A sinful Woman pours perfume on Jesus

I joined an Online Bible Study awhile ago. It got revamped and so I was able to start with it again. I really like it because it's simple to use and insightful. There is a piece of scripture you read and then there are simple but deep questions at the end. The one that always gets me is "if this verse is true what are you going to do about it".

I decided this time that I would blog about it...

So... to start with let's read the scripture together....


Luke 7:36-50

A Sinful Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus

³⁶ One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table.
³⁷ There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came with a special sealed jar of perfume. ³⁸ She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. She began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.
³⁹ The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”
⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”
⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who owed the most money.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has loved a lot. But the one who has been forgiven little loves only a little.”
⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
⁴⁹ The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)


I really like this scripture because Jesus loved her as she was, she didnt have to do anything or be anything for him to forgive her sins. When I was in Sudan I had the opportunity to reread the book "Treasures in the Snow" by Patricia St John. This book has so many great nuggets of truth in it. The one that stood out to me this time was the part where they talk about asking Jesus to come in and help us. If a room is dark we don't say I need to chase away the darkness before the light can come in. We open the door and the darkness goes. So too it is with Jesus' love. We don't need to do anything except recieve it.

Jesus loves to love us and loves to forgive us...

Are you ready to ask him?