The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-11-04

This very Simon
who dimes him refers to him, with
half-veiled contempt. as this man.
and answers a question OF Jesus Win
an Indifferent, 81 suppose" But y.
w. Robertson has well said: He
)lighted Pharisaism with irony ana
errible invective. But TO the aetnai
living Pharisee how tenderly did ne
express himself! Simon, ! have some
what to say unto thee So far as
he Is a man, he is an object Oh IN
finite pity and tenderness"
How unlikely to nnd woman
(which was a sinner" In a Pharisees
house The secret Is found In the
statement: when she knew tnat
Jesus sat at meat In the Pharfsees
house, she brought an alabaster box
Of ointment" While Simon wonld
have scorned such a creature lest sbe
cOntamInate him, the sinless Son OF
Man welcomed her. The law mas
only condemnation for sinners. bus
the grace Of God bringeth salvation.
II is evident this was not the won-
ans first meeting with the Savior.
When speaking Of her, Jesus says:
Her sins which are many, are Tor
given" literally, "have been forgiven
". 47). Perhaps she had heard him
say: "Come unto me all ye that labor
and are heavy laden" or similar
words, and through faith her sins
were washed away.
Hence, she now seeks him out, even
In Slmon's house, and takes her place
at his feet as he reclines at meat.
Standing there, her tears OF peniteneo
and gratitude begin to flow, falling
upon his feet Then, as II her very
tears might defile him. she let's down
her hair, although It was shame Tor
a woman to be seen with disheveied
hair, and wipes his feet. Not only
so, she covered them with kisses, as
the word implies. and anointed them
from a cruise Of precious ointment
which hung about her neck.
How moving. to recall that this very
ointment may have been purchased
with the price Of her shamel The
law forbad strange woman to bring
her hire into the house Of the Lord
for any VOW (Deut. 3:19), but the
lord Of the house allows the penitent
to pour II upon his very person.
Simon Is sure now that Christ is no
prophet, for he does not know the
woman is n sinner. Jesus startles him
by showing. he knows his very
thoughts, and answering" them gives
him the illustration OF the two debt
ors: Simon confesses that the one
forgiven most will love the most.
Jesus applies the illustration directly.
Simon had no water for Christ's feet,
hut the woman washed them with her
tears and wiped them with her hair.
Simon had no kiss for his guest. but
the woman kissed his feet. Simon
had no oil, which was cheap. for
Christ's feet, but the woman anointed
them with precious ointment where
fore I say unto thee. her SINS which
are many. are forgiven. for she loved
much but to whom little Is forgiven,
the same loveth little. And he said
unto her, Thy sins are forgiven"
After all. the woman was no longer
a skinner" but a lover of the Savior.
And Simon, II he had only known II,
was still in his sins. He did not love
Christ, because he had never been
forgiven. for he had never repented.
Mercy for Prodigals.
Mark Twain wrote a story In which
he satirized the affection lavished up
on a prodigal son. while self-respeet-
ing boy was allowed to struggle on uR-
aided. We know that sympathy ~
sometimes sentimental and maudlin.
But we are glad, too, that the divine
ness Of mercy Is not therefore OBJ
scured. SOY shall be In hea, en- over
one sinner that repenteth more than
over ninety and nine just persons
which need no repentance" And IL
men complain Of this, Jesus says. as
recorded just before this story Uuke
1880: "Wisdom is justified of all her
children"
We need not be ''prodigalsr to be-
come great lovers Of Christ. Each
heart knows It's own depths Of sin and
unbelief, and the saints contend
among themselves as to which hns
been most forgiven and as to which
therefore should love most.
Note, the woman was not forgiven
because she loved, but loved because
she was forgiven. Jesus said: Thy
faith hath saved thee" not her love.
He bids her, go in Tor, into) peace.v
as into new region Of life and