Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
At a feast in Simon's house Jesus leads Simon to state that the debtor forgiven the larger debt will love the creditor most, and confirms that he has judged rightly. Both debtors owe a debt neither can repay, with the larger debt pointing to Simon's own greater guilt, yet Simon answers correctly without seeing that his judgment applies to himself and the woman before him and so condemns himself. Simon himself had been a loathsome leper and great sinner cleansed of disease and sin, but pride blinded him to how much he had been forgiven, so his small sense of need bred coldness, neglect and unbelief while Mary treasured mercy and loved greatly. Those forgiven much by Christ love Him greatly, for love for God grows with a clear conviction of sin and gratitude for deliverance through His sacrifice. Therefore those who have been forgiven are to show pitying love and forgiveness to the weak, erring and needy, even when they have caused hurt and tested patience.
Setting and Right Answer
Simon answered that the debtor who had been forgiven the larger debt would love the creditor most, and Jesus affirmed that he had judged rightly. The one forgiven more is the one who loves more. Simon gave this correct judgment without recognizing that it applied to himself and the woman before him.
The exchange took place at a feast in Simon the Pharisee's house, where Jesus had accepted the invitation and used the social meal to teach lessons suited to those present. He taught truth there with tact through the story. Friendly social gatherings and suppers could thus become opportunities for instruction. His generous conduct and teaching on such occasions was criticized by the Pharisees, yet it helped people know His character and see its contrast with their narrow, self-righteous ideas.
Jesus had read Simon's heart before speaking the parable. Simon had been swayed by Judas and was questioning whether Jesus could be a prophet for letting a sinful woman touch Him. He reasoned coldly that the Messiah would have known that a sinner approached Him and would have repelled her. Jesus spoke the parable after Judas left, to contrast what was owed by Simon, who had been healed of leprosy, with what was owed by Mary, whose sins had been pardoned.
Simon himself had been a great sinner and a loathsome leper shunned by all, living a living death, who had begged Jesus for help and been cleansed from terrible disease and from sin. Yet as a proud Pharisee he did not see how great a sinner he really was, but had become self-sufficient and lifted up. He exalted himself far above the woman and thought that inviting Jesus to his house paid Him marked respect. He lowered Jesus in his estimation for accepting Mary's devotion and overlooked the miracle of mercy wrought for him. He failed to realize that he himself had been a greater sinner than she and that Christ had forgiven him as well as Mary. He was ready to doubt his Master's divine character over an imagined lack of discernment.
Forgiveness Awakens Greater Love
In the parable the two debtors are Simon and the woman, and both owe a debt of gratitude that neither can repay. The difference between the larger and the smaller debts points to Simon's greater guilt, not to different measures of obligation, for the story is not intended to rank how much gratitude each owes in total. Simon answers correctly that the one forgiven the larger debt will love the creditor more, yet without seeing that the judgment describes himself and the woman before him. That right answer turns back upon himself and condemns him, laying bare his mistaken confidence in his own righteousness and his failure to perceive how much he himself had been forgiven and therefore to prize Christ as the repentant woman prized Him.
Because he feels little obligation to his Saviour, his small sense of need issues in coldness and pride and neglect and unbelief, so that he does not honor his Benefactor with the respect and love that casts out unbelief. By contrast Mary treasures the mercy extended to her and answers with greater gratitude and love. Yet patient kindness opens Simon's eyes to his neglect and unbelief and great debt to his Lord, and when he sees the magnitude of what he owes he is won to repentance. He sees his error and becomes humble and self-sacrificing.
As a general truth, those whom Christ forgives much love Him greatly. His sacrifice is sufficient for their forgiveness, and their love moves them to praise Him for His love and sacrifice. Love for God grows with a clear and full conviction of sin, for the more the danger into which sin had brought them is recognized, the more grateful the heart is for deliverance.
Showing Love and Mercy
The one forgiven more is the one who loves more, and that measure of love becomes the pattern for how his followers are to treat others. Jesus shows mercy to the weak, erring, and needy rather than avoiding them, and those who follow him are to show such people pitying love and forgiveness. Help and pity belong especially to those who are weak and faulty and most in need of mercy, even when they have caused hurt or have sorely tested patience.
The same rule that the person forgiven most loves most therefore calls for active helping of the faulty instead of turning away from them. Forbearance toward the trying and the hurtful is part of that pity, because great forgiveness awakens great love.
Simon acknowledged that the one forgiven most must love most, and Jesus affirmed that he had judged rightly, and the way that answer was drawn out shows tactful teaching of truth through story. On that occasion Jesus accepted a Pharisee's invitation to a feast and used the meal to teach lessons suited to those present, so that friendly social gatherings and suppers could become opportunities for instruction. His generous conduct and teaching at such suppers was criticized by the Pharisees, yet it helped people know his character and see its contrast with their narrow, self-righteous ideas.
