Forgiveness

Taking opportunities

Everyday circumstances offer opportunities for us to learn about Jesus and to learn to be more like Him. They also offer us opportunities to teach others, especially our children the very same things. In this short series entitled “taking opportunities”, Jesus shows how He takes every day situations and uses them to teach the truth, and bring people into a knowledge of Him and the freedom of forgiveness from their sin.

Scripture

Luke 7:36-50 ESV  One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.  [37]  And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,  [38]  and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.  [39]  Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”  [40]  And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”  [41]  “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  [42]  When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”  [43]  Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”  [44]  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 wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  [45]  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.  [46]  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.  [47]  Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  [48]  And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  [49]  Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”  [50]  And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Bible Study Questions

Jesus the friend of sinners, but which ones?

Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to a meal, we can’t be sure of his motives but there is reason to doubt his sincerity. What we do know is that the Pharisees had rejected the baptism of John and did not respond to a call to repentance. They are the ones who called Jesus “a friend of sinners”. What is the great irony of Simon the Pharisee calling Jesus a “friend of sinners” and inviting Him to eat with him?

Luke 7:36-50 ESV  One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.

Luke 7:33-35 ESV  For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’  [34]  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  [35]  Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

The repentant sinner

The woman who comes to wash Jesus feet shows true repentance and gratitude for God’s grace. How do we know that she has already been forgiven by this time, and how does she show that she has received forgiveness?

Luke 7:37-38 ESV  And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,  [38]  and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Matthew 13:44-46 ESV  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  [45]  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,  [46]  who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The self-righteous pride of the sinner

The more pride we have in our hearts the harder it is to see our own sin, and to recognise the power and perfection of God. When we trust in our own righteousness we try to make ourselves god. What does that do to our ability to see the majesty of God and His grace?

Luke 7:39 ESV  Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”  [40]  And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

John 9:39-41 ESV  Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”  [40]  Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”  [41]  Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

The sinner’s response to grace

Jesus provides a parable to help Simon realise his own sin. Notice that both debtors couldn’t pay back what they owed. It didn’t matter how much they owed they couldn’t pay it back. The difference was not in what they owed, but rather how aware they were of what they couldn’t pay back. The more we are aware of the greatness of the debt we owe, regardless of how big or small it is compared with others, the more grateful we are for the forgiveness. How does this relate to our own sin, and Christ’s forgiveness?

Luke 7:40-43 ESV  And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”  [41]  “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  [42]  When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”  [43]  Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

James 4:8-10 ESV  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  [9]  Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.  [10]  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

The gift of the revelation and conviction of sin

It becomes clear here that the woman has already been forgive, because Jesus attributes her lavish and humble display of gratitude to her appreciation for how much she has been forgiven of. Was she forgiven for her lavish display, or was her display because of what she was forgiven of?

Luke 7:44-46 ESV 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 wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  [45]  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.  [46]  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  

Matthew 25:31-33 ESV  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  [32]  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  [33]  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Who alone forgives sin?

We may think that we can cleanse ourselves from sin, or get forgiveness from ourselves or others. But true peace only comes from true forgiveness, and true forgiveness comes from one place only. Why is Jesus the only One who can forgive us?

Luke 7:48-49 ESV And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” [49] Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

Luke 5:20-24 ESV  And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”  [21]  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  [22]  When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts?  [23]  Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?  [24]  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

The peace of the freedom from sin

Forgives brings freedom and freedom brings peace. Real peace. What does the forgiveness of Christ free from, what does it mean that we are free “to go”?

Luke 7:50 ESV   And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

John 8:36 ESV  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:10-11 ESV  Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  [11]  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”