“Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, ‘ “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner” ‘ ” (Luke 7:36-39).
Heavenly Father, it is very encouraging to know that You know us better than anyone else; even better than we know ourselves! What is even more encouraging, is that You love us just the way we are, but make sure that we are always better, after an encounter with You! We love to be in Your Presence, so please keep us close to Your side, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ! Amen.
Today we are going to look at another story from the Gospel of Luke. This time we will be looking at Mary Magdalene, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Her story appears in the four Gospels. The name Mary, as the woman doing the anointing, only appears in one of these Gospels (John 12:3). But the act of anointing Jesus with a “costly oil,” links her, I believe, to the same person in the other three Gospels (Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:37). Mary, a woman with a dubious past, is our heroine in this episode, as told by Dr. Luke. Read on and discover how!
The villain in the story, the Pharisee Simon, the ex-leper, who gave the dinner, appears in all four Gospels (Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:40; John:12:4). The difference in the importance put on certain details in the different Gospels has a lot to do with the audience. Luke’s audience was primarily, Gentile, while in the other gospels, they were Jews.
You will notice that I refered to Simon the Pharisee, as an ex-leper, and villan. The book, The Desire of Ages, pp.557-568, has important information on Simon, including why he gave the feast. Jesus had healed him of his leprosy, and the feast was offered in gratitude for his healing. Also notice, that Luke’s telling of the story includes Simon’s disdainful thoughts toward Mary, and doubt concerning who Jesus was, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” Of course Simon, you would know. You are the one responsible for leading her into sin! The Savior did know, who she had been, and who she had become. But He also knew who was the culprit to be blamed!
Simon knew that Jesus was the Messiah. No one could do the things that Jesus did, including healing him, unless he was “that prophet that would come” (John 7:26, 30, 40, 41). But he had not accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. That day at the feast, instead of embarrassing Simon for what he had done to Mary, Jesus used the opportunity to compare the way he, Simon, had treated Jesus, even though Jesus was the guest of honor at the feast, and the way Mary had gone out of her way to show her extreme gratitude to the One who had given her back her life, by “[casting] out seven demons” (Mark 16:9)!
Jesus made Simon aware that He was reading his thoughts like a book, and very subtly He put both him and Mary on the same level, as sinners, by telling him a parable. Then Jesus declared that Mary’s sins which were many, had been forgiven her, and that was her way of showing her profound love for the One who had forgiven her so much! That revealing conversation with the Savior became the turning point in Simon’s life, to get his feet on to the pathway of life eternal!
When Mary met Jesus, her life was changed forever! She had experienced the saving grace, the relentless love of the Savior, a forgiveness that erased her dark past, and caused the Light of Life to shine on her path! On that glorious resurrection morning, just as the sun was awaking the world to a brand new day for the human race, the Sun of Righteousness had risen with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2; Isaiah 53:5)! And God gave Mary the great and awesome privilege, of anouncing the Good News to the disciples. Christ the Lord is risen today! Hallelujah!
“Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. . . And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, ‘ “Woman, why are you weeping?” ‘ She said to them, ‘ “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” ‘ Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘ “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” ‘ She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, ‘ “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” ‘ Jesus said to her, ‘ “Mary!” ‘ She turned and said to Him, ‘ “Rabboni!” ‘ (which is to say, Teacher)” ‘ ” ‘ ” ‘ ” ‘ ” ‘ ” ‘ ” (John 20:1-2, 12-16).
I have often wondered, when I read the story of Mary, what was it that made the difference in Jesus’ voice when He spoke to her at first, and the way He called her name, that she became aware that it was Jesus. Could it be that in casting out the seven demons out of her, the first voice she heard after she was set free from their possession, was that soft, gentle voice of the Savior, reminding her that she was once again that sweet innocent girl from the home in Bethany. Telling her that she was now free to go back home. Telling her that she would become a disciple of Jesus, sitting at His feet, having chosen “that good part which [would] not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). That she was now a sheep of His pasture. And His sheep know His voice!
Note: Some major changes have been made to this devotional. A second reading is recommended.