Forgiven Debts

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven” – Luke 7:48

Jesus was invited to have dinner with a Pharisee named Simon. When they sat down to eat, a woman in the city who was a sinner, went to Simon’s house when she knew that Jesus was there.

She brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil 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.

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.”

Jesus then told Simon a parable. “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon rightly said that it was the debtor whom the creditor who owed him more. Jesus said to him, “You have rightly judged.”  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “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.  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.”

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Those at the table said among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Jesus knew who this woman was and He received her just as He had received the tax collectors and sinners who had drawn near to Him to hear Him (Luke 15). They needed to hear His Word just as this woman needed His forgiveness.

What do you need today? What are you struggling with? Why not go to One who can help you? Why not go to Jesus?