Perspective and Parables

April 23, 2023

The purpose of the stories that Jesus told, his parables, was to help his audience to

understand spiritual truth at the physical level. So, he spoke in simple language with

pictures that even you and I can comprehend. There are no sophisticated theories or

pious phrases, only elementary words which can be easily understood by those who

honestly want to know the will and word of God. In his first parable, Luke chapter

7, he teaches Simon about love, humility, and devotion by forgiving a sinful

woman. Simon had invited him to dinner and while all of the guests were reclined

at the table with their feet towards the outside of the pavilion (this was the custom

on a warm day) a sinful woman (likely a prostitute) “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 kissing his feet, and

anointed them with the ointment” (Luke 7:36-39). In his heart Simon the Pharisee,

inclined to be judgmental and condemning, says, “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.” Hearing Simon’s, thoughts, as God always does, Jesus said,

“Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee!” At which Simon says, “Say on”! So,

the parable begins: There was a certain creditor and two men owed him. The first

owed five hundred and the second, fifty; but neither could pay. The creditor forgave

both men their debt. Jesus asked Simon which man loved the most? Simon

responds, the one he forgave the most; which Jesus accepts as true. At this point

Jesus turns to the ‘sinful women’ and asks Simon to look upon her and consider her

conduct as compared to his own. He had not washed Jesus’s feet, but she had, with

tears, and dried them. Simon had not greeted him with a kiss, but she had not

stopped kissing his feet. He had not anointed Jesus, but she anointed him with a

year’s wages. So, Jesus turns to the women and says, “Thy sins (plural) are

forgiven” because she loved much! Do we understand how much forgiveness we

receive and how great should be our gratitude?

Kenneth E. Morrison