Thursday, May 11, 2006
CLEANSING JESUS' FEET
Vv. 37-38 And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38. and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume.
The streets of this era were dirt paths; muddy when wet and dusty the remainder of the time. On these one made their way on foot and sandal. The shoe was nothing more than a leather sole bound to the foot with tied straps. Needless to say, one’s feet were unclean the majority of the time. Foot washing was the task of the lowliest slave born out of necessity. It was a common act of respect to have one’s feet washed upon entry into their house and also to anoint their head with olive oil.
She began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head and kissing His feet, and anointing them with perfume. In Jewish culture, it was a disgrace for a woman to be seen with her hair down. Customarily the woman on her wedding day bound up hair and she never again would be seen with it unbound again. There is little doubt that this woman has been around Jesus before and has responded to His gospel. It is quite possible that she heard the words fall from His lips: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”(Matt. 11:28) One who understands this reaction to Jesus’ power in regeneration can see this as a normal response. However Simon, the Pharisee, viewed this woman’s action as abnormal. This is verified by his very own thoughts that have been made public record to us, and to all generations to come.
V39. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."
This woman’s reputation is renowned and has entered the banquet pf these religious men who are closely examining this controversial individual known as Jesus. What will He do, or what will He say to this harlot? We easily find Jesus on the stand without option but to defend Himself wisely.
The Pharisee has just written Jesus off as a prophet because He doesn’t view this woman in the same manner as the majority.
The streets of this era were dirt paths; muddy when wet and dusty the remainder of the time. On these one made their way on foot and sandal. The shoe was nothing more than a leather sole bound to the foot with tied straps. Needless to say, one’s feet were unclean the majority of the time. Foot washing was the task of the lowliest slave born out of necessity. It was a common act of respect to have one’s feet washed upon entry into their house and also to anoint their head with olive oil.
She began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head and kissing His feet, and anointing them with perfume. In Jewish culture, it was a disgrace for a woman to be seen with her hair down. Customarily the woman on her wedding day bound up hair and she never again would be seen with it unbound again. There is little doubt that this woman has been around Jesus before and has responded to His gospel. It is quite possible that she heard the words fall from His lips: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”(Matt. 11:28) One who understands this reaction to Jesus’ power in regeneration can see this as a normal response. However Simon, the Pharisee, viewed this woman’s action as abnormal. This is verified by his very own thoughts that have been made public record to us, and to all generations to come.
V39. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."
This woman’s reputation is renowned and has entered the banquet pf these religious men who are closely examining this controversial individual known as Jesus. What will He do, or what will He say to this harlot? We easily find Jesus on the stand without option but to defend Himself wisely.
The Pharisee has just written Jesus off as a prophet because He doesn’t view this woman in the same manner as the majority.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
HEART WATER
Vv. 37-38 And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38. and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume.
“And behold” is Luke’s exclamatory remark to draw his readers attention to what is about to take place and to pay close attention to the details.
There was a woman in the city who was a sinner (sinneress). The three individuals in these passages are now set on a stage of a dinner with the religious. We find the innocent Jesus, Simon the Pharisee who is holding this banquet and woman of the city well known as a harlot, who never utters a word in this account.
Being a woman in the city she would be keenly aware of local social events. In this case she learned that Jesus was the Pharisee’s invited guest and that He was reclining at the table in his house. This “sinneress” is informed and is set to a mission by compulsion. She has determined to boldy go into a den of separatists with her offering: She brought an alabaster vial of perfume. Alabaster is a soft stone used for carving figurines. The vial of the same material would contain a costly perfume that would have a long cylindrical neck. To access the contents the neck of the vial would have to be broken and the entire sum of the contents used. Perfumes were used to mask body odors of the rich and also to ceremonially make one presentable to God.
She enters into this hostile territory with a single vision; Jesus. The entry to the dining area would be open to the street and from such she makes her entry and is immediately drawn to Jesus without respect of her reputation. She would traverse the wall to where He would be eating to find herself standing behind Him at His feet. Spontaneously she breaks into weeping tears that Luther calls “heart water”.
“And behold” is Luke’s exclamatory remark to draw his readers attention to what is about to take place and to pay close attention to the details.
There was a woman in the city who was a sinner (sinneress). The three individuals in these passages are now set on a stage of a dinner with the religious. We find the innocent Jesus, Simon the Pharisee who is holding this banquet and woman of the city well known as a harlot, who never utters a word in this account.
Being a woman in the city she would be keenly aware of local social events. In this case she learned that Jesus was the Pharisee’s invited guest and that He was reclining at the table in his house. This “sinneress” is informed and is set to a mission by compulsion. She has determined to boldy go into a den of separatists with her offering: She brought an alabaster vial of perfume. Alabaster is a soft stone used for carving figurines. The vial of the same material would contain a costly perfume that would have a long cylindrical neck. To access the contents the neck of the vial would have to be broken and the entire sum of the contents used. Perfumes were used to mask body odors of the rich and also to ceremonially make one presentable to God.
She enters into this hostile territory with a single vision; Jesus. The entry to the dining area would be open to the street and from such she makes her entry and is immediately drawn to Jesus without respect of her reputation. She would traverse the wall to where He would be eating to find herself standing behind Him at His feet. Spontaneously she breaks into weeping tears that Luther calls “heart water”.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
PLACE SETTINGS
V36. Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. And He entered the Pharisee's house, and reclined at the table.
