what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

The prophets mentioned in the Old Testament discovered that they knew what took place at a distance. Thus Elisha the prophet knew that Gehazi his servant went back to receive a present from Naaman the Syrian; and the same prophet discovered to the king of Israel what passed in the bed-chamber of the king of Syria.From these, and other facts of a like nature, this Pharisee concluded, that if Jesus were a divine teacher, he would have known the past conduct of this woman; and that his ignorance upon this subject, which he discovered by permitting her to kiss his feet, and to show him other marks of respect, which Pharisees would not admit of from persons whose conduct had been notoriously infamous, was a plain proof of his being no prophet. In making this conclusion the Pharisee certainly went too far for although the ancient prophets appear to have known in some instances what took place at a distance, there is no reason to believe that they had this knowledge in every case; but only where it was particularly communicated to them by God. Jesus might, therefore, have been ignorant of the conduct of this woman, and yet have had just pretensions to be a divine teacher.

40. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee:

Jesus respectfully asks permission of Simon the Pharisee, whose guest he was, to say a few words, in answer to the objection which he had made in his own mind to his conduct; showing him that he knew what had passed in his thoughts, and must therefore, according to his own kind of reasoning, be a divine teacher.

And he saith, Master, say on.

41. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors; the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty;

42.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most?

43. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most; and he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

By this parable Jesus intended to justify his conduct towards this woman, in permitting her to come into his presence, and to show him strong marks of her esteem. For if her penitence and gratitude from the hopes of forgiveness, which she had derived from his discourses, were as much more fervent than that of other persons, as her offences had been more heinous, she was as worthy of notice and favour as less transgressors, such as this Pharisee supposed himself to be. He therefore proceeds to show him how much more humble and grateful her conduct had been than his. He had neglected the common offices of civility, for fear, perhaps, of giving umbrage to the other Pharisees by these marks of attention: but she had given signs of gratitude which had never before been exhibited.

44. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house; thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed, “she hath bathed," my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

Jesus well knew the cause whence her tears flowed; but he gave the matter a different turn, as if they were intended to supply a deficiency of civility in the master of the house, who had neglected to bring him water to wash his feet.

45. Thou gavest me no kiss; but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

To kiss the hand of a superior, as a token of reverence, was the common custom in the East, and continues there to this day. Even in our own country this ceremony is observed towards the prince. This mark of respect Simon had not paid to Jesus*.

46. Mine head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed my feet with perfume.

To anoint the head and wash the feet are the first civilities paid to a guest in the East. Jesus takes notice of these omissions in the behaviour of Simon, not so much to reproach him for neglecting the customary civilities, as to show how much this woman had exceeded him.

47.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven: for she loved much.

These words, as they stand in our translation, do not at all accord with our Lord's design in this place, which is evidently to show that her great love was the effect or consequence of having many sins forgiven, and not the cause or means of forgiveness, as this language represents it to be. Some have therefore proposed translating the words thus, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; therefore she loveth much. Others, with the slight transposition of a word, upon the authority of one manuscript, thus, Because her sins, which are many, are forgiven, she loved much; both which translations render the sense plain and consistent, and are better than that in our English Bible. Our Lord does not completely unfold his design to the Pharisee, but leaves him to draw the proper conclusion himself. The

*Harmer, vol. ii. p. 56, 57.

Pharisee had censured him, in his own thoughts, for suffering this woman to come near him; but Jesus had shown that if her offences had been great, her gratitude for the hope of forgiveness had been proportionately. great; and that, therefore, she was a sincere penitent, which justified his conduct towards her.

But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48.

And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Jesus, knowing what passed in the mind of this woman, as he had before known what passed in the mind of the Pharisee, by those extraordinary gifts which he possessed, and perceiving that she was sincerely contrite for her offences, assures her that they are forgiven by God.

49. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this, that forgiveth sins also?

These Jews thought that it was God only, who knew the hearts of men, that was qualified to assure any one that his sins were forgiven; and not being aware that Jesus possessed this knowledge, they thought it presumption in him to use the language which he addressed to the woman. Lest she should be embarrassed with the doubts which the rest of the company expressed, by their looks if not by their words, of the authority of Jesus for what he said, he repeats his assurance, mentioning at the same time the means by which it had been procured, as an inducement to others to follow her example.

50. And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee: go in peace.

By believing Jesus to be sent from God, and attending to his instructions, she had been induced to repent of her sins, and was hereby saved from the punishment which, if unrepented of, they would have brought upon her.

REFLECTIONS.

1. Let us rejoice in the view here given us of the pardoning mercy of God. In exercising that attribute towards sinners, he is like a creditor, who, having two debtors that had nothing to pay, freely forgave them both not, as some have represented him, like a creditor, who, when the debtor had nothing to pay himself, required others to pay for him, and will remit nothing of his demand, unless he receives an equivalent. That representation is as inconsistent with the language of Scripture, as it is with the nature of mercy. These Sacred Writings always speak of God as forgiving freely, when men repent of their sins, and sincerely desire it, without regard to any future consideration to be received, or any thing to be done by another: remitting a larger debt, as readily as a smaller; one of five hundred pence, as soon as one of fifty. The number or magnitude of men's sins makes no difference to him, if they are sincerely repented of. Let this consideration chear and encourage those whose minds are at present oppressed with a consciousness of the long continuance or enormity of their offences. Go to the God of mercy, and say to him, that you are truly sorry for what you have done; that henceforward you will cease to do evil, and learn to do well; and then, although your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; although they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

2. Let those who have been forgiven much, remember that they ought to love much. In proportion as their past conduct has been irregular and disorderly, ought their sorrow to be deep and poignant, their humility unfeigned and their gratitude fervent, if they hope for forgiveness. This is nothing more than what God