Luke 7:36-50 records an interesting event in the ministry of Jesus. This story conveys the ability, and willingness, of Jesus to offer salvation to anyone who will humbly come to him in faith and repentance.

Jesus had been invited to dinner at the house of a Pharisee named Simon. A woman who had lived a sinful life heard that Jesus was at Simon’s house, so she came there. It seems odd to us that she would come uninvited, but it was customary for people to show up uninvited for such gatherings. They would normally sit around the walls of the room and observe what was going on. Sometimes they would ask for leftovers after the dinner was over.

The fact that this woman had lived a sinful life no doubt made her an unwanted guest in the home of this self-righteous religious leader. She displayed a lot of courage simply by showing up, but she showed greater courage by refusing to blend into the background. She boldly anointed the feet of Jesus, first with her tears, then with expensive perfume.

At this, Simon thought to himself that Jesus could not be a prophet, or he would know that this woman was a sinner. Jesus proved him wrong by knowing what he was thinking! Then Jesus proceeded to tell a story about two men who owed money to the same moneylender. One of them had been forgiven a huge debt; the other had been forgiven a smaller debt. Then Jesus asked Simon which one of these men will love the moneylender more. Simon grudgingly gave the obvious answer—the one who had the bigger debt forgiven would love him more.

Jesus told Simon that he had given the correct answer. Then he proceeded to give the parable an application. Jesus compared the love that the woman had shown for him with the lack of love that Simon had shown him. The woman had gone to great trouble and expense to honor Jesus with her actions. However, Simon had not even offered Jesus the basic hospitality that the customs of the day called for.

Summing it all up, Jesus said that the woman had shown great love because she had been forgiven much. The implication was that Simon had not shown much love because he had been forgiven little.

Jesus then turned to the woman and told her, “Your sins are forgiven.” This caused a stir among the guests, who naturally questioned the ability of anyone to forgive sins. But Jesus routinely claimed this ability to grant forgiveness to anyone who comes to him in faith, repentance and obedience. Then he assured the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Only those who come to Jesus for forgiveness can truly experience the peace that Jesus offers. Have you experienced that peace for yourself? And are you telling others of the peace that Jesus promises to them if they will put their trust in him?