Today's Bible study was based on Luke 7:36-48. The story is about a man, Simon, who invites Jesus to dinner. During the dinner a local prostitute visits, weeps and her tears wash Jesus's feet. She then anoints his feet with expensive, perfumed oil, and she repeatedly kisses his feet. Simon wonders why Jesus (who is supposed to be this great prophet) lets this wanton woman fall all over him. Jesus tells the parable of the money lender. It's a very "real" parable.
Two men owe money to a lender. One man owes 50 denari (1 denari equals one day of labor) and the other man owes 500 denari. The lender cancels both men's debt. Then Jesus asks Simon, "now which will love the lender more?" Of course Simon answers the "no brainer" question stating, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." A very 2009 parable - we all seem to owe money. But it wasn't the parable that bothered me, rather the second to last statement, "If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal"
I am someone that lives a pretty straight and narrow path. I have tried drugs (pot), and I have spent more than evening smoking whilst enjoying a beverage or two. I did not always honor my parents while growing up, and I've also participated in a few stupid high school/college pranks and "illegal" and very silly activities. But pretty much I am a hard-working, Christian wife and mother that takes life seriously. Insomuch as hoping that I live a good and loving life in the eyes of others, especially Jehovah God. So does this mean that I am not grateful for the forgiveness of sins I will hopefully recieve?
In "More Parables from the Backside," Kalas states, "For Simon, Jesus was a dinner guest, a currently popular rabbi. Simon didn't really need him very much, except as part of a social occasion. For the woman, Jesus was crucial. In her troubled life, he was a singular refuge."
Even though the woman never asks directly for forgiveness, Jesus says to her, "Your sins are forgiven." As an average, every day sinner are my sins not as monumental as someone with a troubled life? And is Jesus suggesting that I don't need him as much as someone else?
I think what Jesus implied in this parable was that no matter how small our sin is we should be eternally grateful for the Lord's forgiveness. I have just as much reason to be grateful as someone with a troubled life; for both of our reasons are equal. Zoe has a Bible verse to memorize every couple of weeks in pre-school. The most recent one is from Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,". No one is perfect. And we all fall short of it. Therefore, we all are blessed by Jehovah God's AMAZING GRACE.
After much thought and discussion with the group my idea of the second to last statement changed. Jesus wanted Simon to realize he didn't need or love Jesus like the prostitute did. Did Simon have the faith the prostitute did?
One interesting question I brought up was, what happened to the prostitute after the absolution of her sins? Did she go back to a troubled life? I wonder things like this, and only Jehovah God could answer this.
So what chance does an average sinner have? A wonderful one in the eyes of the Lord.
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