And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
At Simon the Pharisee's table Jesus answers his host's unspoken questioning thoughts by calling him by name and asking leave to tell him something. He does not force belief or expose him before the guests, but corrects him privately and kindly to win his mind and heart to see his own guilt and repent. The saying introduces the lesson that both Simon, cleansed from leprosy and sin, and the sorrowful woman, pardoned of her sins, owed a debt they could never repay. Simon felt little gratitude and showed little love, while the woman treasured mercy and loved much, proving that the one forgiven more loves more. Love for God grows with a clear and humble conviction of sin and peril, for only he who sees his own deformity sees the beauty of Christ.
Setting and Manner
The words were spoken at a meal in the house of Simon the Pharisee, who had invited Jesus to dine with him. Jesus accepted such invitations from the wealthy and influential, attending feasts to reach hearts and reveal imperishable riches. He mingled with those who were not religious and turned ordinary social gatherings into opportunities for ministry by gracious presence, teaching, and generous conduct. That generous way of treating people stood in marked contrast to the self-righteous and censorious approach of the Pharisees.
Simon as host regarded Jesus as a teacher and hoped He might be the Messiah, yet he had not accepted Him as Saviour and his character and principles remained unchanged. Jesus read Simon's inner thoughts, for after Judas had left the house Simon had been influenced by Judas's insinuations. So Simon questioned within himself whether Jesus could be a prophet for allowing a sinful woman to touch Him.
Jesus answered that unspoken criticism by speaking to Simon directly by name, telling him He had something to say to him. Simon gave permission with the reply, Master, say on, and thus Jesus invited him to listen rather than forcing belief upon him. That request for leave to speak introduced a serious message connected with genuine repentance.
The address began a careful, private, tactful correction in pitying kindness rather than open rebuke or public exposure of guilt and ingratitude before the other guests. By a true statement of Simon's case and by lessons suited to his hearers, Jesus aimed to convince the mind and subdue the heart. He led Simon to judge the case for himself, recognize his own guilt, and repent, where stern denunciation would have closed his heart and hardened him against repentance.
This patient admonition opened Simon's eyes to his neglect and unbelief and convinced him of his error. He came to see the magnitude of the debt he owed his Lord, and his heart was won. He became a humble, self-sacrificing man, taught through the story of the forgiven woman which illustrated and enforced truth while awakening the heart. For Simon himself admitted the principle that the one forgiven more loves more, and Jesus used that truth to reach the heart.
Debt and Greater Love
Jesus took as His starting point Simon's own sense of being more righteous than the woman, answering the Pharisee who thought he loved Jesus until Jesus esteemed a poor, sorrowful, repentant woman above him. The parable that follows shows two debtors who each owed what they could not repay, for Simon had been cleansed from leprosy and sin and Mary had been pardoned of her sins. Though Simon's sins had been great, he felt little gratitude for the mercy received and failed to show Jesus the respect and love due to his Benefactor.
By contrast Mary treasured the mercy given to her and responded with gratitude and love. Simon himself admits the principle that the one forgiven more loves more, and Jesus uses that admission to illustrate and enforce truth while awakening the heart and reaching it. True love for Christ can never dwell in the heart of the self-righteous, for not to see one's own deformity is not to see the beauty of Christ's character. When fully awake to one's own sinfulness one appreciates Christ, and the more humble one's views of self the more clearly one sees the spotless character of Jesus. The degree of love for God depends on the clearness and fullness of conviction of sin, so that differing love reflects how deeply one recognizes mercy received, and the more one sees the perils to which sin has exposed oneself the more grateful the heart is for deliverance.
At Simon the Pharisee's table Jesus answers his host's unspoken questioning thoughts by calling him by name and asking leave to tell him something. He does not force belief or expose him before the guests, but corrects him privately and kindly to win his mind and heart to see his own guilt and repent. The saying introduces the lesson that both Simon, cleansed from leprosy and sin, and the sorrowful woman, pardoned of her sins, owed a debt they could never repay. Simon felt little gratitude and showed little love, while the woman treasured mercy and loved much, proving that the one forgiven more loves more. Love for God grows with a clear and humble conviction of sin and peril, for only he who sees his own deformity sees the beauty of Christ.
Setting and Manner
The words were spoken at a meal in the house of Simon the Pharisee, who had invited Jesus to dine with him. Jesus accepted such invitations from the wealthy and influential, attending feasts to reach hearts and reveal imperishable riches. He mingled with those who were not religious and turned ordinary social gatherings into opportunities for ministry by gracious presence, teaching, and generous conduct. That generous way of treating people stood in marked contrast to the self-righteous and censorious approach of the Pharisees.
Simon as host regarded Jesus as a teacher and hoped He might be the Messiah, yet he had not accepted Him as Saviour and his character and principles remained unchanged. Jesus read Simon's inner thoughts, for after Judas had left the house Simon had been influenced by Judas's insinuations. So Simon questioned within himself whether Jesus could be a prophet for allowing a sinful woman to touch Him.
Jesus answered that unspoken criticism by speaking to Simon directly by name, telling him He had something to say to him. Simon gave permission with the reply, Master, say on, and thus Jesus invited him to listen rather than forcing belief upon him. That request for leave to speak introduced a serious message connected with genuine repentance.
The address began a careful, private, tactful correction in pitying kindness rather than open rebuke or public exposure of guilt and ingratitude before the other guests. By a true statement of Simon's case and by lessons suited to his hearers, Jesus aimed to convince the mind and subdue the heart. He led Simon to judge the case for himself, recognize his own guilt, and repent, where stern denunciation would have closed his heart and hardened him against repentance.
This patient admonition opened Simon's eyes to his neglect and unbelief and convinced him of his error. He came to see the magnitude of the debt he owed his Lord, and his heart was won. He became a humble, self-sacrificing man, taught through the story of the forgiven woman which illustrated and enforced truth while awakening the heart. For Simon himself admitted the principle that the one forgiven more loves more, and Jesus used that truth to reach the heart.
Debt and Greater Love
Jesus took as His starting point Simon's own sense of being more righteous than the woman, answering the Pharisee who thought he loved Jesus until Jesus esteemed a poor, sorrowful, repentant woman above him. The parable that follows shows two debtors who each owed what they could not repay, for Simon had been cleansed from leprosy and sin and Mary had been pardoned of her sins. Though Simon's sins had been great, he felt little gratitude for the mercy received and failed to show Jesus the respect and love due to his Benefactor.
By contrast Mary treasured the mercy given to her and responded with gratitude and love. Simon himself admits the principle that the one forgiven more loves more, and Jesus uses that admission to illustrate and enforce truth while awakening the heart and reaching it. True love for Christ can never dwell in the heart of the self-righteous, for not to see one's own deformity is not to see the beauty of Christ's character. When fully awake to one's own sinfulness one appreciates Christ, and the more humble one's views of self the more clearly one sees the spotless character of Jesus. The degree of love for God depends on the clearness and fullness of conviction of sin, so that differing love reflects how deeply one recognizes mercy received, and the more one sees the perils to which sin has exposed oneself the more grateful the heart is for deliverance.