What happened with Jesus, Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman? CQ Kids
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What happened with Jesus, Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman?
This is a wonderful lesson about the importance of faith, humility and forgiveness. Jesus’ mercy and compassion is contrasted by the self-righteous, judgmental attitude of the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were the religious teachers of the Jewish Law. Many of them were prideful, thinking they were better than everyone else. One day, a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to his home for dinner.
A sinful woman in town heard that Jesus would be at Simon’s house, so she went there with a bottle of perfume and stood near his feet. It seems she did not say a word, but instead spoke with her tears. As she cried, her tears washed his feet and she dried them with her hair. She then kissed his feet and poured perfume on them.
She had a repentant heart with a desire for forgiveness, wanting to live a better life. She showed humility as she honored the Master. But Simon looked down on her and said to himself that if Jesus was REALLY a prophet, he would know what sort of person she was and would never allow her to touch him. But Simon was wrong on so many levels!
Of course Jesus knew what Simon was thinking, so he spoke a parable - a story with a lesson - to help Simon recognize the importance of love and forgiveness. He said, “...’A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?’” (Luke 7:41,42 NLT)
Simon answered the one who had the larger debt canceled. Jesus said he was correct. He went on to say that Simon hadn’t even performed the most ordinary customs of the day for a guest, like washing his feet or greeting him with a kiss. Yet the woman who shouldn’t have even been there washed his feet with her tears, kissed and poured perfume on them.
Jesus’ lesson was that the higher degree of love and respect was shown by the woman, who had a greater realization of her sins and therefore a greater desire to be forgiven. Simon judged her yet didn’t see that he, too, was a sinner in need of forgiveness. Oftentimes, those who are prideful and think they don't need Jesus are the ones who need him the most.
Jesus said, “...her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:47, English Standard Version) He then told her that her sins were forgiven. We also must put our faith in Jesus, and recognize when we have sinned in order to repent and appreciate forgiveness.
We can’t read the hearts of others like Jesus could. We don’t know every circumstance of a person’s life. In Matthew, Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1,2 NLT)
So, what happened with Jesus, Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman? A sinful woman came to Jesus with faith and a repentant heart and was forgiven. A prideful Pharisee judged her, unable to recognize his own sins and his need for forgiveness, too! Let’s be humble and understand we need to go to God in prayer and ask daily for forgiveness for our mistakes.
And let’s never look down on someone…unless we’re helping them up!
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