Thursday – Luke 7:36-50
Debt is never looked upon favorably in Scripture, yet Jesus uses debt here as the backdrop to his message. In this story, as was often the case, he was focused on a deeper meaning. The Pharisees were always good about making sure everyone knew they were better than everyone else. They boasted in their self-righteousness and their ability to keep the law when others failed to. When this woman, who by many accounts was a prostitute, came to wash Jesus’ feet and anoint them with an expensive ointment, the Pharisee was quick to point out she was a sinner, implying Jesus should have been appalled. Instead, Jesus uses financial debt to illustrate that the one forgiven much, loves much. The tragedy of the Pharisee is not that he wasn’t in debt and in need of forgiveness, but, in his self-reliance, he didn’t understand his debt and need of forgiveness. No matter what we have, great or little, we all have an unpayable debt that only Jesus can forgive. The woman, knowing she would be ridiculed by others, came in faith, believing Jesus could redeem her.