Jesus is getting quite a lot of attention by both the common folk and the religious folks. The religious were the keepers and teachers of those things relating to God. The common people were indebted to the religious to their sharing and teaching them theology – theos – God and ology – the study of. There are problems in society with this man named Jesus because He was doing things that could not be explained naturally and His teaching about God didn’t square with that of the religious.
For the most part the religious had written Jesus off as a shyster and heretic, but now one of the Pharisees was not quite convinced as who he would side. To put an end to the confusion the Pharisee was requesting for Jesus (Him) to dine with him so that he might put an end to his confusion.
Jesus was comfortable in the presence of all social strata and without hesitation accepted Simon’s invitation to dine with him. Eating together was an intimate affair in that it was done low to the ground in a reclining position. One would rest his left elbow on the table, head in hand, and eat with his right hand. Guests would line up reclined around the table head to breast with one’s feet toward the wall. The wall would attract the locals who might be passing by welcome to stop in and listen to the conversation that was taking place at the dinner. Jewish life was quite open and public.
Jesus is getting quite a lot of attention by both the common folk and the religious folks. The religious were the keepers and teachers of those things relating to God. The common people were indebted to the religious to their sharing and teaching them theology – theos – God and ology – the study of. There are problems in society with this man named Jesus because He was doing things that could not be explained naturally and His teaching about God didn’t square with that of the religious.
For the most part the religious had written Jesus off as a shyster and heretic, but now one of the Pharisees was not quite convinced as who he would side. To put an end to the confusion the Pharisee was requesting for Jesus (Him) to dine with him so that he might put an end to his confusion.
Jesus was comfortable in the presence of all social strata and without hesitation accepted Simon’s invitation to dine with him. Eating together was an intimate affair in that it was done low to the ground in a reclining position. One would rest his left elbow on the table, head in hand, and eat with his right hand. Guests would line up reclined around the table head to breast with one’s feet toward the wall. The wall would attract the locals who might be passing by welcome to stop in and listen to the conversation that was taking place at the dinner. Jewish life was quite open and public.
Monday, May 08, 2006
DINNER @ SIMON'S
77. Christ’s feet anointed by a sinful, but contrite, woman.
Luke 7:36-50
36. Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. And He entered the Pharisee's house, and reclined at the table.
37. And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,
38. and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume.
39. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."
40. And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."
41. "A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42. "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?"
43. Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
44. And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.
45. "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46. "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
47. "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
48. And He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49. And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
50. And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 7:36-50
36. Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. And He entered the Pharisee's house, and reclined at the table.
37. And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,
38. and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume.
39. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."
40. And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."
41. "A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42. "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?"
43. Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
44. And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.
45. "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46. "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
47. "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
48. And He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49. And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
50. And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Sunday, May 07, 2006
THE REMEDY
Vv 29-30 "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. 30. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
The remedy for being weary and heavy-laden is found in submission to Jesus’ lordship as explained in His words, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me.” A line is drawn; either submit to the religious system laid out by the rabbis, scribes, and Pharisees or Me. Either way one chooses his yoke. Here is a strict dichotomy; follow the religious rules that made life unbearable, or follow the One who commanded authority over nature.
The yoke that Jesus offered guaranteed an education: and you will learn from me, this education didn’t riddle one down with a bunch of legalistic regulation. In submission to Jesus one found an experiential education that He was gentle and humble in heart as opposed to the proud religious. In this submission to Christ’s lordship one finds the greatest peace; you shall find rest for your souls.
It is interesting that Jesus would draw upon this passage in Jeremiah because this is an exact replica of what Judaism portrayed in Jeremiah’s past, Jesus’ present, and today’s Jewish nation as their future. The whole passage reads: Jer. 6:16 Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, `We will not walk in it.'
At some point the decision is made, just as death is imminent. One either believes and then worships or one rejects and says with the Jews, “We will not walk in it.” The rational mind will say that the Bible is the absolute truth of God, or the mind will justify the manufacture of one’s own morphing truth. Anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear will readily agree with the absolute truth of scripture that Jesus speaks even today:
V30. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
Therein awaits the rest for the weary and heavy-laden soul. Believe it; or not?
The remedy for being weary and heavy-laden is found in submission to Jesus’ lordship as explained in His words, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me.” A line is drawn; either submit to the religious system laid out by the rabbis, scribes, and Pharisees or Me. Either way one chooses his yoke. Here is a strict dichotomy; follow the religious rules that made life unbearable, or follow the One who commanded authority over nature.
The yoke that Jesus offered guaranteed an education: and you will learn from me, this education didn’t riddle one down with a bunch of legalistic regulation. In submission to Jesus one found an experiential education that He was gentle and humble in heart as opposed to the proud religious. In this submission to Christ’s lordship one finds the greatest peace; you shall find rest for your souls.
It is interesting that Jesus would draw upon this passage in Jeremiah because this is an exact replica of what Judaism portrayed in Jeremiah’s past, Jesus’ present, and today’s Jewish nation as their future. The whole passage reads: Jer. 6:16 Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, `We will not walk in it.'
At some point the decision is made, just as death is imminent. One either believes and then worships or one rejects and says with the Jews, “We will not walk in it.” The rational mind will say that the Bible is the absolute truth of God, or the mind will justify the manufacture of one’s own morphing truth. Anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear will readily agree with the absolute truth of scripture that Jesus speaks even today:
V30. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
Therein awaits the rest for the weary and heavy-laden soul. Believe it; or not?
