A Sinful Woman Washes Jesus’ Feet

Not long after raising two people from the dead, Jesus was invited to dine at a Pharisee’s home. This might seem unexpected, considering the Pharisees’ distaste for Him.

As we saw with Nicodemus, while some Pharisees discreetly believed Jesus, many openly opposed Him, and others remained undecided yet curious. In Luke 7, we encounter a Pharisee who seems to fall into the latter category.

We know little about him except that his name was Simon, he owned a house in Galilee and he respected Jesus enough to invite Him for a meal.

Unlike Nicodemus’ visit with Jesus, which took place privately under the cover of darkness, Jesus’ visit to Simon’s home was public.

Though Jesus’ dining at a Pharisee’s home was notable, it is a specific interaction at this gathering that warrants our attention.

A sinful woman visits

Luke tells us that a “woman in the city who was a sinner” learned that Jesus was dining at Simon’s house and came to meet Him (Luke 7:37). Little did she know her actions would become part of Scripture, offering Jesus a powerful teaching opportunity that still resonates almost 2,000 years later.

She didn’t come empty-handed, but “brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil” (verse 37). Alabaster is a soft stone that was used to make small containers for perfumes and ointments.

Luke doesn’t specify the type of scented oil in this flask, but some commentators speculate it was spikenard, a costly perfume extracted from a plant that grows in the Himalayas of northern India. If so, this small flask traveled over 2,000 miles to come into her possession.

The flask was likely sealed, so she probably used all of the perfume once she opened it. This rare perfume was likely the most valuable item she owned, which adds a layer of depth to what she would do with it.

Upon arriving, the woman went to Jesus 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” (verse 38).

The Pharisee’s response to the woman

Before we examine the remainder of the account, let’s consider Simon’s response to this scene. Instead of appreciating what this woman was doing and looking to understand her motivation, his thoughts immediately turned dark and negative.

“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’” (verse 39). Notice that Simon “spoke to himself”—these were his private, unspoken thoughts.

First, though he didn’t verbalize it, he deeply disagreed with Jesus’ response. He felt Jesus should have immediately rejected her because of her sinful past. When Jesus didn’t, Simon began to question His legitimacy.

Second, Simon mentally denied this woman any opportunity for forgiveness or room to change. In his mind, she was and always would be a sinner. Because she repulsed him, he assumed Jesus should feel the same.

Third, Simon’s thoughts may have been amplified by a tinge of guilt. This sinful woman showed Jesus more care and concern than he had as the host of this gathering. Offering a guest water to clean his or her dirty feet was a common act of hospitality and respect, but Simon had failed to do it (verse 44). Instead of rethinking his neglect, perhaps he found it easier to judge her motives and character.

Even without Simon speaking openly, Jesus could discern where his mind had gone, perhaps even seeing the disgust written on his face.

Jesus then told Simon that He had something to tell Him and shared a short parable.

The parable of the creditor and debtors

Jesus told a parable about two men indebted to the same creditor. One owed 500 denarii (about 20 months’ wages), and the other 50 denarii (about two months’ wages). Since the creditor saw that both lacked the resources to pay, he decided to show mercy and forgive both debts.

God is looking for those who see themselves honestly and, in a spirit of contrition and humility, genuinely seek His mercy and help. Jesus then asked which of the two now-freed debtors would appreciate the merciful lender more. Simon gave the logical answer: “I suppose the one whom he forgave more” (verse 43).

Then Jesus spoke in plain language to make His point clear: “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. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil” (verses 44-46).

All of the things Simon should have done as a hospitable and caring host, she did, and much more lavishly. She had showed Jesus far more appreciation, respect and gratitude than Simon had. Instead of dismissing her, he should have been learning from her example.

Jesus continued, “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” (verse 47).

He then told her plainly, “Your sins are forgiven” (verse 48).

Putting the woman’s story together

Jesus’ response helps us better understand this woman’s story.

She had been living a lifestyle characterized by sin. Given that Simon knew about her reputation, she had probably been involved in a public sin, such as prostitution, fornication or perhaps theft or drunkenness.

Whatever it was, she had lived a lifestyle that had separated her from God.

But something had changed before she sought Jesus out. She had likely heard Him preach recently, and instead of ignoring and dismissing His message of repentance, she apparently took it to heart and acted on it.

It appears she understood that she had been guilty of violating God’s law and was on a path of destruction, and she changed direction. Instead of justifying her actions and continuing in sin, through her tears she demonstrated “a broken and a contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). This is the spirit God has always sought from truly repentant people (Isaiah 57:15; Joel 2:12-13).

God isn’t seeking those who are proud of their own righteousness—who, like many of the Pharisees, believed they had nothing to repent of. Instead, He’s looking for those who see themselves honestly and, in a spirit of contrition and humility, genuinely seek His mercy and help.

By the time she washed Jesus’ feet, she had likely left her former lifestyle or had begun taking serious steps toward change.

Because she credited Christ for her repentance, she desired to express to Him her heartfelt thankfulness. Although she knew anointing His feet could never repay Him or equal what He had done for her, she gave her most valuable physical possession to serve Him.

Jesus saw that her attitude, sorrow and repentance were genuine—and accepted her.

We don’t know the rest of her story, but we hope the remainder of her physical life was characterized by the same level of submission and service to her God and Savior.

Lessons for us today

There are many lessons we can draw from this account.

1. Hearing the gospel message requires action. At some point, the woman heard the message, believed it and acted upon it. The action God wants is change. The response God wanted from her is the same one He wants from us today: repentance and change (2 Corinthians 7:10).
2. God will accept and forgive those who genuinely repent and turn to Him. Christ didn’t reject the woman because of her past. Unlike Simon, Jesus defined her by her new life, not her old life. Upon our repentance, God chooses to forget our sins, viewing us as if they never existed (Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 43:25).
3. God expects us to respond to His forgiveness by offering all we have to Him. While we can’t anoint Christ’s feet with expensive perfume, we can offer Him our most valuable possession—our lives. He wants us to respond to His forgiveness by surrendering our entire lives to Him in obedient service and submission (Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 2:20).
4. We should approach people more like Jesus did and less like Simon. Simon found this woman repulsive and refused to accept that she was changing her life. Jesus, on the other hand, was all about calling people to repentance and accepting them when they did. 

In one way or another, we are all like the woman in this account. We’ve all fallen short, need God’s forgiveness and must repent and change. Ultimately, the best way to thank Him for His mercy and forgiveness is by fully committing ourselves to . . .

Walk as He walked.