Yes, to answer your question. There is a point to all this set up about feet and shoes. By connecting the two we easily see that having dirty feet back in biblical times was "the norm". I have heard that feet back in these times actually had the symbolism of something. Since they had the simple sandals and the dirt just was attracted to the skin, I would imagine they had extremely dirty feet. Their feet is what took them everywhere because they had no metros or cars to get around in...well maybe a carriage or two. But the point here is to recognize that they would often wash their feet before entering an other's home to simply show respect. And they certainly washed their feet before worship or entering any type of synagogue. To simply wash off all of the unwanted dirty remains from where they have been. As we narrow back to the story of God being invited for dinner we see this very matter come to life.
Christ was invited to eat dinner at one of the Pharisees, Simon, house where he arrived to recline at a well dressed table. It is not much time after, that a very sinful woman of the city comes to the feet of Jesus. Several translations describe her as a woman known for ill repute of the city. But yet, nobody from the crowded house stopped to look at her and Christ definitely didn't seem to spit out judgments for he knew who she was. It was also said in the text that she came in carrying an alabaster flask or jar of perfumed oil. See, she had heard that Christ was to be at Simon's house to recline for a nice meal. That is when she just walked right in with her long flowing hair when she knelt down by the Lord's feet. This is where we get the unbelievable image of the true impact and love God truly radiates when she starts to wet his feet while they are cradled in her hands. But she doesn't use holy water or water from the nearby river or well. She uses her tears. And she's not crying because she is being forced to wash God's dirty feet, she cries for her sin and faith.
This woman that was known for being full of sin all through the whole town was here on her hands and knees to wash the Lord's feet. Wetting his dusty and dirty feet with her tears to then dry them up with her hair Christ saw her heart. She just continued to kiss his feet and anoint them almost as to bless where he has been while blessing his continued journeys. This woman knew that this was the man that would bring her salvation. Of course she knew how deep she was in sin and she also was well aware of the one man that could wash those sins into eternity. Finally after all this time of the woman weeping, washing, anointing, and drying the Lord's feet Simon noticed the woman at the Lord's feet. I mean, this man did not even notice the towns sinful woman walk right into his house while they are having this well prepared feast and celebration of a sort. And all he can say directed to Christ is, "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." Another translation even states that the Simon was just thinking..."Now I know this guy is a fraud. If he were a real prophet, He would have known this woman is a sinner and He would never let her get near Him, much less touch Him...or kiss Him!" He was just tickled pink to why this shameful woman was touching this so called prophet.
Christ knew this woman from the inside out because she was his child even though she was covered in sin. But what Simon failed to notice was that he was also covered in sin. Pharisee's at this time were known as very religious people. They were often very devout and righteous men to God that could sight any verse from the bible. So what does this tell us about this man if he was quick to judge not only the sinful woman but Christ himself? His faith and love for Christ seems to get mixed up here because he sees that God does not judge and push away the filth that kneels before him. I cannot imagine the hurt that Christ felt that he has this strong woman coming forward in her faith to profess to his feet, literally!! And the very man that invited him to join him in a great feast was ripping her right down from forgiveness. Of course Simon expected God to be a true "prophet" by rejecting the woman once he said something but he doesn't. Even though Christ was slandered when he claimed that he wasn't a true prophet, he was right because he IS the true GOD then and now. He is so much more than the label of a prophet.
He admits a rebuttal by letting out the truth he had been holding in ever since he stepped into his house to dine. I am sure we have all had this happen. When we are invited over to another person house we are often so quick to add things to the list they did wrong. Wow they just opened the door and didn't even offer to take my coat. Mhmmm, it also smells like they are making the one dish I hate and they know that. Oh that is just awesome...they forgot to put there dogs away so now they are going to follow me around the whole night. And of course they made the rude comment of how some people are just stuck in a rut of being in between jobs just like I am now. This is not exactly up to par with what everyone thinks but I can almost guarantee that we have all been there or will be. But when Christ responds to Simon's rather rude comment he is doing more than just reading his dinner complaints out loud. He starts off by giving him an analogy to better rap his head around the obvious matter in the air. He ask if a moneylender had two people that owed him money...one owing five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Both of them cannot repay him so he simply drops the debt. Which one would love him more? Simon says, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." His answer does make sense because the man with the bigger debt would have more relief and God assures him that is he correct.
