Expository Thoughts
ways. The heart which has experienced the pardoning love of Christ, is the heart which loves Christ, and strives to glorify Him.
Let us leave the passage with a deep sense of our Lord Jesus
Christ's amazing mercy and compassion to the chief of sinners. Let us see in his kindness to the woman, of whom we have been reading, an encouragement to any one, however bad he may be, to come to Him for pardon and forgiveness. That word of His shall never be broken, "Him that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out." Never, never need any one despair of salvation, if he will only come to Christ.
Let us ask ourselves, in conclusion, What we are doing for Christ's glory? What kind of lives are we living? What proof are we making of our love to Him which loved us, and died for our sins?
These are serious questions. If we cannot answer them satisfactorily, we may well doubt whether we are forgiven. The hope of forgiveness which is not accompanied by love in the life is no hope at all. The man whose sins are really cleansed away will always show by his ways that he loves the Savior who cleansed them.
Notes on 7:36-50
36. One of the Pharisees. We know nothing about this Pharisee except his name, Simon.
38. Stood behind him at his feet. To understand this we must remember that in the country where our Lord ministered, people did not sit down to meals as we do but reclined or lay at full length on couches, with their feet stretched out behind them. In this way it would be easy for this woman to do what she did our Lord's feet.
Poured perfume on them. Ointments and oils were used in eastern countries to an extent we can hardly understand. The excessive heat of the climate made it almost a necessity, to preserve the skin from cracking (see Psalm 104:15).
48. "Your sins are forgiven." We are not, of course, to suppose that these words mean that the woman's sins were now forgiven for the first time. Such an interpretation would be totally contradictory to the story of the two debtors. The woman was actually forgiven before she came to Christ during that meal. But she now received a public and authoritative declaration of it before many witnesses, as a reward for her open expression of love and gratitude. Before, she had hope through grace. Now, she received the assurance of hope.
50. "Your faith has saved you." Let it be observed that it is not said, "Your love has saved you." Here, as in every other part of the New
Testament, faith is put forward as the key to salvation. By faith the woman received our Lord's invitation to "Come to me . . . and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). By faith she embraced that invitation and, embracing it, threw off her sins under which she had been so long laboring and heavy-laden. By faith she boldly came to the Pharisee's house and confessed by her behavior that she had found rest in Christ. Her faith worked through love and bore precious fruit.
However, it was not love but faith that saved her soul.
Luke – Chap. 8
LUKE 8:1-3
Let us mark, in these verses, our Lord Jesus Christ's unwearied diligence in doing good. We read that "He went throughout every city and village, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God." We know the reception that He met with in many places. We know that while some believed, many believed not. But man's unbelief did not move our Lord, or hinder
His working. He was always "about His Father's business." Short as His earthly ministry was in point of duration, it was long when we consider the work that it comprised.
Let the diligence of Christ be an example to all Christians. Let us follow in His steps, however far we may come short of His perfection.
Like Him, let us labor to do good in our day and generation, and to leave the world a better world than we found it. It is not for nothing that the Scripture says expressly— "He that abides in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked." (1 John 2:6.)
Time is undoubtedly short. But much is to be done with time, if it is well economized and properly arranged. Few have an idea how much can be done in twelve hours, if men will stick to their business and avoid idleness and frivolity. Then let us, like our Lord, be diligent, and "redeem the time."
Time is undoubtedly short. But it is the only season in which Christians can do any active work of mercy. In the world to come there will be no ignorant to instruct, no mourners to comfort, no spiritual darkness to enlighten, no distress to relieve, no sorrow to make less. Whatever work we do of this kind must be done on this side of the grave. Let us awake to a sense of our individual responsibility. Souls are perishing, and time is flying! Let us resolve, by God's grace, to do something for God's glory before we die. Once more let us remember our Lord's example, and, like Him, be diligent and "redeem the time."
Let us mark, secondly, in these verses, the power of the grace of God, and the constraining influence of the love of Christ.
We read that among those who followed our Lord in his journeyings, were "certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities."
We can well imagine that the difficulties these holy women had to face in becoming Christ's disciples were neither few nor small. They had their full share of the contempt and scorn which was poured on all followers of Jesus by the Scribes and Pharisees. They had, besides, many a trial from the hard speeches and hard usage which any
Jewish woman who thought for herself about religion would probably have to undergo. But none of these things moved them.
Grateful for mercies received at our Lord's hands, they were willing to endure much for His sake. Strengthened inwardly, by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, they were enabled to cleave to Jesus and not give way. And nobly they did cleave to Him to the very end!
It was not a woman who sold the Lord for thirty pieces of silver.
They were not women who forsook the Lord in the garden and fled.
It was not a woman who denied Him three times in the high priest's house. But they were women who wailed and lamented when Jesus was led forth to be crucified. They were women who stood to the last by the cross. And they were women who were first to visit the grave "where the Lord lay." Great indeed is the power of the grace of God!
Let the recollection of these women encourage all the daughters of Adam who read of them, to take up the cross and to follow Christ.
Let no sense of weakness, or fear of falling away, keep them back from a decided profession of religion. The mother of a large family, with limited means, may tell us that she has no time for religion. The wife of an ungodly husband may tell us that she dares not take up religion. The young daughter of worldly parents may tell us that it is impossible for her to have any religion. The maid-servant in the midst of unconverted companions, may tell us that in her place a person cannot follow religion.
But they are all wrong, quite wrong. With Christ nothing is impossible. Let them think again, and change their minds. Let them begin boldly in the strength of Christ, and trust Him for the consequences. The Lord Jesus never changes. He who enabled "many women" to serve Him faithfully while He was on earth, can enable women to serve Him, glorify Him, and be His disciples at the present day.
Let us mark lastly, in these verses, the peculiar privilege which our Lord grants to His faithful followers. We read that those who accompanied Him in His journeyings, "ministered to him of their substance." Of course He needed not their help. "All the beasts of the forest were his, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."
(Psalm 50:10.) That mighty Savior who could multiply a few loaves and fish into food for thousands, could have called forth food from the earth for His own sustenance, if He had thought fit. But He did not do so, for two reasons.
One reason was, that He would show us that He was man like ourselves in all things, sin only excepted, and that He lived the life of faith in His Father's providence. The other reason was, that by allowing His followers to minister to Him, He might prove their love, and test their regard for Himself. True love will count it a pleasure to give anything to the object loved. False love will often talk and profess much, but do and give nothing at all.
This matter of "ministering to Christ" opens up a most important train of thought, and one which we shall do well to consider. The Lord Jesus Christ is continually providing His Church at the present day. No doubt it would be easy for Him to convert the Chinese or Hindus in a moment, and to call grace into being with a word, as He created light on the first day of this world's existence. But He does not do so. He is pleased to work by means. He condescends to use