Much love springs from a sense of much forgiveness.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace!" Heb. iv. 16. Absorbed in adoring gratitude, she thinks of no one around her.

In mercy, He does not interrupt these golden moments of the penitent.
Anointed. She owns Him as the True Messiah-the Anointed (ne.
Anointing, an Oriental custom believed conducive to health.
Priests and kings were consecrated to their offices by anointing.
Egyptians, Greeks, and Jews, thus welcomed guests to their houses.
Persons leaving home for a banquet, anointed themselves.

Bpéxeiv―to water with a shower of tears, Meyer and Doddridge. Her homage traced to a bodily cure, Oosterzee.

Opığı. Ital. treccia. Fr. treese. Eng. tress, disheveled, as in mourning. Most exquisite reverence, Bengel. Cæsar ordered Gauls to cut their hair in token of submission. Achilles buried his hair in the tomb of Patroclus his friend. Virgil represents Iris as sent in pity by Juno to release the dying Queen Dido from her agony. Proserpine not having cropped her hair, she could not die. Iris having descended from heaven, says: "Hunc ego Diti sacrum jussa fero, teque isto corpore solvo." "I, commanded, béar away this (hair), sacred to Pluto, and loose thee from that body."

KaTepíλEL. to kiss affectionately, or with earnest gesture. Kissing Rabbi's feet, special favour, Wetstein. Kissing the hand, adoration, Job xxxi. 27. Kissing princes, a token of homage. 1. Sam. x. 1. Kissing the dust, bitter humiliation. Psa. lxxii. 9. Kissing, among all nations, a symbol of peace and affection, Gen. xxvii., 26, xxix., 18. Luke IV., 20. Acts xx. 37.

39. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touched him; for she is a sinner.

Pharisee.

The true spirit of that self-righteous and heartless sect showed itself.

He was displeased that Jesus did not repel her homage, as she was a sinner.

His holiness consisted in external purifications. Religion, a thing of forms to him.

One, impenitent himself, cannot know how penitents feel and act. Spake within. "Stand by thyself, come not nearer; I am holier than thou." Isa. lxv, 5.

He little knew how Christ was searching and reading his every thought. This Man. Censorious persons believe that others must be like themselves.

It might have been supposed that all would have been pleased at her penitence.

If. All attempts to impose on the Divine searcher of hearts, vain. Psa. cxxxix. 1-2.

Prophet. The Jews held that "discerning spirits" was a sign of a true prophet. 1. Cor. xii. 10.

Nathanael broke forth in wonder, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jo. i. 48. The woman of Samaria, "Come see a man who told me all things which ever I did." John iv. 29.

The Pharisee's thoughts put our Lord in one of two dilemmas.

Either He lacks the discernment, or the holiness of all true prophets.
Perhaps Simon repented his too hasty hospitality to Christ.

If he doubted before, he now seems to have denied that Christ was a true prophet.

Toucheth. He assumed a false axiom of the Pharisees, i.e. a holy man must not touch a sinner. The patient, of all persons, needs the touch of the physician.

How cold and hard his heart! "Touch" is all he has for her tears and kisses.

Many persons press to him by profession. How few touch him by faith!
Sinner. Spiritual pride cannot conceive the love, God shews to penitent
sinners. See this in the conduct of the elder brother.
Luke xv.
Simon did not see through his guest, but Christ saw through him.
He stigmatizes her a sinner. Alas! Simon himself was a greater sinner.
Jesus would not have been at his table, had he not been a sinner.
If not a penitent, she would not have sought her Redeemer.
Simon had yet to learn, what penitence and redemption meant.
Jesus knew Simon's proud heart, and her believing spirit.

It is to be hoped the parable flashed conviction on his mind.

If this man were a prophet He would have known that she is unclean; and knowing that He would not have suffered Himself to be polluted by her touch, Augustine. If thou hadst known that poor woman's heart, Simon, thou wouldst have judged differently, Bengel.

Christ refutes the supposition of Simon, and proves Himself more than a Prophet; and that He did know who and what manner of person the woman was, by reading Simon's heart, and by replying to his thoughts, and by forgiving the woman's sins, Wordsworth. év éavτw, gave vent to feelings by looks and gestures, &c., Oosterzee. Contrary to the letter of the text. äπтETαι, some Rabbis highly extolled for keeping lepers at the legal distance by stoning them! Lightfoot

40. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

Answering. Our Lord answers unuttered soul thoughts.

Simon, he must have felt that Hand pressing on his heart-strings.

He felt as we will, when under His eye, at judgment.

Mark the steps, from the heights of self-complacency, to conviction.
1. Christ sits at Simon's table. 2. He casts a look into his heart.

3. He proves his want of love. 4. He puts him to shame.
I have, &c. a courteous way of asking permission to speak.
He veils His rebuke under the well known form of a parable.
Somewhat. The Lord has somewhat to say to every Simon.
Christ's conversation at table tried by apostolic rules.

Col. iv. 6.

The kindest entertainment, can never excuse neglect of duty. "Thou shalt in no wise suffer sin upon thy brother." Lev. xix. 17. Master say on. Simon had some modesty, if but little faith in Christ's high character.

He little suspected, his proud self-righteous heart was so soon to be revealed.