Christ just jumps right into asking Simon if he sees the woman at his feet, which of course he does. But then he comes back to him by saying he is a Pharisee that invited the Son of God into his house and did not even offer him water for his feet. And here this sinful woman chose to come into a strangers house to get down on her knees to wash his feet with her tears and hair. Simon offered no kiss but she kissed his FEET! He wouldn't even anoint the head of Christ while the town sinner anointed the feet of the Savior. Christ even admits to Simon's, and all his guests, face that this woman indeed has many sins. But all of which are forgiven because of her vast love. Again we see the power of love here. She had the ideal of the love of Christ in her heart and alive in her life so much that her sin no longer told her that it controls her. To others she might still seem like the town sinner but they never got close enough to notice the change within her.
I can imagine that Simon was ready to say that he was forgiven because he is such a religious Pharisee and he even invited Christ himself to dine in his home! But that is not what came through to God's heart. He knew for a fact that Simon was forgiven little so therefore he loves little. And what comes next just blows me away. Those around the table had the nerve to question who Christ was and how he had the authority to forgive sins. But the exchange between him and the woman seemed so calm with gentleness. He told her " Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Her tears and actions is what brought her to the very feet of Christ. And that was probably the most influential thing that has ever happened to her. This story can be taken as a lesson for us to not be quick to judge or have faith or open up your heart. Through the making of this weeks lesson I just thought of how I was to pin point the take away from this lesson. And that might already be clear to you but I just got the light bulb. In this world there are those that are forgiven little and then love little (the Simon's). And there are those that are forgiven abundantly and that love with abundance (the town sinner). It might be hard to not think that we have to be at the bottom of the barrel in order to have something to be forgiven about. If you truly ended the story at where Simon confronts the Lord about the sinner at his feet you would think that God forgives and seeks those that really deserve it. We don't need to be the most religious person or even the town sinner to have our sins to be washed free. All we need to do is bow at the feet of Christ and be ready to wash the dirt of this world from his skin. We need to be ready daily to stand up for our faith and for Christ by brushing off the dirt of which this world splatters on the image of Christ.
Of course the Lord is more than capable of standing up to the world but we only see that through the world of our faith. Sadly most of this world does not have that kind of faith so this is the spot where we step in. Leave this study today with more than one understanding of this lesson and I also encourage you to go read Luke 7:36-50 where this story comes from. For me, I always knew about this story but I came across it in my bible study yesterday and I was shocked at how much impact one little story has. Stories just like this have such an impact in our hearts that it is chilling to think about how far they can go beyond our walls.
Wisdom for the Day: "As it is written, I inhabit the praises of My people. Sometimes your adoration is a spontaneous overflow of Joy, in response to radiant beauty or rich blessings. At other times your praise is more disciplined and measured-an act of your will. I dwell equally in both types of praises. Thankfulness, also, is a royal road to draw near Me. A thankful heart has plenty of room for Me. When you thank Me for the many pleasures I provide, you affirm that I am God, from whom all blessings flow. When adversity strikes and you thank Me anyway, your trust in My sovereignty is a showpiece in invisible realms. Fill up the spare moments in your life with praise and thanksgiving. This joyous discipline will help you live in the intimacy of My Presence."
(Psalm 22:3 & 146:1-2, Thessalonians 5:18; All rights reserved, Sarah Young)
~Check this video out that helps us look at this lesson in another way. It may seem like it doesn't fit right into the lesson but it is sure something we all need to recognize~
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=0F9FB1NU
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