Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-02-04

This very Simon
who dimes him refers to him, with
half-veiled contempt. as "this man,
and answers a question of Jesus with
an Indifferent, II suppose" But +.
w. Robertson has we'll said: HE
'lighted Pharisaism with irony and
errible invective. But to the actual
living Pharisee, how tenderly Old he
express himself! Simon, have some
what to say unto thee So far as
he is a man, he is an object Of In
finite pity and tenderness"
How unlikely to find woman
(which was sinner" In a Pharisee's
house! The secret Is found in the
statement: "When she knew that
Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's
house, she brought an alabaster box
of ointment" While Simon would
have scorned such creature lest she
contaminate him, the sinless Son OF
Man welcomed her. The law has
only condemnation for sinners. but
the grace of God bringeth salvation.
1t is evident this was not the wom-
ans first meeting with the Savior.
When speaking of her, Jesus says:
"Eler sins, which are many, are for
given" literally. "have been forgiven"
". Az. 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 Simon's house, aud takes her place
at his feet as he reclines at meat.
Standing there. her tears of pentence
and gratitude begin to flow, falling
upon his feet. Then, as If her very
tears might defie him. she lets down
her hair. although II was shame for
Il woman to be seen with disheveled
hair. and wipes his feet. Not only
so, she covered them with kisses. as
the word implies. and anointed them
from cruise of precious ointment
which hung about her neck.
How moving. to recall that this very
ointment may hive been purchased
with the price of her shame' The
law forbad strange woman to bring
her hire into the house of the Lord
for any vow (Deut. 23:1S), but the
lord of the house allows the penitent
to pour il upon his very person.
Simon Is sure now that Christ Is no
prophet for he does not know the
woman is sinner. Jesus startles him
by showing he knows his very
thoughts and answering" them gives
him the illustration of the two debt.
ors: Simon coufesses 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 quest. but
the woman kissed his feet. Simon
rhriSt'S feet but the woman Amounted
them With precious ointment. "Where-
fore | say unto thee, her sins. which
are many. are forgiven. for she loved
much but To whom little is forgiven.
the same loNeth little. And he said
unto her. Thy sins are forgiven"
After ali the woman was no longer
skinner" hut u lover of the Savior.
Aud Simon. if he had only known It,
WIS still in his sins. He did not love
Christ. because he had never been
forgiven. for he had never repented.
Mercy for Prodieals.
Mark Twain wrote story In which
he satirized the affection lavlshed up
on \ proaieai son. while self-respect-
inc hoy was allowed to struggle on I'M
aided. We know that sympathy Is
sometimes sentimental and maudlin.
But we are glad. too. that the divine
ness of mercy is not therefore OBJ
scured. "Joy shall be in heaven over
one sinner that repenteth more than
over ninety and nine Just persons
which need no repentance" And IL
men complain of this, Jesus saws, as
recorded just before this story Uuke
7:35): "Wisdom is justified of all her
children"
We need not be "prodigals" to be-
come great lovers of Christ. Each
heart knows It's own depths of sin md
unbelief, and the saints contend
among themselves as TO which has
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 Cor. into) peace"
as into new region of life and
blesseAiness.
Men said of Christ, cOmplainingly :
',rhis man receivetb sinners" How