He heard the Pharisee's thoughts, Augustine. oo, to thee. Emphatic-to thee, who hast harbored injurious thoughts of Me, I have something to say, Wordsworth. How tenderly our Lord brings home the truth! Jacobus

41. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

Debtors. Sinners differ in degree, but all insolvent.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Rom. iii. 23.
Christ is the great creditor, who alone can absolve us.

Sinners are debtors to God, for a life of sinless obedience.

All having failed, we owe him a debt of punishment. Matt. v. 26. "Thou shalt not go hence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." Some are more heavily in debt to Heaven, than others.

"He that delivered me to you, hath the greater sin. John xix. 11. Five hundred. An exact creditor, God knows precisely what each

owes.

Simon and the woman both debtors and bankrupts. Our Lord puts the case in the gentlest terms, to convict Simon of being without forgiveness, because without love, Jacobus. davelor. Simon also had received a miraculous cure, Paulus, Kuinoel.

42. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Nothing. Debtors brought to God. They never come of themselves.
How did the debtors discover their inability to pay? John xvi. 8.
This implies a sense, and a confession of helplessness.

Knowing this inability, sinners are treasuring up wrath, &c. Rom. ii. 5.

For peace of conscience many sell their hopes for eternity.
Instead of diminishing, men willingly increase the debt.
Impossibility of meeting this debt, urges us to our surety.

árodûvai-1, to deliver up. 2, to render account. 8, to give in full, i. e. wages or debts. If men cannot pay 100 pence (representing our sins against man), how can we pay 10,000 talents (symbol of our sins against God)? xapíoaro from xápio grace. God forgives by grace, not merit. nλeîov. Though the profligate's love may be intense of its kind; yet that kind is not so high, nor so complete, as the sacrifice of the whole life, the bud, the blossom, and fruit, Alford.

43. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

Answered, properly, but he knew not that he condemned himself.
Our Lord shews the proud Pharisee his own deep necessities.
Simon invites through curiosity. Christ accepts for salvation.
He shields the poor penitent from censure poured upon her.
A Rabbi at a feast, had the right of uttering a parable."
Rightly.

himself.

Christ's wisdom, makes the accuser witness against

He kindly treats him in not expressly blaming him.

He seriously intimates to Simon, that his sins are unforgiven.
Judged. He appeals directly to his conscience, as to the truth.
"Why even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right?" Luke xii. 57.
God has placed His representative in every bosom. Johni. 9. Rom. ii. 15.

vñóλaμßávw—I suppose, apprehend, take up an idea, Stier. тo пλeîov, the most; the greater sum of the two. There is a contrast between the two sums as well as the two debtors, Wordsworth. opewo-holy irony, a weapon turned against him, Oostersee. He had condemned himself as the one who loved little, or none, Jacobus.

44. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

Turned, to the woman, but really was speaking to Simon.

A look of mercy to the penitent, and of rebuke to the Pharisee.

Seest thou? He would say, "Look on this woman, thou hast not seen

her yet."

Jesus brings the despised penitent, in contact with our sympathies.
Contrasted with Simon's pride, she was no longer a great sinner.

A sight of a broken heart, should humble a proud professor.

She was a sinner, and yet a saint; a mourner, and yet happy; a despised one, and yet crowned with everlasting life.

Woman. Simon soon saw this great sinner, a great lover of Christ, therefore a great saint.

Himself, a proud and cold-hearted egotist, compared with her.

I entered. He speaks publicly of marks of respect, culpably withheld.
Thou gavest. Some read, Didst thou give?—i.e., What was my due?
No water. This time-honored usage, Simon had neglected.

If accidental, our Lord would not have reproached him.
Her tenderness, contrasts with his selfishness and coldness.
My feet. The custom still prevails in parts of the East.

Tears. Thou shouldst have thanked her for doing what thou hast neglected.

Simon avoided seeming too intimate a friend, therefore he did not kiss his guest. Worldly prudence waiting for Christ's success.

The obtrusiveness of her love, not censured by the Redeemer.
He was humble in His majesty, and majestic in His humility.
We see the poverty of an unloving, the riches of a loving heart.

In the presence of the compassionate Saviour, her broken heart poured forth its penitence and love in floods of tears.

Repentance never complete, till we feel the tenderness of that love that pardoneth and upbraideth not. James i. 5.

Hairs. Gr. unbound tresses. Members devoted to sin, become instruments of righteousness. Rom. vi. 19.

eionλlóv-Tischendorf, Griesbach. üdwp-some extenuate the neglect, since the Lord had not come from a long journey, Meyer. dáкpvσiv-no water so costly as tears, Bengel. To kepaλŋo, head; omitted by Tischendorf, Alford. If not deficient in common courtesy, he had at least taken no pains for his guest. She so loving, and he so cold, founded in the difference of heart, Jacobus.

σou is emphatic. I came into thy house, and therefore might justly expect marks of hospitable courtesy from thee; and what thou, my host, didst not do for Me, she, a stranger, whom thou condemnest as a sinner, has more than supplied, Wordsworth.

45. Thou gavest me no kies; but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

No kiss. Simon loving but little, failed to shew it in little things.
Life not made up of great trials, or illustrious triumphs.

Small favors ever repeated, "Whatsoever things are lovely," &c.
The despised one had far exceeded the Pharisee in boasted courtesy.
Pharisees and Rome put the rill before the spring. Faith the fount.
Faith without works of love, a fire without heat. James ii. 17.
A sun without beams. It is no faith, but reprobate faithlessness.
Kiss. Gr. fondly kissing. Males salute in the East.