Have you ever felt like you had to hide who you are before you could approach God — scrubbed of shame, rehearsed, acceptable? Luke 7:36–50 meets us in that raw place: a woman, scandalously labeled “a sinner,” pushes past propriety to anoint Jesus’ feet with tears, perfume, and hair. The scene cracks open the religious façade of the house and exposes a deeper hunger for mercy that ritual alone cannot fill.
In Luke’s version, Jesus is dining at Simon the Pharisee’s house when a woman known in the town as sinful enters, weeps over Jesus’ feet, wets them with her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses them and pours expensive perfume. Simon silently judges Jesus for allowing her near. Jesus tells a parable about two debtors to show that greater love follows greater forgiveness, then declares her sins forgiven and sends her away in peace, saying her faith has saved her. Note: similar anointing stories appear in Mark and Matthew (at Bethany, a woman anoints Jesus’ head) and in John (Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus’ feet before the Passion), but Luke’s telling is distinct — set in a Pharisee’s house, identifying the woman as a known sinner and emphasizing forgiveness rather than burial-preparation.
This passage reveals who Jesus is: he notices the overlooked, reads hearts, and refuses to let religious propriety trump mercy. The Kingdom he proclaims in this moment upends social shame and religious self-righteousness — forgiveness is not a reward for good behavior but the soil where repentance and love grow. Don’t miss the weight: Jesus publicly affirms a marginalized, repentant heart while exposing Simon’s cold judgment. That is both a confronting rebuke and radical hope — grace meets us where we are, and it changes us.
Today, practice a small, concrete act of humility and receiving. Find a quiet place, bring to mind one thing you’ve hidden or one person you’ve judged, and speak it aloud — either in prayer or to a trusted friend: “I need mercy.” If you feel compelled, offer a real gesture of service or apology to someone you’ve distanced yourself from. Let the posture of the woman — tears, costly gift, vulnerability — teach you to receive and to give mercy without keeping score.
In Luke’s version, Jesus is dining at Simon the Pharisee’s house when a woman known in the town as sinful enters, weeps over Jesus’ feet, wets them with her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses them and pours expensive perfume. Simon silently judges Jesus for allowing her near. Jesus tells a parable about two debtors to show that greater love follows greater forgiveness, then declares her sins forgiven and sends her away in peace, saying her faith has saved her. Note: similar anointing stories appear in Mark and Matthew (at Bethany, a woman anoints Jesus’ head) and in John (Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus’ feet before the Passion), but Luke’s telling is distinct — set in a Pharisee’s house, identifying the woman as a known sinner and emphasizing forgiveness rather than burial-preparation.
This passage reveals who Jesus is: he notices the overlooked, reads hearts, and refuses to let religious propriety trump mercy. The Kingdom he proclaims in this moment upends social shame and religious self-righteousness — forgiveness is not a reward for good behavior but the soil where repentance and love grow. Don’t miss the weight: Jesus publicly affirms a marginalized, repentant heart while exposing Simon’s cold judgment. That is both a confronting rebuke and radical hope — grace meets us where we are, and it changes us.
Today, practice a small, concrete act of humility and receiving. Find a quiet place, bring to mind one thing you’ve hidden or one person you’ve judged, and speak it aloud — either in prayer or to a trusted friend: “I need mercy.” If you feel compelled, offer a real gesture of service or apology to someone you’ve distanced yourself from. Let the posture of the woman — tears, costly gift, vulnerability — teach you to receive and to give mercy without keeping score.
Luke: 7:36-50
While dining at Pharisee Simon's house, a sinful woman weeps over Jesus' feet, anoints them with perfume, and washes them with her tears, prompting Jesus to tell a parable about two debtors to show that being forgiven much leads to great love. He contrasts the woman's devotion with Simon's lack of hospitality, pronounces her sins forgiven, and tells her that her faith has saved her and to go in peace.
Open Verse