Daily Bible Reading 27th June 2026 // Luke 7:36-50
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41 “A certain money-lender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning towards the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
This is a wonderful story, and it contains many lessons for us. Jesus had been invited to dinner in Simon's house. While they dined, a woman came weeping and anointed Him, washing His feet with her tears. Simon reacted sharply to this demonstration, and Jesus, knowing his thoughts, spoke the parable of the two debtors to him and drew some very forthright instruction from it. What has all this to say to us? Bishop Ryle very beautifully suggests that the incident follows chronologically upon the passage in Matthew 11:28 and the words, 'Come unto Me, all ye that labour...' This may well be. It may be that the woman owed her conversion to these blessed words of invitation. At all events, it was the reality of her conversion that explained her actions in this story. And it is the wholehearted devotion the woman showed to Jesus that lies at the heart of it and of the lessons that Jesus taught in relation to the contrast afforded by Simon the Pharisee's attitude to Him. We should note our Lord's parabolic method - here was a confrontation with the truth, for Simon, and with the necessity of pronouncing a verdict concerning it. Simon was made, in this story, to pronounce upon himself. The word of the gospel always tests men, and it is men themselves who by their attitude reveal whether they are within the kingdom or outside it, whether they are right with God or not. This is how it was with Simon that day.