Parable of the Two Debtors
by Pastor Jim Lincoln on September 30, 2007
Context
The hostility of the Pharisees against Jesus had reached a fever pitch. In Luke 7:29, Jesus said that the Pharisees, by rejecting Him, had rejected God's purposes for them. The Pharisees were so enraged that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and declared his sins forgiven that they began to discuss, "how they might destroy Him." In Luke 6:7, we're told that the Pharisees were looking for ways to trap or accuse him [in some violation of the law code]. In the story of the woman caught in adultery (Jn.8), how did the Pharisees accidentally catch someone in adultery? Peeping Pharisees? They were looking for ways to accuse and discredit Jesus.
So, when Jesus gets invited to a dinner at the home of a Pharisee, he's entering an environment of people who want to discredit and accuse Him. Soon, their official theological position about Jesus will be that he gets His power from the devil. It was the only way they could account for His miracles outside of believing He was from God.
Pharisees were the upper middle-class of the day, successful, and the most educated in the culture. They were religiously and politically conservative and very much respected. A dinner party at a Pharisee's house would have been a prominent social event.
And in the middle of this gala affair, stands this woman who is at the opposite end of the social spectrum. Jesus lets us know that she loved Him with a great love. This morning I want to talk about how to love Jesus. Here's my question, "How did she love Jesus? How can we love Jesus more?" Jesus puts the expression of her love in stark contrast with Simon the Pharisee's lack of it. So, it should tell us much about what it means to love Jesus. How can we love Jesus more? At the heart of this is this one lesson: It's forgiven and accepted sinners who love and worship Jesus.
The Three Characters
Let's look at the three characters in the story: The Woman, The Pharisee and Jesus. Who are they and what do they do at this dinner party? Who we are and what we should do with Jesus.
The Woman
OK, let's begin with the woman in this story. (v.36)
"Behold there was a woman, of the city, who was a sinner; and when she learned that Jesus was reclining at the table (hanging out) in Simon the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and [stood behind Jesus]..."
Lk.7: 36-38a
Who was this woman? Scholars tell me that the phrase a woman of the city with the designation -a sinner- was a euphemism for prostitution. So, I'll yield to academy on this. In the movies, prostitution is often portrayed as a healthy and balanced career choice. Nothing could be further from the truth. Prostitutes are often broken people, cut off from the love of family, and financially desperate. They're often poorly educated with drug addictions, psychologically and physically shattered. This woman is most likely both a victim and an offender. To separate sex from love is a desperate way to make a living. In Jesus' day, she would have been completely cut off from the people of God, considered defiled, unclean beyond the pale of God's favor and blessing.
Here was the question the Pharisees were asking,"How could Jesus, a prophet, be touching a thing like this?"
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this he said to Himself, "If this man were a prophet he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is...a sinner."
In their minds, you could not sink any lower than this woman. In their minds, God would have nothing to do with her. God is holy. Simon can't believe Jesus is letting her do this. That's who she is. She is a notable sinner. What does she do? (37-38)
Luke says that she learned that Jesus was going to be reclining at Simon's house. Learning of this, she concluded that it would be the perfect opportunity to anoint him with an alabaster jar of perfume. In that culture dinner was served on a mat on the floor. Luke's note about reclining refers to the way dinner guests ate their meals. Jesus would have been lying down on the floor propped up on his left arm and eating the food with his right hand. His feet would have been stretched out away from the mat. If there was a perfect time to anoint someone's feet, this would be a good opportunity to do it. For now, notice that love and worship are already present in her heart. She's just looking for the best opportunity to express it.
Picture that scene. The house is crowded with upper middle class people, wearing the best clothes. This is a highly educated bunch of lawyers, doctors and the most respected people in the community.
