City Life Starter

Written by Megan Meier

The Word   

36 “One of the Pharisees asked [Jesus] 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.’”

Luke 7:36-39 ESV

Reflection

When a rabbi was visiting another’s house, uninvited guests were allowed to come and listen. There was a large crowd in the Pharisee’s house at this time, making the actions of the sinful woman, who was likely a prostitute, very public.

In the days before jackhammers, materials were painstakingly excavated with pickaxes, the difficulty in excavation and rarity of alabaster at the time made it a very precious commodity. The alabaster flask itself cost about 300 denarii, nearly one year’s wages ($40-50,000). Why did she use ointment? There is no mention of Jesus’ feet being blistered. Ointment at this time was made from spices and olive oil, and likely myrrh. Each ingredient was considered precious in and of themselves; this would have cost another year’s wages. The woman spent two years’ wages for a few minutes, why? She wasn’t intending to heal Jesus’ feet, but anoint them.

Before anointing, she commits a few unorthodox but very beautiful acts, cleansing His feet with her tears and wiping His feet with her hair. She has shown repentance and by wiping His feet with her hair – considered a source of beauty – shows she is willing to give up her “career” and sinful life.

The woman kissing Jesus’ feet indicates extreme humility and respect. The Jews wore very thin-soled sandals and getting dirt (or something else) on the feet was inevitable. Touching other people’s feet was considered extremely gross back then, and washing feet was considered a job for the lowest servant which is why Peter was so hesitant on Jesus washing his own feet (John 13:1-8). Imagine the horror of the crowd seeing the woman, even a sinful woman, kissing Jesus’ feet.

Anointing with oil is a sign of hospitality, honor, and consecration, which the woman does all three. In the days before Bath and Body Works or even (I’m sorry if you’re eating) septic systems, beautiful scents were a rarity. The scent of spices and myrrh would have permeated the entire house and all of the crowd would have remembered this beautiful moment of repentance and reverence.

The Pharisee, instead of seeing an extremely beautiful act of repentance and reverence, just saw a “dirty sinner” and judged Jesus for not turning her away.  

Application

The sinful woman did not say a word in this passage, but her actions shouted from the rooftops her repentance and reverence for Jesus. What about you? What do your actions say? Are they in reverence for Jesus and what He’s done? Are they judging others who’ve done wrong or are showing reverence for Jesus in an unorthodox way?

Prayer

Lord, let my actions match my words. May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be pleasing to You (Psalm 19:14). Let me see You in the actions of others. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.