Why is the act of kissing important in the context of Luke 7:45? Text and Immediate Context Luke 7:45 : “You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet from the time I entered.” The verse sits within 7:36-50, where Jesus is dining at the Pharisee Simon’s house and a woman known for sin anoints His feet. Jesus contrasts Simon’s omissions of customary hospitality with the woman’s lavish affection. Hospitality and Social Custom In first-century Judea, three courtesies marked honorable reception of a guest: water for the feet, oil for the head, and a greeting kiss (cf. Genesis 18:4; Psalm 23:5). Archaeological texts from Qumran and reliefs from first-century synagogues depict hosts embracing guests at the doorway, underscoring the norm. Simon offered none of these, signaling indifference—if not disrespect—toward Jesus. Comparative Biblical Usage • Hospitality: Exodus 18:7; 1 Samuel 20:41. • Reconciliation: Genesis 33:4 (Esau and Jacob). • Submission/Worship: Psalm 2:12 “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry.” • Covenant Sealing: 1 Samuel 10:1 (Samuel anoints Saul). • Church Practice: Romans 16:16; 1 Peter 5:14 “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” These texts reveal kissing as a multifaceted sign: welcome, loyalty, love, and reverence. Feet in Scripture Kissing feet connotes extreme humility (2 Samuel 14:4). By stooping to Jesus’ feet, the woman confesses unworthiness and acknowledges His lordship—an embodied Psalm 95:6 posture (“Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker”). Theological Significance 1. Repentance Received: Her actions flow from forgiven sin (7:47); the kiss becomes sacramental evidence of grace already granted. 2. Christological Honor: She ascribes to Jesus a dignity surpassing Pharisaic status; He receives worship due only to God (Isaiah 42:8), affirming His divinity. 3. Foreshadowing Passion: Anointing and kissing anticipate burial rites (cf. John 12:7), while contrasting Judas’ treacherous kiss (Luke 22:48). Contrast with Simon Simon’s withholding of the kiss exposes a heart unchanged. His intellectual curiosity about Jesus lacks covenantal loyalty. The narrative teaches that external religiosity without affectionate devotion is barren (Isaiah 29:13). Practical and Devotional Application Believers are summoned to: • Offer wholehearted, visible honor to Christ—engaging mind, will, and body. • Extend sincere hospitality mirroring divine grace (Hebrews 13:2). • Practice the “holy kiss” or culturally equivalent gestures, cultivating family-like unity in the church. Conclusion In Luke 7:45 the act of kissing moves beyond social courtesy; it becomes a tangible confession of sin, proclamation of Jesus’ divine worth, and paradigm of worshipful devotion. The woman’s kisses embody the redeemed purpose of humanity—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever—while Simon’s absence of a kiss warns against loveless orthodoxy. |
    |