At a feast in Simon's house Jesus leads Simon to state that the debtor forgiven the larger debt will love the creditor most, and confirms that he has judged rightly. Both debtors owe a debt neither can repay, with the larger debt pointing to Simon's own greater guilt, yet Simon answers correctly without seeing that his judgment applies to himself and the woman before him and so condemns himself. Simon himself had been a loathsome leper and great sinner cleansed of disease and sin, but pride blinded him to how much he had been forgiven, so his small sense of need bred coldness, neglect and unbelief while Mary treasured mercy and loved greatly. Those forgiven much by Christ love Him greatly, for love for God grows with a clear conviction of sin and gratitude for deliverance through His sacrifice. Therefore those who have been forgiven are to show pitying love and forgiveness to the weak, erring and needy, even when they have caused hurt and tested patience.
Setting and Right Answer
Simon answered that the debtor who had been forgiven the larger debt would love the creditor most, and Jesus affirmed that he had judged rightly. The one forgiven more is the one who loves more. Simon gave this correct judgment without recognizing that it applied to himself and the woman before him.
The exchange took place at a feast in Simon the Pharisee's house, where Jesus had accepted the invitation and used the social meal to teach lessons suited to those present. He taught truth there with tact through the story. Friendly social gatherings and suppers could thus become opportunities for instruction. His generous conduct and teaching on such occasions was criticized by the Pharisees, yet it helped people know His character and see its contrast with their narrow, self-righteous ideas.
Jesus had read Simon's heart before speaking the parable. Simon had been swayed by Judas and was questioning whether Jesus could be a prophet for letting a sinful woman touch Him. He reasoned coldly that the Messiah would have known that a sinner approached Him and would have repelled her. Jesus spoke the parable after Judas left, to contrast what was owed by Simon, who had been healed of leprosy, with what was owed by Mary, whose sins had been pardoned.
Simon himself had been a great sinner and a loathsome leper shunned by all, living a living death, who had begged Jesus for help and been cleansed from terrible disease and from sin. Yet as a proud Pharisee he did not see how great a sinner he really was, but had become self-sufficient and lifted up. He exalted himself far above the woman and thought that inviting Jesus to his house paid Him marked respect. He lowered Jesus in his estimation for accepting Mary's devotion and overlooked the miracle of mercy wrought for him. He failed to realize that he himself had been a greater sinner than she and that Christ had forgiven him as well as Mary. He was ready to doubt his Master's divine character over an imagined lack of discernment.
Forgiveness Awakens Greater Love
In the parable the two debtors are Simon and the woman, and both owe a debt of gratitude that neither can repay. The difference between the larger and the smaller debts points to Simon's greater guilt, not to different measures of obligation, for the story is not intended to rank how much gratitude each owes in total. Simon answers correctly that the one forgiven the larger debt will love the creditor more, yet without seeing that the judgment describes himself and the woman before him. That right answer turns back upon himself and condemns him, laying bare his mistaken confidence in his own righteousness and his failure to perceive how much he himself had been forgiven and therefore to prize Christ as the repentant woman prized Him.
Because he feels little obligation to his Saviour, his small sense of need issues in coldness and pride and neglect and unbelief, so that he does not honor his Benefactor with the respect and love that casts out unbelief. By contrast Mary treasures the mercy extended to her and answers with greater gratitude and love. Yet patient kindness opens Simon's eyes to his neglect and unbelief and great debt to his Lord, and when he sees the magnitude of what he owes he is won to repentance. He sees his error and becomes humble and self-sacrificing.
As a general truth, those whom Christ forgives much love Him greatly. His sacrifice is sufficient for their forgiveness, and their love moves them to praise Him for His love and sacrifice. Love for God grows with a clear and full conviction of sin, for the more the danger into which sin had brought them is recognized, the more grateful the heart is for deliverance.
Showing Love and Mercy
The one forgiven more is the one who loves more, and that measure of love becomes the pattern for how his followers are to treat others. Jesus shows mercy to the weak, erring, and needy rather than avoiding them, and those who follow him are to show such people pitying love and forgiveness. Help and pity belong especially to those who are weak and faulty and most in need of mercy, even when they have caused hurt or have sorely tested patience.
The same rule that the person forgiven most loves most therefore calls for active helping of the faulty instead of turning away from them. Forbearance toward the trying and the hurtful is part of that pity, because great forgiveness awakens great love.
Simon acknowledged that the one forgiven most must love most, and Jesus affirmed that he had judged rightly, and the way that answer was drawn out shows tactful teaching of truth through story. On that occasion Jesus accepted a Pharisee's invitation to a feast and used the meal to teach lessons suited to those present, so that friendly social gatherings and suppers could become opportunities for instruction. His generous conduct and teaching at such suppers was criticized by the Pharisees, yet it helped people know his character and see its contrast with their narrow, self-righteous ideas.