A Sinful Woman Forgiven (Luke 7:36–50)
Extravagant Love: The Story of a Sinful Woman Forgiven
Introduction
Have you ever felt unworthy of love? Like your mistakes were too big, your past too messy, for anyone—especially God—to truly accept you? At some point, I think we’ve all been there. That’s why the story of the sinful woman in Luke 7:36–50 hits so hard. It’s a story of brokenness, forgiveness, and a love so extravagant it defies logic.
This passage isn’t just about a woman anointing Jesus’ feet. It’s about the power of grace to transform lives. It’s about how Jesus sees us—not for our sins, but for our potential to love deeply because we’ve been forgiven much. Let’s walk through this story together and see what it has to say to us today.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of Luke 7:36–50 and Commentary
Luke 7:36–38
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.
The scene opens with Jesus dining at the home of a Pharisee named Simon. It’s a formal setting, likely filled with religious leaders and social elites. But then, an uninvited guest arrives: a woman known in the city as a sinner. Her actions are shocking. She weeps, washes Jesus’ feet with her tears, dries them with her hair, and anoints them with expensive perfume.
Joel B. Green, in The Gospel of Luke, notes that this woman’s actions are a public display of humility and devotion. In a culture where women’s hair was considered intimate and feet were seen as unclean, her actions would have been scandalous. But she doesn’t care about social norms. She’s focused entirely on Jesus.
Perhaps you noticed the contrast between Simon’s cold and stern hospitality and the woman’s extravagant affection. Simon, the host, didn’t offer Jesus the customary and expected gesture of a welcome—water for his feet, a kiss of greeting, or oil for his head. But this woman, uninvited as she may be, gives Jesus everything.
Luke 7:39–40
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
Simon’s reaction reveals his judgmental heart. He assumes that if Jesus were truly a prophet, he would know this woman’s sinful reputation and reject her. But Jesus, knowing Simon’s thoughts, interrupts with a parable. It’s a gentle but firm rebuke, inviting Simon to see the situation through the lens of grace.
Leon Morris, in Luke (TNTC), points out that Simon’s problem isn’t just his judgment of the woman; it’s his failure to recognize his own need for forgiveness. He sees himself as righteous and the woman as sinful. This is the task of all maturing Christians—to not only see what’s wrong “out there in the world” but to also understand that the world inside of us is also in deep need of grace.
In the following parable, Jesus flips the script, so to speak, in order to help Simon see the situation differently.
Luke 7:41–43
“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Jesus tells a simple story about two debtors. One owes a large sum, the other a small amount. Both debts are canceled, and Jesus asks Simon who will love the creditor more. Simon answers correctly: the one with the greater debt. But he doesn’t yet see how this applies to him.
N.T. Wright, in Luke for Everyone, explains that this parable isn’t just about forgiveness; it’s about the relationship between forgiveness and love. The more we understand the depth of our sin and the magnitude of God’s grace, the more we’ll love him in return.
This is uniquely profound, in my opinion. It is difficult to sit with one’s shortcomings, sins, and failures. It is difficult work to be vulnerable and open, yet the reward for such audacious truth-telling of the self is that we grow in our capacity to love. It is as if truth, forgiveness, and love are inextricably tied together.
Luke 7:44–50
Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus contrasts Simon’s lack of hospitality with the woman’s extravagant love. He makes it clear that her actions are evidence of her forgiven state, not a means to earn forgiveness. Her love flows from the grace she’s received.
The passage ends with Jesus declaring, “Your sins are forgiven,” and the guests questioning his authority. But the woman leaves with peace, knowing she’s been seen, loved, and forgiven.
Here are other passages in the Gospels in which Jesus forgives sins:
Luke 5:17-26: A paralyzed man is brought to Jesus. Jesus forgives his sins, which causes some to question His authority. To demonstrate His authority, Jesus heals the man, who then walks away, glorifying God.
Matthew 9:1-8: Jesus heals a paralyzed man, first telling him, “Your sins are forgiven.” This causes the religious leaders to challenge His authority, but Jesus affirms His divine power by healing the man physically.
Mark 2:1-12: Jesus forgives the sins of a paralyzed man and heals him, sparking criticism from the religious authorities. Jesus makes it clear that He has the authority to forgive sins, as demonstrated by the healing.
Luke 7:36-50: A sinful woman washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and anoints them with perfume. Jesus tells her that her sins are forgiven because of her great faith and love, contrasting her actions with those of the self-righteous Pharisee.
John 8:1-11: A woman caught in adultery is brought before Jesus. He tells her, “Neither do I condemn you,” and encourages her to leave her life of sin, showing mercy and forgiveness.
Luke 7:36-50 and Meaning for Today
This story challenges us to examine our own hearts. Are we like Simon, quick to judge others and blind to our own need for grace? Or are we like the woman, overwhelmed by the love of Jesus and willing to pour out our lives in response?
It also reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s forgiveness. No matter what you’ve done or how far you’ve fallen, Jesus sees you, loves you, and offers you grace. And when we truly grasp that grace, it changes everything. It turns our shame into joy, our fear into love, and our brokenness into beauty.
So, what would it look like for you to love Jesus extravagantly today? How might his forgiveness transform your life?
Sources Cited
1. Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (NICNT): Green emphasizes the cultural and social dynamics of the story, highlighting the woman’s humility and Simon’s judgment.
2. Darrell L. Bock, Luke (IVP New Testament Commentary): Bock focuses on the contrast between the woman’s actions and Simon’s lack of hospitality.
3. Leon Morris, Luke (TNTC): Morris explores the theme of forgiveness and its relationship to love.
4. N.T. Wright, Luke for Everyone: Wright connects the parable of the debtors to the broader message of grace and forgiveness.
