Luke 7 records many wondrous acts of Christ. He heals a Centurion’s servant, raises a widow’s son from the dead and reaffirms John the Baptist. However, I want to focus on the noble act of the sinful woman recorded in verses 36-50.

What? That seems contradictory. A sinful woman doing a noble act before Jesus? Yup. This woman got it. She understood the depth of Christ’s love and the call of a Christian.

Here’s the passage (ESV):

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and 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. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

His feet

The first thing that should be noted is that she’s at Jesus’ feet. She didn’t anoint His head. She showed her humility and anointed His feet.

Do we know our place is at His feet? Are we living and encountering Him in humility or are we too haughty for Jesus?

Her tears

She wept. She was most likely a backslidden Christian. Here, she had something revived inside of her that gave her hope and softened her hardened heart. She was broken over her sin, but she knew she was forgiven and so loved.

Do we know, as she knew, His love, grace and forgiveness? Does it move us emotionally? Does it call us to action?

Her hair

She washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. This was culturally very unacceptable. A woman’s hair was to be reserved for her husband alone. This unnamed woman had probably had many sexual relations outside of marriage. She was probably a renowned prostitute. However, she didn’t allow the shame to keep her from fully laying herself out before Christ. She provocatively let down her hair in front of men, this time to dry the Messiah’s feet to show her gratitude and adoration for Him. She defied her culture and she was vulnerable before Jesus.

Did she wonder what His reaction would be? Did she consider the sneers that would probably arise from the Pharisees as she exposed herself to her Creator? Did she care about the comments and judgments being passed?

I personally think she was so enthralled by Christ that she didn’t give any attention or care to the Pharisees’ remarks. She was so captivated by Christ that nothing could sway her from lying vulnerably at His feet.

Do we lay all that we are before Jesus? Are we held back by the cultural norms of this time, or do we, like her, defy all for Christ? Do we trust Him with our vulnerability? Do we know that His reaction to our sincerity will always be sweet?

The flask

She brought her valued alabaster flask. She had every intention of breaking open that costly flask, to pour out every ounce of it on the One she loved and was ever grateful to. She disregarded the price of a year’s salary. She disregarded the Pharisees who would think she was dumb. She disregarded the major events that would happen in the future that this oil would usually be used on. This would’ve been used at her wedding or a burial of a beloved family member. She counted all of that as loss compared to Christ.

To reiterate the importance and symbolism of this act: the flask was incredibly costly, it was a woman’s valued possession, it could only be opened by breaking it, everything was poured out and used at once and it contained a strong aroma that would fill the entire house.

Do we count all as loss at the excellency of knowing Christ? Do we pour out every ounce of who we are before His feet to be used of His pleasure? Do we humbly come before Him, broken? Do we know He is all we need? Do we know He is always sweet and gentle towards our vulnerability? Does the world smell the strong aroma of Christ as we walk through it?

His response

After proving to Simon that He was a prophet by answering his silent thoughts, Jesus looked at the woman who had been forgiven much. He saw her great love and beautifully responded to her act of vulnerability, “You are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Forgiveness. A word she had probably long-hoped for. Salvation. A word she had probably long-forgotten. Peace. A word she had probably long-since experienced.

Application

Jesus turned this sinful woman’s life around. He is the same today. Maybe you have forgotten your First Love. Maybe you don’t want anything to do with this “Jesus-thing” anymore. Maybe you are seeking to truly walk well with Him. Maybe you think you’re doing pretty well. In whatever state we find our souls, let us follow the example of the sinful woman and powerfully and purposefully encounter our sweet Savior today.