Jesus accepted the invitation not just as a meal, but as an open door to connect with people, even those from backgrounds so different from his own. His willingness to enter the Pharisee's house, despite the potential for friction, reveals his deep commitment to engaging with humanity wherever they are.
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 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, 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine at the home of a Pharisee named Simon, a gesture that highlights Jesus' willingness to engage with those who were often seen as outsiders. This event immediately follows Jesus' critique of the Pharisees' hypocrisy and their rejection of both John the Baptist and himself, making the dinner a direct test of their attitudes and a setting for Jesus to demonstrate his true nature and mission to save sinners.
Why would Jesus, who challenged the religious elite, accept a dinner invitation from a Pharisee? This wasn't just a meal; it was a divine strategy.
A Deliberate Move
Jesus didn't seek out exclusive gatherings, but He never refused an open door. When a Pharisee named Simon invited Him, Jesus accepted. This wasn't accidental; it was a strategic decision.
One guest observed Jesus with a critical eye, while another approached Him with extravagant love. The contrast reveals the heart of true faith.
Two Ways of Seeing Jesus
Simon the Pharisee and the unnamed woman represent two vastly different responses to Jesus. Their actions at the dinner table highlight the contrast between intellectual assessment and heartfelt devotion.
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Simon's Intellectual Gaze: Simon, the host, held Jesus at arm's length. He invited Jesus, perhaps out of curiosity or a desire to test Him, but didn't offer the customary courtesies. His internal monologue reveals a judgmental spirit, questioning Jesus's prophetic authority based on His acceptance of a 'sinner.' His focus was on outward religious correctness and Jesus's perceived failure to uphold it.
The Woman's Emotional Surrender: The woman, known as a sinner, acted with overwhelming love and gratitude. She wept, washed Jesus's feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with precious oil. Her actions weren't about religious rules but a deep, visceral response to encountering Christ and His grace. She saw past His potential religious implications and recognized Him as her Savior and Lord.
Why did the woman love Jesus so much? The answer isn't just her devotion, but the magnitude of what she had received.
The Parable of Debt
Jesus uses a parable to explain the woman's passionate response. It’s not that her love earned forgiveness, but that her great love was a result of great forgiveness already received.
This encounter reveals a core truth: The more we grasp the immensity of our own sin and the boundless depth of God's forgiveness through Christ, the more our hearts will overflow with love and devotion.
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.
hamartōlos · Greek Adjective
A common term for those living in habitual transgression of God's moral law. In this context, it often refers to someone whose life or profession is socially or religiously stigmatized as unclean.
alabastron · Greek Noun
A vessel made of fine stone, often used to contain expensive oils or perfumes. In biblical times, such flasks often represented a significant financial sacrifice or a vessel of honor.
myron · Greek Noun
A fragrant oil or perfume used for medical, cosmetic, or ritual purposes. Anointing was a gesture of honor, hospitality, or preparation for burial.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus travels and teaches throughout Galilee, attracting crowds and challenging religious authorities.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisees' Scrutiny of Jesus
Pharisees, a prominent religious group, closely observe and often question Jesus' teachings and practices.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Interactions with Social Outcasts
Jesus openly associates with tax collectors and 'sinners,' causing controversy among the religious elite.
This passage describes Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners, highlighting His willingness to associate with those on the fringes of society, just as He did in the Pharisee's house.
Luke 5:30This verse describes the Pharisees and their scribes grumbling about Jesus eating with sinners, showing the ongoing tension and criticism Jesus faced from this group for His inclusive table fellowship.
Matthew 11:19Jesus is called a 'glutton and a drunkard' by his critics in this verse, directly paralleling the accusations leveled against Him for associating with all kinds of people, including this Pharisee and the woman who approaches Him.
John 13:23This verse describes another instance where a disciple reclined at the table close to Jesus, setting the scene for intimate interactions and further highlighting the posture of guests during meals.
Luke 14:1This passage also depicts Jesus being invited to eat at the house of a prominent Pharisee, reinforcing a pattern of Jesus engaging with religious leaders in their own social settings.
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 accepted the invitation not just as a meal, but as an open door to connect with people, even those from backgrounds so different from his own. His willingness to enter the Pharisee's house, despite the potential for friction, reveals his deep commitment to engaging with humanity wherever they are.
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine at the home of a Pharisee named Simon, a gesture that highlights Jesus' willingness to engage with those who were often seen as outsiders. This event immediately follows Jesus' critique of the Pharisees' hypocrisy and their rejection of both John the Baptist and himself, making the dinner a direct test of their attitudes and a setting for Jesus to demonstrate his true nature and mission to save sinners.
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine at the home of a Pharisee named Simon, a gesture that highlights Jesus' willingness to engage with those who were often seen as outsiders. This event immediately follows Jesus' critique of the Pharisees' hypocrisy and their rejection of both John the Baptist and himself, making the dinner a direct test of their attitudes and a setting for Jesus to demonstrate his true nature and mission to save sinners.
"One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 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, brough…" — Jesus accepted the invitation not just as a meal, but as an open door to connect with people, even those from backgrounds so different from his own. His willingness to enter the Pharisee's house, des…
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Last reviewed October 2026
