they’d ever witnessed before. 

Watching the Tension Build ~
When we paused our visit last week, the table was ready, the observers were in place, and the stage was set for the guests to arrive. Today we’re going to watch the tension build as the drama unfolds. But first, let’s take another look at our text.

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. (Luke 7:36–38 NKJV)

As we pointed out last week, the brevity of Luke’s account of the event, coupled with our tendency to view it through the lens of our current culture, can result in us missing a lot. The more we can see the events God preserved for us in their broader textual and cultural context, the more we’re able to absorb the things He wants us to know about Him. Applying that context in this story helps to see the story as it actually unfolded and to feel the emotional intensity that accompanied it. It also helps us to grasp some of the lessons God intended to convey. 

Not a Spontaneous Event ~
In addition to the unreported things that went on behind the scenes, it’s important to consider the sequence of events, the timing, and the underlying motivations for the actions and reactions that transpired. For instance, this dinner wasn’t just the result of a spontaneous, impulsive urge on the part of a Pharisee named Simon to host a shindig showcasing the most popular Rabbi in the region. Though Jesus appeared to be an honored guest, He was really a target. The dinner was a strategic maneuver designed to publicly embarrass Him and to diminish His influence.

At this point, Jesus had delivered His “Sermon on the Mount” and had traveled throughout Galilee’s towns and villages preaching the Good News of a Kingdom where the poor, the outcast, and the “unclean” were welcomed. He displayed divine power and authority as He proclaimed that sinners could be forgiven and that prisoners could be set free. He declared that peace, joy, and love could replace violence, fear, and hopelessness. Thousands came to hear Him and multitudes believed. The more popular He became, the more threatened Pharisees like Simon felt.  

The religious hierarchy had become obsessed with silencing Him. They wanted to discredit His miracles, dilute His message, deny His authority, and scatter His followers. One of the most effective ways to do that in this highly “honor/shame culture” was to publicly humiliate Him. Simon’s treatment of Jesus at the dinner made it clear that his objective was to do exactly that.

A Prior Encounter ~
The parable that Jesus delivered to Simon after the woman’s courageous expression of love made it clear that love is a result of forgiveness, not an effort to obtain it. We can easily imagine that on some prior occasion, this publicly shamed, socially rejected woman had already heard about Jesus and found her way into a crowd gathered to hear Him. We can relate to how her soul might have been stirred by His words and how hope she never expected to find began to form. Jesus was so different. He didn’t ignore or approve of her sins, but neither did He didn’t add more shame and condemnation like other religious leaders. Instead, He forgave them. He saw who she was, what she had been, how she had failed and He loved her anyway. She believed Him and something changed in her forever.  

The love He displayed to this unnamed woman planted itself in her heart and gave birth to freedom she’d never imagined, peace she couldn’t describe, joy she couldn’t express, and courage no fear could suppress. Somehow, somewhere, in some fashion, she had to let Him know what He’d done for her and what He meant to her. Then someone told her that Simon, the Pharisee was hosting a dinner, and Jesus was going to be the honored guest – and a plan began to form. 

Standard Procedures Were Expected ~
It was common knowledge throughout the Jewish culture that there were accepted procedures expected at a dinner like Simon’s. When invited special guests arrived, the host would 

• • greet them with a traditional kiss on the cheek,  
  • warmly welcome them into his home, and guide them to a table where water and oil would be waiting; 
  • someone would wash their hands and feet with the water, and then 
  • apply the soothing oil, possibly pouring a little on their heads as well. 

Then, and only then, were the guests considered “clean” and fit to participate. Guests would be positioned around the ‘U’ shaped table according to age and/or social status and would recline on their left side at a 45 degree angle to the table and serve themselves with their right hand.

This procedure was designed as a graphic demonstration of the honor and esteem the host was extending to guests, and it offered the woman in our story the perfect opportunity to defy culture and present her sacrificial gift to honor Jesus as well. As the washing ritual concluded, and before Jesus moved to the reclining table, she would have stepped out of the crowd, poured the perfumed oil on His head, dropped to her knees, and thanked Him for what He had done for her. But Simon had stolen that opportunity from her.

Shocking Omissions ~
When Jesus arrived, there was no greeting kiss, no warm welcome, no water for His hands and feet, and no anointing oil. It was a visible declaration that He was not considered worthy even of the most menial courtesies and that the host was neither grateful nor honored by His presence. Omitting it was a shocking and embarrassing display intended to be a public insult. While Jesus appeared to have taken it in stride, one among the onlookers felt the pain intended for Him and her love for Him could not, and would not let it go. 

She had brought an expensive bottle of perfumed oil and intended to approach Him after the washing ritual to anoint the One who had loved her when no one else could. She wanted to honor Him, worship Him, and love Him back in a way that everyone could see. Her heart broke for the disrespect that had been shown to Him, and unrestrainable tears began to flow down her cheeks. 

Because Jesus was reclining at the table at this point, there was no way to get to His head, but His feet were extended and exposed. Simon had given Him no water for His feet, but this woman’s eyes were pouring out more than enough. Simon didn’t offer common olive oil, but the sweet fragrance from the perfumed oil she brought would rise up to counter the foul stench of Simon’s slanderous behavior.  

Another Countercultural Shockwave ~
With no regard for the personal risk this hypocritical Pharisee posed to her, she bowed herself at Jesus’ feet and began to kiss them. She washed them with her tears and caressed them with the soothing, fragrant oil. Then she added one more shocking, countercultural capstone. She unbound her hair in plain view of everyone there and began to dry His feet.

In that culture, a woman was not to expose her hair in public, and if a married woman did so, it was actually grounds for divorce. A woman’s hair was not to be unbound and exposed to a man until her wedding night.That act was a way of declaring to her husband that she was absolutely, completely, and unchangeably his. It was a profoundly meaningful declaration of surrendering her heart to him alone. This woman didn’t fight back against hypocrisy by attacking the hypocrites. She fought back with a courageous exhibition of love like most of us have never seen. 

Her silent message has thundered around the world for more than 2,000 years, but what does it say to us? Do our tears flow like hers when this ungodly and hypocritical culture mocks and humiliates the One who loved us like nobody else could? Are we willing to step up and absorb the shame meant for Him, or does our fear of the “cancel culture” keep us hiding in the crowd? 

Our love story isn’t over yet, so please join us next week for our concluding session in this series …

“TWEETABLES” ~ Click to Tweet & Share from the pull quotes below. Each quote links directly to this article through Twitter.

• • • “The parable that Jesus delivered to Simon, the Pharisee after the woman’s courageous expression of love made it clear that love is a result of forgiveness, not an effort to obtain it.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
    • “Jesus didn’t ignore or approve of the woman’s sins, but He didn’t add more shame & condemnation like other religious leaders. Instead, He forgave them. He saw who she was, what she had been, how she had failed – and He loved her anyway.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)  
    • “The love Jesus displayed to this unnamed woman planted itself in her heart and gave birth to freedom she’d never imagined, peace she couldn’t describe, joy she couldn’t express, and courage no fear could suppress.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)   
      
    • “There was no greeting kiss, warm welcome, water for His hands and feet, no anointing oil – a visible declaration that Jesus wasn’t considered worthy of even the most menial courtesies. The host was neither grateful nor honored by His presence.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)

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