Sermons
To What Shall I Compare This Generation?
Series: Studies in Luke"To What Shall I Compare This Generation?"
Lk. 7:31-8:3
Introduction:
1. People have their expectations of Jesus.
2. Some wanted to be healed and probably came to Him more motivated by their desire for physical health than for anything.
3. Others left business, family and everything and followed Jesus in total commitment.
4. The Pharisees and lawyers rejected God’s purpose for them, rejected John and Jesus and recognized little need for what He had to offer. These were critical of Him and of those who humbly gave themselves to Him. It seems this is generally the case. Those who recognize little need and the ones who are most critical.
5. It is not much different today. Some want what they can get. Others are oblivious to their need, but some love Him to the point of giving themselves totally.
6. What is it for you? The text in Luke 7:31-8:3 contrasts the critical and the humble.
Discussion:
I. The contrast between the Pharisee and the woman who was a sinner (Lk. 7:36-50). A greater understanding of Middle Eastern culture may give us some insight into the setting. (I preached a lesson on this section back in Nov. 2023. Please be patient with me as we review some of the things discussed in that lesson.)
A. Why is this woman in this house in the first place?
1. Kenneth E. Bailey lived in the middle east for 60 years. He taught in Egypt,
Lebanon, Jerusalem and Cyprus lecturing on Middle Eastern New Testament
studies.
2. He makes this observation, “At traditional Middle Eastern village meals, the
outcasts of the community are not shut out. They sit quietly on the floor against
the wall, and at the end of the meal are fed. Their presence is a compliment to the
host who is thereby seen as so noble that he even feeds the outcasts of the
community. The rabbis insisted that the door be opened when a meal was in
progress lest you shut out God’s blessing upon yourself” (Jesus Through Middle
Eastern Eyes, p. 246).
3. So, the situation sets up the status of the Pharisee by comparison to the woman,
who has no status. She is just another sinner the Pharisee is feeding.
4. Nevertheless, she seems to be out of place here. A sinner, in a Pharisee’s house.
What about the laws of purity? Some consider this woman a prostitute (Joel B.
Green, NICNT, Luke).
B. Bailey also observes that rabbis reclined at the table in the order of age the senior
reclining first and the junior taking his place below him (p. 244). In Luke 11:43 Jesus
observes that Pharisees love the chief seats in the synagogues.
1. Evidently these elements of status transferred over into the setting at the dinner.
2. Luke says, “Jesus entered the house and reclined at the table.” What position did
He take? Probably about 30 years old He is probably not the senior here. What if
He took one of the chief seats appropriate to the “Expected One,” a prophet?
3. The dynamics of this situation are powerful! Tension fills the room.
C. But then it was evidently traditional to provide one’s guests with water to wash their
feet, to give a kiss, and anoint them with oil (Baily, p. 243). Cf. “Come in. May I take
your coat? Sit here. What would you like to drink?” These traditional courtesies were
omitted here.
1. What’s going on?
2. Is this whole scenario an examination, a test, to find out whether Jesus is a
prophet or not with the presumption that He is not (7:39)?
II. Simon’s omissions in contrast to the unnamed woman’s actions (Lk. 7:40-50).
A. Simon has omitted the common courtesies.
1. Water to wash feet.
2. Kiss.
3. Anointing with oil.
4. I would ask if this is meant to be an insult? If Simon is hostile to Jesus, probably.
If he is merely skeptical and investigating, maybe. The context notes that the
Pharisees and lawyers “rejected God’s purpose for themselves” (v. 30). Perhaps he
is deliberately humiliating this so-called prophet.
B. The woman, Simon identifies as “a sinner” (v. 39).
1. We have already noted that some identify her as a prostitute.
2. She has an alabaster vial of perfume. Evidently, she has brought it purposefully.
This suggests that this is not her first encounter with Jesus. Has she encountered
Him before and received forgiveness and is now coming to honor Him with the
perfume?
3. She is a witness to Simon’s omissions.
4. Her actions are responses to his omissions.
a. She wet Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Is she crying
because of the humiliation Jesus has experienced from Simon?
b. She kissed His feet.
c. She anointed His feet with the perfume.
5. Joel B. Green, in NICNT, sees sexual overtones in the woman’s actions.
a. He says that for a woman to let her hair down in a circumstance like this would
be like appearing topless in public.
b. He says she would have appeared to be fondling Jesus’ feet.
c. He says her actions would have appeared as erotic. Perhaps even in our society
her actions appear that way. How much more so if she is a known prostitute?
d. If this is the case, can you imagine what Simon is thinking, the other people in
the room? Luke says, “When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this
man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is
who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.’”
e. Is He a prophet? Simon is about to find out!!! Note vs. 40ff. Now we might like
to read Jesus’ response with a hostile tone. But I find only gentleness in Jesus’
response. Gracious forgiveness like that given to the woman, now available to
Simon. Note vs. 42: “He graciously forgave them both.” I really want to punch
Simon in the face.
6. Jesus forgave the woman. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
C. The contrast is between critical Simon who recognizes little need of forgiveness and
a humble woman who is recognized as a sinner. Do you find yourself being more
critical and less loving?
III. Luke continues his narrative in 8:1-3 with a summary and an observation about what some women were doing.
A. In His geographical fashion Luke says, “Soon afterwards, He began going around
from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God.
1. Note that He is proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God.
2. The twelve were with Him. These have left everything including their usual means
of making a living and are following Him.
B. But they are not the only ones. Some women were doing the same.
1. Mary Magdalene.
2. Joanna.
3. Susanna.
4. And many others.
5. 13 men and a group of women are moving around together from place to place???
If you were like Simon what criticism might you have of this arrangement? I
wonder where they are staying? What are the logistics here? And one of them is
Chuza’s wife? I wonder what he thought about his wife traveling with this group?
Jesus is known to involve widows (7:11-17) and prostitutes (7:36-50). The
mention of Mary and Susanna, individually and Joanna, the wife of Chuza
suggests that some may have been single, others married. The whole situation
seems to be suspect. These women are recipients of Jesus’ graciousness.
C. These women were contributing to the support of the group out of their private
means. They have received and now they are contributing voluntarily. Ladies, is
this something you would do? Explain. Maybe such manifestations of gratitude
and generosity have pushed beyond the boundaries of social propriety. The
kingdom has become the chief priority.
Conclusion:
1. What are your expectations of Jesus?
2. Are you given to being critical? Judgmental?
3. “Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned,” Jesus said (Lk. 6:37).
