Luke 7:38
Verse
Context
A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus
37When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.38As 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.
Sermons
Aaron Dunlop
William MacDonald
Thomas Brooks
Walter WilsonThomas BrooksThomas BrooksSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Stood at his feet behind him - In taking their meals, the eastern people reclined on one side; the loins and knees being bent to make the more room, the feet of each person were turned outwards behind him. This is the meaning of standing Behind at his Feet. Began to wash his feet with tears - Ηρξατο βρεχειν - τοις δακρυσι, She began to water his feet - to let a shower of tears fall on them. As the Jews wore nothing like our shoes, (theirs being a mere sole, bound about the foot and ancle with thongs), their feet being so much exposed had frequent need of washing, and this they ordinarily did before taking their meals. Kissed his feet - With affectionate tenderness, κατεφιλει, or kissed them again and again. See on Mat 26:48 (note). The kiss was used in ancient times as the emblem of love, religious reverence, subjection, and supplication. It has the meaning of supplication, in the way of adoration, accompanied with subjection, in Kg1 19:18, Whose mouths have not kissed Baal; and in Job 31:27, My mouth hath not kissed my hand; I have paid no sort of adoration to false gods; and in Psa 2:12, Kiss the Son lest he be angry, - close in with him, embrace affectionately, the offers of mercy made unto you through Christ Jesus, lest he (the Lord) be angry with you, and ye perish: which commandment this woman seems to have obeyed, both in the literal and spiritual sense. Kissing the feet was practised also among the heathens, to express subjection of spirit, and earnest supplication. See a long example in Raphelius, produced from Polybius, concerning the Carthaginian ambassadors when supplicating the Romans for peace. With an humble and abject mind, πεσοντες επι την γην, they fell down on the earth, τους ποδας καταφιλοιεν τῳ συνεδριῳ, and kissed the feet of the council. See also several examples in Kypke. Kissing the feet is a farther proof that this person had been educated a heathen. This was no part of a Jew's practice.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
at his feet behind him--the posture at meals being a reclining one, with the feet out behind. began to wash, &c.--to "water with a shower." The tears, which were quite involuntary, poured down in a flood upon His naked feet, as she bent down to kiss them; and deeming them rather fouled than washed by this, she hastened to wipe them off with the only towel she had, the long tresses of her own hair, "with which slaves were wont to wash their masters' feet" [STIER]. kissed--The word signifies "to kiss fondly, to caress," or to "kiss again and again," which Luk 7:45 shows is meant here. What prompted this? Much love, springing from a sense of much forgiveness. So says He who knew her heart (Luk 7:47). Where she had met with Christ before, or what words of His had brought life to her dead heart and a sense of divine pardon to her guilty soul, we know not. But probably she was of the crowd of "publicans and sinners" whom Incarnate Compassion drew so often around Him, and heard from His lips some of those words such as never man spake, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour," &c. No personal interview had up to this time taken place between them; but she could keep her feelings no longer to herself, and having found her way to Him (and entered along with him, Luk 7:45), they burst forth in this surpassing yet most artless style, as if her whole soul would go out to Him.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And when they had nothing to pay,.... Neither the lesser nor greater debtor; for though not alike in debt, yet both insolvent: man has run out his whole stock, which the God of nature gave him, in his original creation and primitive state; and is become a bankrupt and a beggar, is poor, wretched, and miserable; he has no money, he has nothing to offer for a composition, much less for payment; he has no righteousness, and if he had, it would be nothing to pay with; since that itself, even in perfection, is due to God, and cannot discharge a former debt: sin being committed against an infinite being, is in some sense an infinite debt, and requires an infinite satisfaction, which a finite creature can never give; and he is therefore liable to a prison, and that for ever: but behold the wonderful grace of God, the creditor! he frankly forgave them both: their whole debts, without regard to any merits of theirs, which they could not have, or any motives in them, or any conditions to be performed by them, but purely of his sovereign will, free grace, and rich mercy, though not without regard to the satisfaction of his Son; which by no means hinders the frankness of the pardon, or obscures the grace of it, but increases and illustrates it; seeing this satisfaction is of God's own finding out, providing, and accepting; and is at his own expense, and without money and price, to the debtors: tell me therefore, which of them will love him most; or "ought to love him most", as the Ethiopic version. The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, leave out the first part of this clause, "tell me".
