Luke 7:47-50 (ESV Strong's)
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Tag: Much Sin - Much Appreciation of Forgiveness
The above passage is pulled out of the end of the story about Jesus and His visit to the home of Simon, the Pharisee. As Jesus reclined at Simon’s table for food, a woman off the street enters and, in great tears, begins to wipe Jesus’ feet with those tears, kiss them and anoint Jesus’ fee with ointment. Simon, in his religious piety, objects. But, Jesus calls him out and points out that upon entering his house, he did NOT offer to wash Jesus’ feet (which was custom in that day), much less kiss his feet and anoint them with ointment. That is where we pick up the above verses. Jesus makes a point, in front of Simon and all his friends, sitting at the table, to verbally tell the woman that He has forgiven her sins. This is a shock to the religious leaders of the day. Since the woman approached Jesus in faith (and they did not), Jesus wants them to know that that is the avenue by which faith is extended. It was not her “act” of washing His feet that saved her, but her “faith” that Jesus was the Messiah that saved her. The washing of His feet simply demonstrated the love and appreciation for His eventual work on the cross and resurrection. Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. Note what Jesus said in front of the religious leaders of the day according to Matthew’s Gospel:
Luke 7:47-50 (ESV Strong's)
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Notice what Paul tells us Jesus told him the day He was saved on the Damascus Road in regard to Paul’s mission:
Acts 26:17-18 (ESV Strong's)
delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
People receive forgiveness of sins because Jesus has the power and authority to forgive them when they come in faith to Him. There is not a work we can perform that enables forgiveness. It is simply by faith and then our love for Him explodes and we burst forth by doing acts of kindness for Him and to Him. That is true spiritual worship.
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