Luke 7:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To illustrate His role as a prophet—not just any prophet, but the ideal prophet—consider the situation regarding the woman known to be sinful. It would not be astonishing for Him to be aware of her reputation, as such knowledge was common gossip; even you, a Pharisee who does not possess prophetic insight, were aware of it. Thus, He demonstrates that His understanding goes far beyond mere hearsay. There was already talk concerning her sinful life, particularly given the severity of her transgressions. To manifest His divine authority, the Lord perceives the innermost thoughts of the Pharisee. The narrative does not indicate that the Pharisee voiced his thoughts aloud; rather, he contemplated them inwardly.

The arrogant and foolish Pharisee failed to recognize Jesus as a true prophet; however, he was taught the profound mystery through the tears of the woman.

The Lord, perceiving the inner thoughts of the Pharisee, presented a parable: ‘A certain creditor had two borrowers: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty; though neither could repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them will show more love?’ (See Luke 7:41-42). Simon the Pharisee responded to Jesus, ‘I suppose it is the one to whom he forgave the larger debt.’ Jesus then turned to the woman and spoke to Simon, ‘Do you notice this woman? I entered your home, and you did not provide water for my feet, yet she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You did not greet me with a kiss, but she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with fragrant oil.

Our Lord, who deeply understands the profound depths of the human heart as the Creator, did not harshly admonish the malevolent one but instead revealed concealed truths with an element of kindness. With genuine humility and abundant grace, He subtly communicated His thoughts. ‘Simon, Simon, let me share a parable with you, and I invite you to reflect on its meaning. A certain moneylender had two debtors; one owed him fifty pieces of silver while the other owed five hundred. Both found themselves in dire straits. The benevolent lender, witnessing their plight, chose to forgive the debts of both, demonstrating his immense mercy. How do you perceive these two debtors? Which one would express greater love towards the one who forgave?

And the Gentiles There was a certain lender, and Jesus stated, ‘There were two debtors: One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty (Luke 7:41).’ Who are these debtors if not the two peoples, Jews and Gentiles, indebted to this lender for the divine treasure? One owed five hundred denarii, while the other owed fifty. The value of a denarius, bearing the image of the king, signifies the emperor's rewards. Our debt to this lender is not in monetary terms but encompasses a vast array of merits, the currency of virtue, whose worth is determined by the measure of dignity, the brilliance of righteousness, and the resonance of confession.

The Pharisee struggled with the temptation of allowing a sinful woman to approach him, failing to recognize her as a lost soul. However, he, fully aware of her condition, goes beyond the actions of the prophet by revealing his inner thoughts. Ultimately, he demonstrates through his example that he not only acknowledges her but also graciously accepts her due to the abundant love she shows Him, a love that is rooted in faith and repentance.

Oh, inexpressible joy! Oh, unspeakable humanity! God communicates with man and presents him with a vision of true humanity, removing his sinfulness. For He declares, "Simon, I have something to share with you. I possess a message that I have not revealed to any of the ancient ones, neither to any patriarch, prophet, or lawgiver. In the past, they sought justice according to the principle of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24). Yet, when they could not endure justice, I introduced grace in place of the law and will unveil to you an ineffable mystery." And He continued, "Teacher, listen. Allow me to speak about the sinful woman and the Pharisee."

But the One who examines hearts and minds, perceiving the altered intentions of the Pharisee, quickly presents Himself with the scepter of truth, proclaiming: ‘Simon, listen to the beneficial matters that have transpired for you and for the woman you see weeping before Me, lamenting: ‘Lord, free me from the defilement of my actions.’

Fear not and remain quiet: the Creator is among us! The judgement of His creations rests with Him, and He possesses the capacity to forgive even a debt of five hundred and fifty denarii. He is omnipotent and boundlessly wealthy. The Pharisee often overlooks this truth! While he notices his neighbor's debt of five hundred denarii, he ignores his own debt of fifty, failing to recognize it as something that requires forgiveness. Yet Divine Judgement reveals that both owe everything and are equally in need of mercy and pardon for their debts.

Although the Pharisee reached the conclusion that Jesus could hardly be regarded as a prophet, the Lord directed His conversation towards him, demonstrating that no individual’s heart, including that of the Pharisee, was concealed from Him. He had already discerned the emotions of both the repentant sinner and the so-called ‘righteous’ individual, finding favor with the one who repented. Through the parable of the two debtors—one owing 500 denarii and the other 50—He unveiled the principles guiding His actions. Before Him, all are sinners, all are indebted—some more gravely than others. The difference lies in the awareness of their sinfulness; one experiences it more acutely while the other is less aware.

Around the time of the Baptist's message to Christ, a Pharisee known as Simon hosted a dinner and invited Jesus to join him. As the Lord entered Simon’s home and took His place at the table, the gathering was open for onlookers beyond the invited guests. Since the Lord had been called to this meal, numerous people followed Him, eager to hear His teachings and to seek healing from their ailments. Among those who came was a woman labeled as a sinner. At that moment, her heart was filled with deep and passionate remorse for her wrongdoings, and she came with the sole intention of pleading for the Lord’s forgiveness, overwhelmed with tears.

The Pharisee kept his thoughts to himself, yet the Savior discerned the condition of his heart and understood his reflections, even though He did not immediately confront his coldness and harshness. To capture the attention of those present, He spoke to the Pharisee: "Simon, I have something to discuss with you." "Speak, Teacher," Simon replied with a hint of strain in his voice. "A certain creditor had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Since neither had the means to repay, he canceled the debts for both. Now, which of them will love him more?" It seemed Simon did not realize that this question could pertain to him, just as David had not recognized the personal implication of Nathan's parable when he rendered his judgment. "I suppose," he replied, "the one who was forgiven the larger debt."

"Turning around" signifies a manner of reclining at the table that limited visibility among guests, allowing only those directly in front to see each other (refer to the commentary on Matthew 23:6). It is likely that Simon was not positioned directly in front of the Lord, prompting Jesus to address him, aware in His spirit of the Pharisee's thoughts regarding the actions of the sinful woman. - The term "said" indicates that the Lord responded to Simon's unspoken thoughts with a parable, guiding the Pharisee to a point where he unknowingly condemns himself, having already begun to grasp this when Jesus elucidated the parable. - For insights into the outer, literal significance of the parable, refer to the commentary on Matthew 18:23 and Dal.

Simon, whose heart was clouded by the biases of his faction, fell into deep uncertainty, losing even the flicker of faith he possessed. The Pharisee pondered, ‘If he were truly a prophet, he would surely recognize who and what sort of woman is touching him, for she is a sinner.’ As Simon formed these thoughts, the Lord redirected His discourse towards him, reminding him that the hidden intentions of the Pharisee were fully known to Him, and that He was aware of the heartfelt remorse of the repentant sinner. The Lord, who knows hearts, intended to make Simon realize that he was judging and condemning himself through his skepticism towards the one who governs all that is concealed and revealed. The Good Shepherd, moved by love for one soul, sought not to let another be lost.