[ Which teas a sinner. 1 It is a common remark, that the Greek words so translated, mean "which used to be, in time i)aat, a sinner." I confess it appears to me doubtful, wliether the Greek word for " was," will bear so strong a meaning. How lately this woman had been living in sin, we do not know, but it is highly probable, almost up to the very day when the events here related took place. In short, she "was" even then, by common report, a sinner. But it is evident that she had already rei)ented of her sin, and was ah'eady ashamed of it, and this in consetpience of our Lord Jesus Christ's teaching and preaching. — If this was not so there would be no meaning in the fact that " when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house," she brought her box of ointment, and anointed Him. In short, however recent her conversion, she came to the Phaiisee's house a peni- tent and a believer.
[Sat at meat.] The Greek word here, differe from the one in the preceding verse. It means literally, "is lying down at meat."
88. — [Stood at his feet behind him.] To undorstand this we must remember that in the country where our Lord Jesus ministered, people did not sit down at meals, as we do in modern times, but reclined, or lay at full length on couches, with their feet stretched out behind them. It would thus be easy for this woman to do what she did to our Lord's feet.
In addition to this, we must remember that housss in the hot climate, where our Lord was, were very different from houses among ourselves. It was common to have large open- ings down to the floor, and almost to live, as it were, under a yeranda, for the sake of coolness. This necessarily entailed great publicity in the entertainment given, and accounts for the ease with which this woman seems to have found her way into the place where our Lord was.
[Anointed them.] Ointments and oils were used in eastern countries, to an extent we can hardly understand. The ex- cessive heat of the climate made it almost necessary, to preserve the skin from cracking. See Fsalm civ. 16.
89. — [This man.] There is probably something contemptuous and scornful in this expression. It is much the same as " this fellow/' like Acts xviii. 18.
[Would have known.] Burgon remarks, '*The discernment of spirits was accounted the mark of a true prophet ; and such knowledge was recognized as the very note of Messiah, as the confession of Nathanael, and the woman of Samaria show." Messiah was to be " of quick understanding." See Isai. xi. 8, 4. John i. 49, and iv. 29.
.40. — [Jesus answering said.] This expression shows the divine
242 BXPosrtoBT thoughts.
knowledge of hearts and thougbts which our Lord possessed. He taught Simon that He not only knew who the woman behind Him was, but that He also knew what was going on in Simon's mind. He was " a prophet," and in the highest sense.
43. — [He frankly forgave them hoih.'\ Let us observe that the debt was not forgiven because the debtors loved their creditor, but out of free grace, mercy and compassion. And the love of the debtors was the consequence of their debts being forgiven. A right un- derstanding of this, is the clue to the whole passage.
47. — [Ber 8ins,...are forgiven ; for she loved much.] To explain these words as meaning that the woman's sins were foi^given, because she loved much, is to contradict flatly the whole lesson of the six preceding verses. " For" must be taken as " wherefore," and, according to Pearce and Hammond, may fairly be so taken. Our Lord's meaning must manifestly be : " Her love is a proof of her forgiveness. She is a person whose many sins are forgiven.
The proof of it is, that she shows much love, and the lesson of my parable, according to thme own confession, is this, that much forgiveness produces much love." — ^Even Stella, the Spanish Commentator, Roman Catholic as he is, allows that this is the true sense of the passage.
Lightfoot remarks, that our Lord does not say, " She hath washed my feet and anointed them, and therefore her sins are forgiven," but, " therefore / say unto thee," or " for this cause / deSare unto thee that her sins are forgiven." Her sins were forgiven before, but now, after this love that she has shown, I publicly declare unto thee her forgiveness.
48. — [Thy sins are forgiven.] We are not, of course, to suppose that these words mean that the woman's sins were now forgiven for the first time. Such an interpretation would overthrow again all the doctrine of the story of the two debtors. The woman was really forgiven before she came to Christ But she now received a public and authoritative declaration of it before many witnesses, as a reward for her open expression of love and grati- tude. Before, she had hope through grace. Now, she received the assurance of hope.
49. — [Who is this thatforgiveth sins f] Let it be noted once more, that this expression is the language that would naturally be used br persons who were strangers to our Lord, and heard and saw Him for the first time. It is exceedingly unlikely that such an expression would have been used at Bethany, a few days before His crucifixion, in the company of Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus.
50. — [Thy faith hath saved thee."] Let it be observed, that it is not said, " thy love hath saved thee." Here, as in every other part of the New Testament, faith is put forward as the key to sadva-