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:38 she knelt behind him at his feet: At a banquet, guests reclined around a low table with their feet extended outward. The woman could not reach Jesus’ head to anoint him, so she poured the perfume on his feet. • wiped them off with her hair: Letting down her hair in public was scandalous and could have constituted grounds for her husband to divorce her; kissing his feet connoted reverence. She discarded propriety due to her gratitude.
Luke 7:38
A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus
37When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.38As 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.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Kiss the Son
By Aaron Dunlop1.9K35:41Wrath Of God1SA 10:1PSA 2:6PSA 2:10PSA 2:12LUK 7:38In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of kissing the Son, which symbolizes worship, allegiance, and love towards Jesus Christ. The sermon references the story of a woman washing and kissing Jesus' feet, highlighting her gratitude for being forgiven much. The preacher urges believers to not only worship Jesus, but also obey His commands and seek to understand them through scripture. The sermon concludes by emphasizing the duty of believers to hear, come to, and trust in Christ, highlighting the blessings that come from putting our trust in Him.
Samson
By William MacDonald1.1K42:09SamsonNUM 6:2LUK 7:38LUK 15:2JAS 2:10In this sermon, the preacher discusses the cycle of sin and redemption that is seen throughout the book of Judges. He emphasizes that sin enslaves us and leads to a cycle of rebellion, retribution, repentance, and rest. The preacher uses the example of a boy named Johnny who lies to escape punishment for killing his mother's favorite duck, highlighting the tendency to lie to avoid consequences. He also addresses other sins such as cheating, profanity, lust, anger, and hatred, emphasizing the need for repentance and turning to God for forgiveness. The sermon concludes with the reminder that Jesus taught the importance of love and warned against the destructive nature of sin.
Broke Her Heart All in Pieces
By Thomas Brooks0God's LoveGrief for SinPSA 51:17ISA 53:5MAT 11:28LUK 7:38JHN 3:16ROM 5:82CO 7:10EPH 2:41PE 2:241JN 4:19Thomas Brooks emphasizes that a deeper understanding of God's love leads to greater sorrow for sin, as seen in the example of Mary Magdalene, whose heart was broken by the realization of her forgiveness. He illustrates that the warmth of divine love softens the heart, prompting genuine grief for offenses against God. The more one experiences the love of Christ, the more one mourns for the dishonor done to Him, highlighting the transformative power of grace and forgiveness.
Whose Tears?
By Walter Wilson02KI 20:5EST 8:3PSA 126:5LUK 7:38ACT 20:19Walter Wilson preaches about the significance of tears as seen through the eyes of a chemist, a pastor, and a police officer, emphasizing how tears reflect the bleeding of a broken heart, the sign of weakness, and the deep emotions tied to human experiences. The sermon delves into various instances of tears in the Bible, from Jesus' tears of compassion to a sinner's tears of repentance, highlighting the power and effectiveness of praying with tears in different contexts.
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
By Thomas Brooks0Spiritual RestorationMourning for Sin2CH 35:24PSA 51:17PSA 119:136JER 13:17JER 31:18ZEC 12:10MAT 5:4MAT 26:75LUK 7:38LUK 19:41Thomas Brooks emphasizes the profound blessing of mourning for sin, illustrating that true mourning reflects a deep sorrow akin to the loss of a loved one. He explains that this mourning should encompass both personal and communal sins, as well as a longing for spiritual restoration and communion with God. Brooks highlights that such mourning is not only for one's own sins but also for the sins and afflictions of others, demonstrating a heart aligned with God's compassion. He encourages believers to recognize the weight of sin as the greatest evil and to mourn for the spiritual losses that hinder their relationship with God. Ultimately, Brooks reassures that those who mourn in this way will be comforted by God's grace and mercy.
