Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
November 7, 2010
Luke 7:36-50
“Loving God”

36  Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.
 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
 42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
 45 “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
 47 “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Introduction  The two great commandments, which fulfill all other requirements:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.  This is a beautiful story of two people and their different degrees of love for Jesus, and the reasons behind each one.  “Loving God.”

1. People miss the mark, some more often than others  v37

 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

2. Debt is owed to God because of missing the mark  v41-43

 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
 42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

3. The debt for missing the mark is impossible to pay  v42

 42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.

4. God is willing to freely forgive our debt because of Jesus  v42

 42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.

5. We access forgiveness of our debt by faith  v50

 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

6. With forgiveness comes salvation, peace  v50

 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

7. Our response to God is love, appreciation, worship  v37-38

 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

8. Some people love God and appreciate His forgiveness more than others  v40-47

 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
 42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
 45 “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
 47 “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

9. Those who love little

a. Miss the mark less, owe less to God, need less forgiveness  v47

 47 “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

b. Limited relationship, appreciation, respect  v36, 40, 44-46

36  Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.

 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
 45 “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

c. Self righteous pride  v39

 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

d. Lack of understanding  v39, 49  Seen as sensual

 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

10. Those who love much

a. Know they have missed the mark  v37

 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner

b. Know they owe a debt they cannot pay

c. Come to Jesus in desperation, not caring what people think  v37

 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

d. Are deeply moved with emotion  v38

 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

e. Pour out their sorrows of missing the mark on Jesus  v38, Psalm 56:8-11

 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

Psalm 56
8  You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?
 9 When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.
 10 In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word),
 11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

f. Values change  v38  The highest things in this world (alabaster box, kiss) are sacrificed for the lowest parts of Jesus

 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

g. A unique relationship with Jesus

Her hair is a woman’s glory - hers is tangled, dirty, tears and perfume

 47 “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Conclusions

If you have been forgiven little

Remember it wasn’t little to Jesus

Avoid self righteous pride and judgmentalism

Show Him the respect, love and appreciation He deserves


If you have been forgiven much

Remember that God freely forgives any time we miss the mark

Come to Jesus no matter what, in faith.  Pour out sorrows on Him.

Pour out your extravagant love on Him in whatever way seems appropriate to you.  Don’t worry about what people think.

Wear your glory - acknowledge your errors (tangled, tears, dirt) receive His forgiveness, salvation, peace (perfume) = a sinner saved by grace

Don’t live in condemnation, but also never forget where you came from, and what Jesus did for you.  Be “forever grateful.”

9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
 13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
 14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.