Jesus Christ had been invited by the Pharisee Simon. The Pharisees... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, Who is this who even forgives sins?
Luke 7: 49.

Jesus Christ had been invited by the Pharisee Simon. The Pharisees differed from other Jews in that they took God's law and the additional traditions of the people precisely as they were instituted. Doing so, they were, however, frequently exceedingly proud and self-righteous. Had they overlooked the fact that pride is as bad as any other sin in God's sight? And did they imagine that they could stand before God without the Redeemer?

It is not surprising that the Pharisees constantly reproached the Lord Jesus. They could not bear His incorruptible righteousness that went alongside His divine mercy. They tried constantly to find a cause to accuse Him, but in vain.

The meal in Simon's house had already begun, when suddenly a woman entered, carrying an alabaster bottle of anointing oil. She approached Jesus from behind, weeping profusely, so that she washed His feet with her tears. She then dried them with her hair and anointed them (cf. v. 44).

The self-righteous host was untouched: he failed to understand why the woman was weeping. He thought that if Jesus were a prophet, He would know who and what manner of woman it was who was touching him, for she was a sinner (cf. v. 39). Of course Jesus knew! He forgave the woman her many sins and testified that, in contrast to Simon, she had shown her love for Him.

Even today Jesus knows our burdened conscience. He sees the shame sin has laid upon us. But He also sees when true repentance and the longing for forgiveness is present. The Son of God looks into the depths of our heart and will forgive all our guilt, if we confess it before Him.

Today‘s reading: Ezekiel 4: 1 - 17 · Psalms 116: 1 - 9