One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus accepts an invitation to eat with a Pharisee, a member of a group often opposed to Him. This seemingly simple act highlights Jesus’ willingness to engage with those who might misunderstand or even condemn Him, demonstrating His mission to reach all people.
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine with a Pharisee named Simon, even though Pharisees were often critical of him. This meal occurs after Jesus had just criticized their judgmental attitudes and contrasted them with the "children of wisdom." The context sets the stage for Jesus to interact directly with a prominent religious leader and to demonstrate His gracious nature.
Why would Jesus, who challenged the religious elite, accept an invitation from a Pharisee? It wasn't just about a meal; it was about divine strategy.
Jesus' willingness to dine with Simon, a Pharisee, wasn't a sign of weakness or agreement with their ways. Instead, it was a bold act of divine purpose. The Pharisees were a group known for their strict adherence to the Law, often leading to exclusion and judgment. Yet, Jesus consistently crossed these social and religious barriers. His acceptance of Simon's invitation demonstrates His commitment to engage with all people, regardless of their background or reputation. He wasn't afraid to enter spaces that others deemed 'unclean' or 'unworthy,' because He saw the potential for transformation and divine encounter. This act shows Jesus' deliberate approach to reaching those who might otherwise never hear His message.
A woman's extravagant act of love shocks the dinner guests. What fuels such devotion, and what does it reveal about her relationship with Jesus?
The core of this story isn't just the woman's sin, but the overwhelming love that stemmed from her profound sense of forgiveness. Jesus uses a parable to show Simon that 'her many sins, which were forgiven, show how much she loved.' The greater the awareness of one's debt—and its cancellation—the greater the love and gratitude expressed. This woman's actions—weeping, kissing, and anointing Jesus' feet—were not merely emotional outbursts but powerful demonstrations of a transformed heart. Her love was a response to the immense forgiveness she had received, a forgiveness that far outweighed her past transgressions. It’s a powerful reminder that our capacity to love God is directly linked to our understanding of His grace towards us.
Ask a follow-up
Simon the Pharisee judges Jesus based on the woman's presence. How does Jesus turn Simon's own assumptions into a lesson about true righteousness?
Simon's internal monologue reveals a critical flaw in his understanding of true righteousness. He judges Jesus for allowing a 'sinner' to touch Him, missing the point that Jesus came precisely to seek and save the lost. Jesus confronts Simon not with condemnation, but with a mirror. By contrasting Simon's lack of basic hospitality (no water for His feet, no kiss) with the woman's extravagant acts of devotion, Jesus exposes Simon's own spiritual poverty. Simon, focused on outward religious observance, missed the heart of God's kingdom – mercy and love. Jesus shows that true righteousness isn't about keeping people at arm's length from sin, but about embracing the forgiven, recognizing that we all, like Simon, need grace and have much to learn about loving God.
Understand the original words
Pharisaios · Greek Noun
A member of a Jewish religious party characterized by strict adherence to the oral and written law. In the New Testament, they are often depicted as self-righteous and formalistic, emphasizing external ritual purity over internal holiness.
This invitation from a Pharisee, Simon, wasn't just a social event; it highlights the deep divide between Jesus' inclusive ministry and the exclusive practices of many religious leaders at the time. It sets the stage for a profound encounter that challenges conventional notions of purity and acceptance.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry in Galilee
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching, healing, and gathering followers, often encountering both acceptance and opposition, particularly from religious leaders.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisaic Scrutiny of Jesus
Pharisees, a prominent religious sect, closely observe Jesus' teachings and actions, often questioning his practices and challenging his authority, especially his interactions with 'sinners'.
Early 1st century AD
Dinner Invitation from a Pharisee
A Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to his home for a meal, an event that, while seemingly a gesture of courtesy, becomes a focal point for theological and social tension.
This verse speaks of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Jesus accepting the invitation into the Pharisee's house, and later mingling with sinners, shows Him living out this reality of God dwelling among humanity.
Matthew 9:10-13Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners here mirrors the situation in Luke 7, highlighting His willingness to associate with 'sinners' and the criticism He received for it. It shows His mission was to call sinners to repentance.
Luke 15:1-2This passage directly addresses the criticism Jesus received for associating with sinners. The parables that follow (the lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son) explain the heart of God and Jesus' mission – to seek and save the lost, which is precisely what He was doing by going to Simon's house.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29This passage speaks to God choosing the weak and humble to shame the strong and wise. The encounter at Simon's house, with a woman of ill repute showing more devotion than the esteemed Pharisee, powerfully illustrates this principle.
Romans 5:8This verse states that God demonstrates His love by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Jesus' acceptance of the invitation and His interaction with the woman shows this love in action, reaching out to those considered unworthy.
expositorsLuke 7:36: "And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat."
Chapter 13THE ANOINTING OF THE FEET. Luke 7:36-50 WHETHER the narrative of the Anointing is inserted in its chronological order we cannot say, for the Evangelist gives us no word by which we may recognize either its time or its place-relation; but we can easily see that it falls into the story artistically, with a singular fitness. Going back to the context,…
calvinLuke 7:36-50: "And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat."
- And one of the Pharisees requested him to take food with him; and he entered into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down at table. 37. And, lo, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that he sat at table in the house of the Pharisee, brought an alabaster box of ointment: [236] 38. And sitting at his feet behind him, and weeping, she beg…
Jesus accepts an invitation to eat with a Pharisee, a member of a group often opposed to Him. This seemingly simple act highlights Jesus’ willingness to engage with those who might misunderstand or even condemn Him, demonstrating His mission to reach all people.
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine with a Pharisee named Simon, even though Pharisees were often critical of him. This meal occurs after Jesus had just criticized their judgmental attitudes and contrasted them with the "children of wisdom." The context sets the stage for Jesus to interact directly with a prominent religious leader and to demonstrate His gracious nature.
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine with a Pharisee named Simon, even though Pharisees were often critical of him. This meal occurs after Jesus had just criticized their judgmental attitudes and contrasted them with the "children of wisdom." The context sets the stage for Jesus to interact directly with a prominent religious leader and to demonstrate His gracious nature.
"One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table." — Jesus accepts an invitation to eat with a Pharisee, a member of a group often opposed to Him. This seemingly simple act highlights Jesus’ willingness to engage with those who might misunderstand or e…
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Last reviewed October 2026