Forgiven Much, Loves Much

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. Luke 7:36-48 (KJV)

Jesus sat at the table of a Pharisee in his house. A woman who was a known sinner interrupted their meal. Of course, the Pharisee didn’t like or appreciate this in the least because he knew the kind of woman she was. Jesus knew this also and yet He pointed out her actions.

This woman was weeping and washed the feet of Jesus with her tears. She lissed and anointed His feet. Her love for Jesus was so radical. Her tears showed her love, gratitude, and devotion. She unapologetically let her tears fall on His feet, and she washed them to show her heartfelt love for Him. She anointed his feet with expensive ointment.

Jesus asked Simon, the Pharisee, a question. He compared two men with differing amounts of debt, one who owed more and one who owed less. When their debts were forgiven, He sked which one loved the most. Simon answered the the one who was forgiven the most. Jesus told him that he judged rightly.

We must judge rightly. When Christ forgave us much, we love Him much. This shows us why some people love Jesus more and some love Him less. Its based on how sinful we realize we were and how much we understand that we’ve been forgiven. The one who doesn’t see how much Christ forgave him of will love Him less, while the one who sees the depth of the sin he was forgiven of loves Jesus more. Let us judge rightly and appreciate how much Christ forgave us of. Then we can love Him much because we understand he forgave us of much.