Jesus Pardons the Sinful Woman
On this Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of the blessed month of Thoout, the Church reads from Luke 7:36-50. In this passage, Jesus is invited to dine with Simon, a Pharisee represents the religious elite, characterized by self-righteousness and adherence to the law. During the meal, a woman, known to be a sinner, enters the house, weeping at Jesus’ feet, washing them with her tears, drying them with her hair, kissing them, and anointing them with expensive perfume.
Simon sees the woman as unworthy and unclean. To him, her presence is scandalous, and he questions Jesus’ prophetic ability: “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39)
In response to Simon’s thoughts, Jesus tells a parable about two debtors, one owing a large sum and the other a smaller amount. Both debts are forgiven by the lender, and Jesus asks Simon, “Now which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:42) Simon rightly answers, ” The one, I suppose, for whom He cancelled the larger debt” (Luke 7:43). After sharing this metaphor with a the Pharisee, Jesus says to the woman “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (v. 50). As St. Ambrose of Milan said: “Blessed is one who can anoint the feet of Christ even with oil. Simon had still not anointed him, but more blessed is she who anoints with ointment.”
This Gospel gives an example of repentance. This woman, who we do not know, has committed sins, and it weighed on her so heavily that she went and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. As St. Cyril of Alexandria said about this woman, “A woman of corrupt life, but testifying her faithful affection, comes to Christ, as having power to release her from every fault, and to grant her pardon for the crimes she had committed.”
Likewise, whenever one sins, he or she ought to go away from the wrongdoing and come back to Jesus Christ. As St. Cyril said, “But Christ arose for us, not to subject our state to the curses that are by the law, but to redeem those subject to sin by a mercy superior to the law.” Additionally, we read in one of the fractions that “For when You desired to save me, You did not send me an angel nor an archangel nor a cherub nor a prophet. Rather You alone descended from the Father’s bosom to the womb of the Virgin.” Jesus is our Merciful Redeemer, and He alone became man to save us and to redeem us, His creation.
May we always continue to be faithful to Him and repentant so we may become one with Him.
Sources:
- ESV Bible
- Fraction to the Son (O You the Being…)
- St. Cyril of Alexandria’s Commentary on Luke Sermon 40 Link
- Catena Bible