A Sinful Woman Weeps at Jesus' Feet
Month 8: The Heart of Jesus · Bible Story
Today's Scripture
Read together: Luke 7:36-50
36 Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!” 40 But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said. 41 “Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?” 43 “I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Memory Verse
“Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.””— Luke 7:47 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Isaiah 29-31
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Isaiah warns a people who honor God "with their lips" while their hearts are far from Him — exactly the danger Simon the Pharisee will fall into today.)The Heart of It
Jesus is invited to dinner at the home of Simon, a religious leader. Then the door opens. In comes a woman everyone in town knows for all the wrong reasons. The Bible calls her "a woman in the city who was a sinner." She doesn't say a word. She kneels down behind Jesus. She weeps so hard that her tears wet His feet. Then she wipes His feet with her own hair, kisses them, and pours out expensive perfume. It is messy. It is emotional. And she is not embarrassed at all. Simon is horrified. He thinks to himself, If this man were really a prophet, He'd know what kind of woman this is and push her away. But Jesus knows exactly what kind of woman she is. And He lets her stay. That is the heart of Jesus. He is not disgusted by broken people who come to Him. He welcomes them.
Then Jesus tells a short story. Two people each owed money they could never pay back. One owed a little. One owed a lot. And the lender simply forgave them both. Which one, Jesus asks, will love the lender more? The one who was forgiven more, of course. The point lands like a thunderclap. This weeping woman knows she owes everything, so she loves much. Simon thinks he's basically a good man, so he has barely shown Jesus any love at all. Then Jesus turns to her and says the words she came for. "Your sins are forgiven." Not because she cried enough. Not because she paid enough. He forgives her because she came to Him in faith. Tonight, remember this. The person who feels too far gone is often the one closest to Jesus' heart.
Around the Table
A lady was very, very sad about the wrong things she had done. She cried right at Jesus' feet. And Jesus didn't say "go away." He said, "Your sins are forgiven. You can have peace now!"
Let's do it: Whisper a quiet "I'm sorry" to Jesus for one thing today. Then smile big, because He forgives you!
Simon thought he was better than the crying woman. But Jesus said she loved God more. She loved more because she knew how much she'd been forgiven. Why is it hard to love God a lot when you think you're already pretty good?
Let's talk: What did the woman bring to Jesus? She didn't bring money or good behavior. She brought a sorry, trusting heart.
Jesus says her many sins are forgiven because she loved much. But the parable makes the real order clear. She loved much because she had already been forgiven much. Love is the response, not the price.
Let's go deeper: If you grew up "in church," is there a danger of becoming like Simon? You can be polite to Jesus but not really love Him. How do you guard your heart against that?
💬 Conversation Starter
Has anyone ever forgiven you for something big? How did you feel about that person afterward? That feeling is a little picture of loving Jesus much.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Some people say religion is for "good people" who look down on everyone else. But Jesus does the opposite here. He defends the outsider and corrects the religious host. The gospel isn't good people earning a reward. It's broken people receiving mercy they could never repay.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Watch where Jesus is sitting. He is at the table of a man who is sizing Him up, while the one person in the room with no standing pours out the most extravagant worship. Simon offered Jesus no water, no kiss, no oil. Those were the basic courtesies a host owed a guest. The "sinner" offered tears, kisses, and perfume. The difference wasn't manners. It was a sense of debt. Dad, the slow erosion of a Christian life is forgetting how much you've been forgiven. Familiarity with grace can quietly cool into Simon's polite distance. Tonight, before you lead anyone else, let yourself be the woman at His feet. Name your real debt, and let yourself feel forgiven again. Children can tell the difference between a father performing religion and a father undone by mercy.
Draws on: Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes.
Let's Pray Together
"Lord Jesus, thank You that You never turn away people who come to You broken. We come to You now. We know we need You. We trust You to forgive us. You have forgiven us so much. So help our family love You so much. In Jesus' name, amen."
Jesus welcomes the one everyone else turns away. He says, "Your sins are forgiven; go in peace."