Luke 7:36-50

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Summary

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Discussion

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• Luke 7:36-50: Structure. The passage is structured chiastically:

a. Introduction (the Pharisee, Jesus, the woman)

b. The Outpouring of the Woman’s Love (in action)

c. Dialogue (Simon judges wrongly)

d. Parable

c’. Dialogue (Simon judges rightly)

b’. The Outpouring of the Woman’s Love (in retrospect)

a’. Conclusion (the Pharisees, Jesus, the woman)

Each of the above components represents a separate scene. There are seven scenes.

• Luke 7:36-37. First scene: Introduction (the Pharisee, Jesus, the woman).

Alternate translation, by Bailey:

"One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him,

And he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined.

And behold, there was a woman who was a sinner in the city."

All three major characters are introduced. For other instances of this in Luke, see 15:1-2 and 15:11. Notice that Jesus is invited, while the woman is uninvited. Also note: "They featured in particular the study of the Torah, and sometimes continued late into the night when they warmed to their discussions, or when there was a lecture from their teacher or a visiting sage" (Safrai, in Bailey, Through Peasant Eyes, p. 3). There are a few historical/cultural aspects that would be helpful for interpretation: an understanding of purity laws, information about who else was present perhaps, and details about the setup of the room.

• Luke 7:37-38: Second scene: Outpouring of the woman’s love (in action). When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house (having learned that he was [going] to eat: she is there from the beginning)

  a Brought an alabaster box of ointment
  b And stood at his feet behind him
  c Weeping and began to wash his feet with tears
  c' And did wipe them with the hairs of her head
  b' And kissed his feet
  a' And anointed them with ointment

The woman has come prepared, which might imply that the act is premeditated, though it is possible that it is not (which might emphasize the pouring out of grace). At any rate, some kind of gift is implied in the offering, though some interpretation must be offered to make sense of it.

What must not be missed in this scene is the hint of less-than-conventional stories in the Bible (Ruth, etc.), where "feet" probably function as a euphemism.

• Luke 7:39-40: Third scene: Dialogue (Simon judges wrongly). The order is repeated from the introduction: the Pharisee, Jesus (prophet), woman.

What is ultimately in question here is the difference between the perception/knowledge of Jesus and Simon.

The woman is right now, in the present moment, a sinner. What was expected of Jesus under the law? But: Jesus IS the law.

Unanswered questions

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Prompts for life application

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Prompts for further study

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• Luke 7:47. The Lord says here "to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." This might seem to suggest that to truly love the Savior we must commit and then repent of egregious sins. Surely we should seek to truly love the Savoir but shouldn't seek to commit sin. What then are we to make of this?

Resources

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• See Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes: A Literary-Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke, by Kenneth E. Bailey (Combined Edition), William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, reprinted 1994.

Notes

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