Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-14
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

know where this dinner was served. In
all probability 1t was in CapernauT1.
| where Christ's ministry and healing had
revealed a breadth of tolerance and
popularity Although Simon had in
vited Jesus to be his guest. the Master
felt his neglect to welcome Him with
courteous consideration. He roted
Simon's failure to welcome Him with
a kiss and anoint Him with oil and
furnish Him with water to cleanse and
cool His feet" as he should have done
in accordance with proper social usage.
He was respectable, yet sinner. True,
! Simon did not know it, but the Christ
pointed it out in a manner that made
his host understand the evident social
plumbers were revelations of an mex
cusable lack of hospitality.
The Sinners Friend.
Dinners are not served behind closed
doors in the Near East When the
news of the Masters arrival spread
throughout the city, there was one per-
son who determined to see Him. She
knew how He had dined with publicans
and sinners in the home of Matthew,
! Bruce suggests that she may have been
at that feast. She created a stir by
walking into Simon's dining room. going
directly to the place where Jesus was
behind Him weeping. She had brought
an alabaster box OF ointment with her.
She Amounted the Lord with this precious
and valuable ointment, and kept wiping
His feet with her hair. She showed her
affection for Him by kissing His feet.
| Simon said nothing, but his looks
revealed his thoughts. No Pharisee
would allow woman of her character
to embrace his feet. Evidently Jesus
/ l. f11nk he vTyrVN N NJ
street, and in Simons thoughts the
| failure of the Master to stop her indi-
catSd that lie was no prophet. Jesus
| had revealed Himself as the Messiah u
! the woman at tha well OF SychaT, AMI
when they brought the woman who had
been caught in the act of violating the
commandment against adultery, He
commanded that the one who had COM
mitted no sin should cast the first stone,
for, according to the law, she was to be
stoned to death. Christ commenced to
write upon the forgetting sands their
| crimeS-So she was not stoned. She
may have been the woman to whom He
said, 60 and sin no more" He had
paid no attention to her until He COM
menced to defend her acts by parable.
Parable on Forgiveness.
Christ quickly proved that He was a
prophet. IL maze 0IInOn Vince as
Jesus brought him into comparison with
the sinful woman, whom he would not
permit to touch him because of his
hollow responsibility, The Master pic
tured his heartlessneEs against her
grateful fellowship and appreciation.
After He told the concise parable about
| the two debtors, Christ forced Simon to
admit the force of It's teaching of grace,
that provided salvation for sinners. Al
! though He made Simon feel the con-
domination of the PARALLELS application,
| it contained a promise of salvation for
the proud PhariSee in the forgiveness
promised both If he would confess like
the sinful woman who had acknowl-
edged her mistakes and folly.
! Jesus then turned to the woman, and
his first word to her was an assurance
that her sins were forgiven. The cynical
| folk at the table we're opposed to her
presence and the Masters attitude to-
ward her. They were offended at his
claim of authority to forgive sins. While
she had manifested love, Jesus told her
I to GO, because her faith had saved her.
| This is the fundamental doctrine of
Paul. 1t is the basis of our forgiveness.
| If we repent our sins and trust the Lord
! to save us, He will do 1t. Let us re-
member that Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners. The condi-
ton of salvation is the same as it was
then: He offers forgiveness and peace
! to all who repent and have faith in Him
as their Saviour.