Somehow, this woman musters up the courage to go inside. The social and moral barriers don't hold her back. She's so intent on worshipping Jesus that she doesn't care what these people think or say. Where did she learn about Jesus? What previous encounter did she have with Him that created this adoration? Did she see Jesus heal a blind man? Did she see Him touch and heal the leper? Was she there when Jesus healed the paralytic and heard Him declare the man's sins were forgiven? What encounter with Jesus did she have that made her know that He would accept her, receive her worship, and love her? We can only imagine.
But whatever it was, her heart had already been opened to His love, acceptance and forgiveness. All she cares about is that she gets in there and expresses her love and worship for Him. Nothing else seems to matter. She will risk embarrassment and public humiliation...all of this and more, just to let Jesus and others know who He is and who He is to her.
So, she's carries her jar of perfume to anoint Jesus. However, when she finds him she begins to weep uncontrollably. Her tears rain down on Jesus' feet. These are tears of joy, worship, awe, and adoration. She's absolutely overcome and weeps like a fire hydrant. Bunyan writes of Christian when the burden of his sins fell off his back,
"So, I saw in my dream that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders and fell from of his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do, till it came to the mouth of the grave where it fell in and I saw it no more. Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said, with a merry heart, "He hath given me rest by his sorrow and life by his death." Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder for it was very surprising to him, that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks." And the angel said to him peace be to you. Your sins are forgiven.
The springs in her head sent waters down her cheeks and she let her hair down to wipe His feet. This would have been shocking in that culture. It would be like a woman of our times taking off her blouse at the church potluck. She wipes His feet, anoints him with oil and kisses His feet with no let up.
Notice that there's no demographic match. There is no one there to whom she can relate. She reveals something about Godly worship. She's not there to have others meet her fundamental needs. Like Lazarus, Jesus is her help. And she comes to worship Him. That's the woman: she's a sinner who loves Jesus by worshipping Him.
What about the Pharisee?
Well, he's a respectable and learned member of the community. He knows more about the Bible than most everyone; probably an elder in the synagogue, good father, family man, who has mastered the art of climbing the social ladder. He's incredibly skilled at keeping his reputation unblemished. He doesn't break the law of the Pharisaic tradition and from all outward appearances he keeps the law of God flawlessly. That's what Paul said about himself, "as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless." That was a matter of his public reputation.
He's generous and tolerant. He invited Jesus into his home even though Jesus has offended him and his friends. Perhaps he was hoping for a theological discussion about the meaning of the universe. Maybe he wanted Jesus to see his new home, his William Sonoma kitchen or Ethan Allen furniture. Who knows? He's a man who has made it, worked hard and enjoyed the rewards of that hard work. He has respect, unlike this woman who has made a ton of bad choices.
After all, isn't misconduct simply and merely a matter of choice? He thinks a person's will is an uninfluenced faculty of the soul. Let me ask you this: Do you think that the sexual choices of a teenage girl who has had every bone in her emotional body broken by the repeated sexual abuse of her father are the same simple sexual choice as the one who has been protected, loved, and cherished by her caring father? Beloved, the will isn't an uninfluenced faculty of the soul. It's affected by countless influences to which we attach our sense of identity, significance and well being. Yes, we are responsible for our choices. But our choices are never merely about choice. They are always influenced by our memories (conscious and subconscious) of what has shaped us as we are. And praise God for the gospel, for with God's help we don't have to be dominated by the destructive influences in our lives. The gospel liberates us from that tyranny. But those choices may be excruciatingly difficult for some and relatively easy for others. Simon is so self-consumed that he doesn't even care to discover how she may have arrived at her life choices. All he does is moralize. He doesn't care about her. In Simon's mind, she made bad choices and he has made good ones. What could be clearer than that? He's the good person and she's the bad. He was accepted before God and she was rejected by God. That's the superficial story most everyone in that house bought into to justify their lives. Listen to the Pharisee in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. He said, "I'm glad I'm not like that sinner" and then he offered God the list of his good choices to justify himself. Jesus said the other man went away justified. The same mindset applies here. He's the good person worthy of praise and heaven and she isn't. Simple... end of story. Now, Jesus...please, don't complicate things. We like our simple story.