A Sinner Never Looks So Sweetly
By Thomas Brooks0RepentanceGod's GracePSA 34:18PSA 51:17PSA 56:8ISA 57:15MAT 5:4LUK 7:38LUK 15:102CO 7:10JAS 4:91JN 1:9Thomas Brooks emphasizes that a sinner appears most beautiful to God when they express genuine repentance through tears. He illustrates this by referencing the woman who wept at Jesus' feet, highlighting that while God may be displeased with sin, He delights in the heartfelt sorrow of a repentant heart. Brooks reassures that God values these tears so much that He keeps a bottle for them, symbolizing His compassion and grace towards sinners seeking forgiveness.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Stood at his feet behind him - In taking their meals, the eastern people reclined on one side; the loins and knees being bent to make the more room, the feet of each person were turned outwards behind him. This is the meaning of standing Behind at his Feet. Began to wash his feet with tears - Ηρξατο βρεχειν - τοις δακρυσι, She began to water his feet - to let a shower of tears fall on them. As the Jews wore nothing like our shoes, (theirs being a mere sole, bound about the foot and ancle with thongs), their feet being so much exposed had frequent need of washing, and this they ordinarily did before taking their meals. Kissed his feet - With affectionate tenderness, κατεφιλει, or kissed them again and again. See on Mat 26:48 (note). The kiss was used in ancient times as the emblem of love, religious reverence, subjection, and supplication. It has the meaning of supplication, in the way of adoration, accompanied with subjection, in Kg1 19:18, Whose mouths have not kissed Baal; and in Job 31:27, My mouth hath not kissed my hand; I have paid no sort of adoration to false gods; and in Psa 2:12, Kiss the Son lest he be angry, - close in with him, embrace affectionately, the offers of mercy made unto you through Christ Jesus, lest he (the Lord) be angry with you, and ye perish: which commandment this woman seems to have obeyed, both in the literal and spiritual sense. Kissing the feet was practised also among the heathens, to express subjection of spirit, and earnest supplication. See a long example in Raphelius, produced from Polybius, concerning the Carthaginian ambassadors when supplicating the Romans for peace. With an humble and abject mind, πεσοντες επι την γην, they fell down on the earth, τους ποδας καταφιλοιεν τῳ συνεδριῳ, and kissed the feet of the council. See also several examples in Kypke. Kissing the feet is a farther proof that this person had been educated a heathen. This was no part of a Jew's practice.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
at his feet behind him--the posture at meals being a reclining one, with the feet out behind. began to wash, &c.--to "water with a shower." The tears, which were quite involuntary, poured down in a flood upon His naked feet, as she bent down to kiss them; and deeming them rather fouled than washed by this, she hastened to wipe them off with the only towel she had, the long tresses of her own hair, "with which slaves were wont to wash their masters' feet" [STIER]. kissed--The word signifies "to kiss fondly, to caress," or to "kiss again and again," which Luk 7:45 shows is meant here. What prompted this? Much love, springing from a sense of much forgiveness. So says He who knew her heart (Luk 7:47). Where she had met with Christ before, or what words of His had brought life to her dead heart and a sense of divine pardon to her guilty soul, we know not. But probably she was of the crowd of "publicans and sinners" whom Incarnate Compassion drew so often around Him, and heard from His lips some of those words such as never man spake, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour," &c. No personal interview had up to this time taken place between them; but she could keep her feelings no longer to herself, and having found her way to Him (and entered along with him, Luk 7:45), they burst forth in this surpassing yet most artless style, as if her whole soul would go out to Him.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And when they had nothing to pay,.... Neither the lesser nor greater debtor; for though not alike in debt, yet both insolvent: man has run out his whole stock, which the God of nature gave him, in his original creation and primitive state; and is become a bankrupt and a beggar, is poor, wretched, and miserable; he has no money, he has nothing to offer for a composition, much less for payment; he has no righteousness, and if he had, it would be nothing to pay with; since that itself, even in perfection, is due to God, and cannot discharge a former debt: sin being committed against an infinite being, is in some sense an infinite debt, and requires an infinite satisfaction, which a finite creature can never give; and he is therefore liable to a prison, and that for ever: but behold the wonderful grace of God, the creditor! he frankly forgave them both: their whole debts, without regard to any merits of theirs, which they could not have, or any motives in them, or any conditions to be performed by them, but purely of his sovereign will, free grace, and rich mercy, though not without regard to the satisfaction of his Son; which by no means hinders the frankness of the pardon, or obscures the grace of it, but increases and illustrates it; seeing this satisfaction is of God's own finding out, providing, and accepting; and is at his own expense, and without money and price, to the debtors: tell me therefore, which of them will love him most; or "ought to love him most", as the Ethiopic version. The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, leave out the first part of this clause, "tell me".
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:38 she knelt behind him at his feet: At a banquet, guests reclined around a low table with their feet extended outward. The woman could not reach Jesus’ head to anoint him, so she poured the perfume on his feet. • wiped them off with her hair: Letting down her hair in public was scandalous and could have constituted grounds for her husband to divorce her; kissing his feet connoted reverence. She discarded propriety due to her gratitude.