The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 181

frng-ront ointment on the fc-et whore her character of the J ewe In this reepeot h11a t,,ars had fnllen. It was the perfume of the never ch,mged from the days of their nom11d ointment which called the host's attention life-from the times of their slavery under to this BOOne of eorrow and heartfelt peni- the Pharaohs to our own day. In this par- tence. ticule.r insto.uce the two debtors wore of the Ver. 39.-Now when the Pharisee whioh common folk, the sums in question being had bidden him aaw it, he spake within him- comp,uatively small; but in both case■ ■elf, saying, Tim Man, if he were a Prophet, the debtors could never hope to pny their would have known who and what manner creditors. They were alike hopelessly iu- of woman this is that touoheth him. It is solvent, both helplessly bankrupt. The <'-lel\r that it wes no mere curiosity whioh larger sum, considering the relative vo.lue prompted his asking the Mester to be his of money, has been computed only to have 1;11est. Respect e,nd love for the Galilman represented about £50 of our currency. '1',.acber e,Jtemated with dread of what the Aud the two received from their creditor Phnrisce order to which he belonged would a free, generous e,cq uittance of the debt think of his conduct. As we have s11.id, he which would have hopelessly ruined them. compromised the matter with bis bee,rt, by In the mind of Jesus the larger debt i11,·iting Jesus publicly, but then only re- pictured the terrible cat11logue of sine which reiYing him with the ooldest formality. the penitent woman acknowledged she had He seems half-glad of this incident, for it oommitted; the smaller, the few transgres- sepmed in some measure t,o exruse his sions which even the Phe,risee confessed to bau;:hty unfriendly reception of One from having been guilty of. They were both whom he bed undoubtedly received rich sinners before God, both equally insolvent spiritual benefit, as we shell see further on. in his eyes; whether the debt was mucil or " He,rdly e, great Prophet, then, e,fter all, else little was to the almighty Creditor e. he would beve known all abuut her," This matter of comparative indifference-he was whe.t at once occurred to Simon. For frankly forgave them both (better, "freely,'' she is a Binner. Yes, in Simon's mind, and the Greek word ixa.plrra.To signifies "forgave in the world's estimation, but before the of his generous bounty"). The Revisers throne of God she was diffcre11tly viewed. simply translate "he forgave,'' but spwe- She bad hea.rd the Master's loving call to thi11g more is needed to reproduce the repentance, and a new life and a cbe,nge he.d beautiful word in the origine,l. "l!'ro.nkly,'' in taken place in her whole being since she the sense of "freely,'' is UllCd by Shake- had listened to his voioe. epeare- Ver. 40.-And Jesus answering Hid unto " I do beseech your grace ..• hiI:l., Simon, I have somewhat to say unto , •• now to forgive me frankly." thee. And he Kith, Master, say on. How (' Henry VIII.,' act ii. so. 1.) accuraielv did the Master read Simon's heart. N"ot a real Prophet bece,use he Wll.B in Ver. 43. -Thou hast rightly judged. ignorance of the che.racter e,nd life of the "Come, now, I will show thee what I meant woman whom he suffered without rebuke to by my little story, in thine answer. Thou ponr the £re.grant ointment over him I We be,st judged. j;hyself. Thou art the me,n almost - the h..J.f-sad smile flickering on with the little debt of sin, e.s thou thinkest, tue Teacher's lips e,s he turned and spoke and the little love given in return for the to his host. Such a pe,rable-srory as Jesus cancelled debt; for see how thou hast treated was about to gi-.e utterance to we.s no un- me thy Guest, e,nd how she has m11de np for common form of te8,('hing on sncb an occa.- thy lack of friendship and oourtesy." The sion when e. well-known Re.bbi like Jesus following coutro.sts are adduced by the ·was Guest at a festal gathering. Master: " Thou didst not provide me with Vera. 41, 42.-There was a oerte,in that which is so usual to offer guests-I oreditor which had two debtors: the one entered into thine house, thou gavest me no owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. water for my feet" (in those hot dusty And when they had nothing to pe,y, he countries, after walking, water to wash the frankly forgave them both. The illuslratiou feet was scarcely a luxury, it was rather a was from the everyday life of the people. necessity); "in thy house the only wnter This lending e.nd borrowing was ~ver a pro- which has touched my feet was the wo.rm minent feature in the common life of the rain of this se,d woman's teors." Jews. Pointed warnings a.go.inst greed and Ver. 45.-Thou go.vest me no kiss: but covet.ousness and the he.bit of usury, and the this woman einoe the time I oa.me in ho.th Jove of per~tual traffkking, we find in all not ceased to kiss my feet. "Thou go.veBt me the Old Testament books, uotably in De11te- no kiss of respect on entering, to which 11& a ronomy, and tbeu ceutllries later i_n the Pro- Habbi I wu.~ surnly entitled; she hath re• verbs, besides repeated instances lil the pro- peate<lly ki,;sed my feet." phetic writings 11,ud lwtorice.l boob. The Vt:r. 4.6.-My b~a.d with oil thou didst not 011. vn. 1-00.) THE GO8PEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 17'J