Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20090426.htm
THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Luke: Jesus, The Son Of Man For All Mankind
Part XXVI: Christ's Identity As God's Savior By The Validation Of His Teachings In Life
(Luke 7:36-50)
- Introduction
- If Jesus Christ is God's true Savior of the world, we should expect His teachings to be validated in life.
- Luke 7:36-50 illustrates this to be so, and we view it for our edifying instruction and application:
- Christ's Identity As God's Savior By The Validation Of His Teachings In Life, Luke 7:36-50.
- In Luke 7:31-34, Jesus had critiqued the Pharisees and Scribes of false externalism for judging Himself and John for their varying styles of ministry! (Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament , p. 223)
- However, In Luke 7:35 KJV, Jesus had concluded that "wisdom is justified of all her children," that "The ones who were following Jesus and John were proof enough of the correctness of their teaching." (Ibid.)
- Evidence that what Jesus had thus taught was true is illustrated in the event in Luke 7:36-50 as follows:
- A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to dine with him, and Jesus accepted his invitation, Luke 7:36.
- When a sinful woman of the city learned Jesus was there, she arrived with an alabaster container of perfume, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Luke 7:37. Her arrival was not unusual: when a Rabbi was a guest in a home, others could come and hear the dinner conversation, Ibid., p. 223-224.
- However, what was unusual was the woman's actions toward the Lord: she stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears, wiping them with the hair of her head, kissing His feet and anointing them with the costly perfume from her alabaster container, Luke 7:38.
- The Pharisee concluded in his mind that Jesus could not be a true prophet, for, a true prophet would know by divine revelation that she was a sinner, and would not let her caress His feet, Luke 7:39!
- Yet, countering Simon's thinking and showing as God's TRUE Prophet that He knew Simon's thoughts, Jesus said, "Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee," and he replied, "Say on," Luke 7:40.
- Jesus then gave a parable about two debtors, one that owed a man 500 denarii and the other 50 denarii, Luke 7:41. One denarius was a working man's daily wage (Ibid., p. 224), so Jesus contrasted a debt of approximately 7 weeks worth of work with a debt of approximately 16 1/2 months of labor!
- Jesus explained the man forgave both debtors, so He asked Simon which debtor loved him more! Simon replied that the man he forgave the most, and Jesus said Simon had answered well, Lk. 7:42-43.
- Then, Jesus applied the parable, showing the woman who realized her indebtedness to Christ Who had forgiven her also loved Him more than Simon who had not viewed himself as needing His forgiveness, Luke 7:44-47. Simon had not washed Jesus' feet (7:44a), he had not customarily kissed Him (7:45a; Ibid.) nor had he anointed Jesus' head with oil as hosts would treat honored guests (7:46a; Ibid.), but this woman had done these to Jesus' feet in the extraordinary ways of using her tears, hair and costly perfume, Lk. 7:44b, 45b, 46b. Thus, she who had been forgiven much loved Jesus much more in contrast to Simon who was forgiven little and who thus hardly loved Jesus, Luke 7:47.
- Then, showing He was not only a Prophet, but God, Jesus publicly forgave the woman her sins, 7:48!
- This statement aroused the objection of the Pharisees who knew only God could forgive sins (Luke 7:49), but Jesus added, saying to the woman, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." (Luke 7:50)
- Thus, the great contrast between Simon's acts and this forgiven woman's deeds toward Jesus showed the error of Simon the Pharisee's externalistic belief system, and the heartfelt truthful discipleship of the woman in great validation of Jesus' Luke 7:35 claim that "The ones who were following Jesus and John were proof enough of the correctness of their teaching." (Ibid., p. 223)
Lesson: Jesus' claim that the actions of His disciples gave evidence that His ministry was true in contrast to the actions of the externalistic Pharisees was clearly verified in the event that contrasted the actions and thoughts of Simon the Pharisee with the forgiven sinful woman.
Application: (1) May we believe in Jesus as God's true Savior since His teachings were so abundantly supported in life. (2) May we also realize our own need to apply Christ's teachings to our hearts as did the sinful woman versus thinking and acting in futile religious externalism like Simon the Pharisee!