Luke 7:36-50
“Notice what you notice.” The first thing that strikes me is the beginning of verse 40, And Jesus answering said to him… Here’s what’s strange about that: the Pharisee, Simon, had said nothing – but Jesus answered him. Jesus knew what Simon was thinking without Simon having said a word (Luke reports of Simon that “he said to himself”). Jesus also knew something about the woman although there is nothing reported about her saying anything or anyone saying anything about her. And the ironic thing in all this is what’s on Simon’s mind in the first place. Simon is thinking, “If this man were a prophet…”! Jesus’ next words then validate His prophetic ministry, in that He knew both Simon’s thoughts and the woman’s past.
I was also struck by a Pharisee, Simon offering Jesus an invitation to dine with him. Was this a genuine invitation for Simon to get to know Jesus better (not unlike Nicodemus) or was it an attempt by Simon and his friends to invite Jesus in to trip Him up on something He might say? I’d like to think it was a genuine invitation that got ugly when the woman came in uninvited and that Simon repented of his own thoughts when he got “found out”. But that’s reading a lot more into the text than is actually reported!
Finally another small item. My NKJV says that Jesus “sat at table”, while the NASB and ESV both have Him “reclining at table”. And there’s not a footnote explanation on either item. There are a number of other occasions in the Gospels that have Jesus “reclining at table”. See Mt. 9:10, Mt. 26:20, Mark 14:18, Luke 11:37, John 12:2 and more. So I guess reclining at table was customary. Frankly, it makes it much easier to see the woman ministering to Jesus’ feet if He were reclining at table. I realize this is a small item, but my questioning it tells me how much more involved I am in this entire Gospel journey. I have active pictures in my mind that I never had before. And that’s good!
Slava Bohu!