Apparently all Pharisees weren't bad. Some actually gave Jesus a chance and must have even followed Him. Joseph of Arimathea gave up his tomb for Jesus. Nicodemus came to Jesus personally after work to hang out and learn. And in this passage today, Simon invites Jesus over for dinner for some conversation.
It's no wonder that the Pharisees had a hard time with Jesus, because even the guys that were open to Him had trouble making the mental shift. They were so ingrained in their religious thinking and traditions, that breaking free meant a radical paradigm shift. It was almost like calling "red" "yellow" to them. Jesus blew their minds. The Pharisees had been the foremost keepers of the Law and customary traditions of their day. In fact, they were so entrenched in the Law that they failed to see people.
Jesus shows up at Simon the Pharisees' house with His normal entourage. He always seemed to have people following Him everywhere He went. Instead of totally humiliating everyone Simon allowed some of the entourage in with Jesus. Among the group was a woman who the text says "lived a sinful life." If she wasn't a prostitute, she no doubt was a gal with a dubious reputation for getting around.
Now the weird thing about this story is the foot washing that Jesus received from her. Something about Jesus had evoked great emotion in this woman. She was crying so hard that she had enough tears to wash Jesus' feet in them. She also obviously wasn't destitute because she anointed Jesus' feet with perfume, which means she had some cash.
Simon the religious Pharisee was instinctively repulsed by her behavior. He saw this, "sinful" woman and couldn't believe that someone like Jesus would allow her to touch Him. After all, any righteous Jewish man would know that touching or being touched by someone "unclean" would make you "unclean." Simon, normally wouldn't have gone near her or probably even allowed her in his house because she was a sinful woman and he wouldn't have wanted to expose himself or his family/household to someone like her.
But not only did Jesus allow her to touch Him, He cleansed her and taught this confused Pharisee a lesson. The Pharisee saw this woman as a hopeless lowlife to be avoided at all cost. Jesus saw her as a woman in need of God's love and grace. As you read this account, it becomes clear who had a greater appreciation for the presence of Jesus. Simon treated Jesus like a peer. The woman treated Jesus like the Savior and Lord that He was.
Too often, followers of Christ invite Jesus into their life, space, home, whatever for some light dinner conversation or even to debate a theological issue. They are not moved by His presence. They think of Him more as a peer or equal or just another guest. They miss who He really is. They aren't impassioned by Him and thus their life seems ordinary and spiritually mediocre. They are often intellectually aware of who Jesus is and what His truths mean, but not really enlivened by Him.
If Jesus entered our home or place of worship, I wonder how He would be treated. Would we kiss His feet, wash His feet with our tears or simply usher Him to the best seat in the place? Would we be really moved or would be delighted just to converse with Him?
God, first I want to see you as you are. I want to have the heart of this woman. But I also don't want to have the heart of the Pharisee toward those in similar situations to the "sinful" woman. Give me your eyes and heart.
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