What does the Pharisee do?
Well, he reasons to himself that if Jesus were a prophet He would know exactly what sort of person this woman was. And if he did he certainly wouldn't let her touch him. What is Jesus doing accepting this sinner?
At this point of the story, that's all Luke gives us about what the Pharisee does. There's more, but we come to it later. But notice that Simon attacks Jesus. He doesn't tell the woman to leave Jesus alone. He's more outraged with Jesus for accepting her love and adoration than anything else. Ironically, he thinks Jesus doesn't know who she really is. The truth is that Jesus knows all about her and He even knows everything that Simon is thinking at that very moment. Simon can't escape the deep gaze of Jesus into his heart and neither can we? Simon separated his external life from his internal life. Among men we can get away with it. In the presence of Jesus, we can't.
In v. 40, Jesus tells Simon a parable. He says, Simon, there were two men. One owed a moneylender five hundred denarii and the other owed him fifty denarii. Both were unable to repay the debt. And when they came before this moneylender, he graciously forgave them both. Which one of them therefore will love him more? Now, this is so obvious that a child could get it. But Simon says, "I suppose (He's suspicious that Jesus might be setting him up with such a simple riddle.) The one whom he forgave more." And Jesus said, "You have judged correctly."
It's obvious who would feel the most gratitude. If a person owes fifty thousand dollars and another owes a hundred dollars, the one with the bigger debt is more grateful.
What is less obvious is that they are still both debtors who can't pay back the banker no matter how much they owe. In that culture if you couldn't pay back the banker and you had no one to do it for you, you went to debtor's prison until you paid it back. However, in prison you had no means of making an income. If the creditor was feeling generous he may let you become his indentured slave. But he was under no legal obligation to do so. Before the moneylender, they were both debtors. Neither had the ability within themselves to make this thing right. Jesus sets them up as both having a debt they cannot pay.
Simon looks at this woman and he thinks, "Man, you owe God so much; your debt to God is so big you could never, never pay it back!" He doesn't realize that he is in the same boat. James 2:10, "Whoever, keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point he has become guilty of all." That's true because God expresses His will in each commandment. And His will is violated no matter which commandment or how many commandments are broken. Jesus is pointing out the subterranean motives of Simon's heart. On the outside, no one could point to his actual transgression; however, in his heart, he has treated the Son of God, the supreme manifestation of God on the earth with unbelief and mean disrespect.
Simon's Debt
Look at vv 44-46: "Simon, I came into your house and you didn't offer me water to clean the dust off my feet. You made me look bad in font of all these people." It was a common courtesy to offer a guest a wet towel to clean the dirt off his feet before he came in and laid down to eat with others. How would Jesus look if everyone else's feet were clean and His feet were dirty? Jesus said, "But this woman that you consider pathetic wet my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair."
He said to Simon, "You didn't greet me with any respect or affection. You gave me no kiss." A polite and polished host would have greeted all the rest with a kiss. I wonder, when Jesus arrived did he make it look like he was too busy or occupied to cover his meanness? "You gave me no kiss. But this sinner that you've written off and judged as a sinner has not stopped kissing my feet (in humility) since she came in."
Read Psalm 2. God asks, "Why do the rulers take their counsel against the Lord and His anointed? The Lord laughs." He later warns, "Kiss the Son lest He become angry and you perish." Kiss the son. That's what she is doing. She is honoring Jesus as the Lord's anointed and she is kissing the son. "Simon, you didn't anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with perfume. She has honored Jesus as the Messiah. Here's what is obvious to anyone who can see through the facade and into the heart. Her love for Jesus was so courageous, so affectionate, selfless, and so determined that it reveals she knows that the debt and bankruptcy of her soul has been erased. Her acts of worship, gratitude, reverence, and her tears of joy reveal that she knows her great debt has been canceled. Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven for she loved much. By the way, it can't be that her love merited His forgiveness. That interpretation violates Jesus' story. The moneylender didn't cancel the debt because the one with bigger debt loved him more. He canceled both debts. It was the one with the greatest canceled debt that loved the most. Jesus said, "He who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus
OK, finally, what about Jesus. Who is he and what does He do? That was the question in the air. Jesus asked His disciple, "Who do people say that I am?" It was the question asked after Jesus healed and forgave the paralytic, "Who is this that forgives sins."
