How does Luke 7:45 challenge our understanding of hospitality and forgiveness? Setting the Scene Luke 7:36-50 places Jesus at a Pharisee’s table when “a woman who had lived a sinful life” (v. 37) anoints His feet. In verse 45 Jesus tells His host, “You did not greet Me with a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing My feet”. The verse spotlights two people standing before the same Lord yet responding in opposite ways. Cultural Hospitality Norms • In first-century Judea a kiss on the cheek (Genesis 29:13; 2 Samuel 20:9) was the standard welcome, equal to today’s warm handshake or hug. • Foot washing with water (Genesis 18:4; John 13:5) refreshed dusty travelers. • Anointing a guest’s head with oil (Psalm 23:5) honored and refreshed. • Simon the Pharisee offered none of these. The woman supplied them all—lavishly. The Stunning Contrast • Simon’s external respectability masks an inhospitable heart. • The woman’s public reputation is sinful, yet her actions overflow with affection. • Jesus measures hospitality by love expressed, not by social status (1 Samuel 16:7). • Forgiveness motivates generous hospitality; self-righteousness withholds it. Heart-Level Hospitality • Hospitality is more than polite service; it is heart engagement with the guest. • Romans 12:13 commands believers to “pursue hospitality.” The woman pursues Jesus’ comfort, kissing His feet repeatedly. • Matthew 25:35 links welcoming strangers with welcoming Christ Himself. Forgiveness Displayed in Love • Luke 7:47: “Her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has loved much.” • Forgiveness received produces visible, costly love—perfume, tears, kisses, humility. • Ephesians 1:7 roots forgiveness in Christ’s blood, making every believer eternally indebted to grace. • 1 Peter 4:8-9 weds “fervent love” to “hospitality without complaining,” echoing the woman’s attitude. Bringing It Home • Hospitality begins in the heart: Do we greet Christ’s body—His people—with warmth or indifference? • The depth of our gratitude for forgiveness shows in the breadth of our welcome to others (James 2:15-16). • Those conscious of great mercy express it through tangible acts: open homes, generous meals, affectionate greetings, and unashamed worship. • Luke 7:45 dismantles polite religiosity and replaces it with love-driven hospitality that mirrors the Savior who “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). |
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