The Parable of the Two Debtors

A Kingdom Life Parable

The Context…Luke 7:36-39

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,

38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and

wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

She was a “Sinner”…

She was likely a Prostitute… or perhaps an Adulterous

She was considered, by the Pharisee, to be “unclean” and unworthy of an

audience with a Rabbi

The Pharisee’s Response…Luke 7:39

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to

himself, “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.”

The Attitude of the Pharisee…

He was testing Jesus… seeing if He was a real Prophet ….

He did not exhibit trust in who Jesus was…

which indicates he had not received faith

The Attitude of the WomanShe brought an alabaster flask of

ointment She wept and washed His feet with

her tears She unloosed her hair and dried His

feet with her hair and anointed His feet with oil

The Attitude of the WomanReflects that she knew who Jesus

was… and that she trusted Him as Lord …

this is indicated by her act of repentance…

and this is possible only because she had already received faith

1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and

deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to

save sinners

The Salvation of the Woman..Was a means to an end…

Ezekiel 36:22 – 23"Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your

sake, house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name ... And I will

vindicate the holiness of my great name ... and the nations will know that I am the Lord. It is not for your sake that I will act says the Lord God. Let that be known to you. Be ashamed

and confounded for your ways, house of Israel."

Jesus Interacts with the Pharisee…

Jesus knew what the Pharisee, named Simon, was thinking….

Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “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.”

Luke 7:40

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something

to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

On to the Parable…Luke 7:41-42

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay,

he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon’s Response…

Luke 7:43 Simon answered, “The one, I

suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Jesus Teaches Simon…Luke 7:44-46

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my

feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has

anointed my feet with ointment.

Jesus Teaches that….

The Woman Expressed outwardly what was implanted in her heart….

Repentance Love for her Lord Trust in her Lord

and… Simon expressed outwardly what was in his

heart… Unbelief

Jesus Then Uses His Divine Prerogative…

Luke 7:47-48 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are

many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little,

loves little.”

A Reality Check…All who are saved, without exception, are

forgiven an ENOURMOUS amount

In the realm of perception… we might not recognize the magnitude of

what we were forgiven and… not appreciate the forgiveness we have in

Christ

Life in the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth ....

Should include a daily recognition of the magnitude of just how much we were forgiven

Luke 7:47-48 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who

is forgiven little, loves little.”

Such Recognition Should Lead to…

A greater Love of the Lord and…

a greater sense of gratitude…

for what Christ did was beyond what we can even begin to grasp

Isaiah 53:4-6Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

How?2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him

we might become the righteousness of God.

In Our Place

Colossians 3:25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done,

and there is no partiality

Luke 7:47-48 Therefore I tell you, her sins,

which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves

little.”

What Does This Teach of….God’s Greatness through Christ?

That He is Infinitely Forgiving Towards You and I

Psalm 103:12as far as the east is from the west, so

far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Luke 7:37,38And behold, a woman of the city, who was

a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair

of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.