Here, Jesus says to this woman, "Your sins have been forgiven. Your faith has saved you so go in peace." Only God can forgive sins. Also, where else will you hear of a God like this? Allah would have her stoned for prostitution. Buddha would tell her to meditate and perhaps in the next life (when you come back as a cricket or a locus) you'll do better, you can try harder the next time and fix it. But Our God in heaven through Jesus the Lord rescues sinners, forgives them by His grace and then empowers them with a love that makes them want to obey Him. Jesus doesn't draw back.
The first time I was in Budapest I was visiting the Gelert Hotel. It's famous for its natural warm spring water and pubic baths. There was one where the homosexuals met up with each other. I withdrew. I wanted to be as far away from that place as I could get. I didn't want to be seen in that section with those people. I withdrew. But notice that Jesus didn't draw back from Simon nor did he draw back from the woman. What does he do? He says to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven." "Your faith not your record has saved you...go in peace."
What about us?
Who are you and what do you do? Who do you identify with in the story: the woman or the Pharisee? We must identify with both. We must identify with the woman as a notable sinner because we are more like her than unlike her. That's Jesus' point. Both Simon and the woman are debtors to God with a debt they cannot pay. They are both sinners just in different ways. Which is worse, to be a prostitute or to reject the Son of God, His salvation and say that Jesus did His miracles by the power of the devil. Which is worse? In one sense, it doesn't matter which is worse. They both put us in debt to God's grace and in need of His mercy. We owe God everything. He reaches out to both the woman and Simon.
To love Jesus more we must identify with both Simon and the woman. It would be a mistake to say that Jesus came to reach only the bottom rung of the social ladder. Think about it, where is Jesus? He is hanging out with rich people. I've noticed that it's easy for us to get interested in a mission to poor people of Mexico (and that is a good thing). But, do we care just as much for the upper middle class people of our country or this neighborhood like Jesus did. Where is Jesus? He is in the home of a wealthy Pharisee. He hung out with them often. Will we find a way to hang out with them too? If we can find a way to hang out with poor people across the globe can we find a way to hang out with our upper middle class neighbors? If we can build bridges to the poor can we build bridges to our neighbors? Jesus did.
Even though we all have a debt we cannot pay Jesus says, "I'll take care of that debt. I'll gladly pay everything you owe God and cancel that debt forever and love you with and everlasting love." Yet you must believe in the Lord Jesus, repent of your sins and receive His sovereign love. Who else will ever love you like that? No one.
The one who owed more loved more. It's the basis upon which you learn to love Jesus. The more self-righteous you are and the more you feel entitled to God's love the less you will be able to love Jesus. Jesus' riddle teaches us that we all must realize that before God we are all bankrupt and in need of someone to pay a debt we cannot pay. This is how you begin to love Jesus. To the degree that you lay hold of this is the degree you will be able to love Jesus.
How do you love Jesus?
On the basis of His unmerited love and the supremacy of His being you worship Him. Accepted and forgiven the woman wept uncontrollably. Her feelings of gratitude, thanksgiving, sorrow for her own sins, and joy over the wonder of His love had to be expressed. Does God have your heart? She loves Him with all her heart and with enormous courage. She didn't care what others thought. She was determined that her worship is first and foremost about Jesus. May our worship be something like this. May our love for Jesus be something like this. She loved Jesus by acknowledging and receiving Him for who He really is. This is how we can love Jesus more.