Knowing The Word in Luke 7:36-38

A Sinful Woman

7:36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Comments

Each Gospel has a story of a woman anointing Jesus and his feet (Matthew 26:6-13, Mark14:3-9, and John 12:1-8). The other three refer to an incident—likely the same one—in the last week of Jesus’ life. Luke’s account is much earlier. It may have been a first attempt by this woman that was left incomplete after Jesus stopped her to make a point to Simon. She then completed her loving act in the last week of Jesus’ life as recorded in the other Gospels.

In Luke the incident is concerned with love and forgiveness where the other gospel writers focus on giving to the poor. The early Church, however, has examples of tying this Lucan account to Mary Magdalene and to Mary the sister of Martha, who may be the same person. (That is a story for another day!) In the other gospels, this anointing happened in Bethany. Matthew and Mark put the incident in the home of Simon the leper. John seems to have put it in Lazarus’ home, but John simply records that “they gave a dinner party for him [Jesus] there.” That does not mean it is in Lazarus’ house, even though he and his sisters could have been the instigators of the dinner party. It is Martha’s sister Mary who anoints Jesus, according to John’s account.

To set the scene: People reclined on low couches at festive meals, leaning on the left arm with the head towards the table and the body stretched away from it. This meant that one’s feet were easily approachable and bared, as they would have removed their sandals to eat. In this account we see that Jesus ate with Pharisees too. He was not overly particular. Also note that a meal like this was not private. People could come in and watch what was going on in the homes of other people.

Calling her a “woman of the city, who was a sinner” probably means she was a known prostitute, which explains why the religious leaders were so appalled. However, she summoned up her courage, knowing she would not be welcomed, and entered the home with her alabaster jar, a spherically shaped container with no handles and a long neck, which would be broken when the expensive contents of perfumed oil were needed. Her emotions got the better of her and she began to cry. She let her hair down, a significant action because Jewish women did not put down their hair in public. Then she kissed Jesus’ feet, so emotionally moved that she has become unaware of public opinion. Normally this ointment would be applied to the head. Applying it to the feet is a mark of true humility. To attend to the feet was a menial task assigned to slaves. We can deduce that Jesus had turned her from her sinful ways and that this was an expression of gratitude and profound love.

Application

One of the signs of a repentant person is thankfulness, shown in our giving towards God. The perfume the woman used was likely worth a year’s wages. Consider your generosity toward God. What does it show in regard to your thankfulness?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, while I cannot kiss your feet, I can show you my love in many different ways. Lead me into a life of thankfulness and generosity towards others and you. Let my life show forth your praise, not only with my lips but in my life.