“Your faith has saved you”

Luke 7:36-50

In these verses there are 3 primary individuals:

1.       The Women – she knew who she was and knowing
        that was aware of her fate and aware of her need to
        be forgiven.  She was who the Pharisees said she was 
        yet with the light.  Where sin did much a bound,
        Grace did MUCH MORE abound.

2.      The Pharisees – they thought they knew who they were

        yet were blind.  If you were to ask any typical

        resident of that community who was familiar with the

        women and the Pharisees (priests) I am sure they

        would have held the priests in higher regard, yet we

        know from the story who should have been regarded 

        superior the Christ.

3.       The Christ – Did not claim a position of authority yet

        was recognized by both the Pharisees and the

        women as having some special place. He was invited

        by the Pharisees because they had heard His

        teachings, seen the miracles and heard of others. They
        were curious and ultimately incredulous. The women
        knew He had power and authority to create and
        forgive. 

The Pharisees did not treat Christ with common courtesy, washing of the feet, greet with a kiss, anointing with perfume.  The women, although it was not her home, lavished the Christ with uncommon courtesy. 

Although her repentance was extreme and her adoration intense when all was said and done, it was her faith, what she believed, that saved her not what she did.  The women recognized Christ for who He was, a person sent by God with the authority to change who she was and ultimately affect her fate for eternity.

Until we begin to see that God's ultimate injustice is that He saves people like us, we will still be looking at God's SOVEREIGN justice from a tainted human perspective. The harlot knew this well, the Pharisees not so much.