Luke 7:43Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord, using parables and placing the two borrowers face to face, subtly discloses that even he himself is in debt, although he perceives his debt to be smaller. Still, he is indeed a debtor. Hence, you, who owe the lesser debtor, will not be able to repay your obligation, as you are filled with pride and lack confession; neither can your spouse fulfill this. Therefore, both shall be forgiven. And who will exhibit greater love? Undoubtedly, it is the one who has been forgiven much. With these words, He silences the arrogant individual.

He instructed the Pharisee and all present that the Word, who is God, ‘came into the world in our likeness, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.’ He came to grant forgiveness for both great and small debts, to show compassion to all, ensuring that no one was excluded from His grace.

Observing the heart of the Pharisee, the Lord shared a parable: A creditor had two borrowers, one who owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. With neither able to repay, he graciously forgave both. Which of them would express greater love? The Pharisee Simon replied to Jesus, “I suppose the one who was forgiven more.” Turning towards the woman, Jesus spoke to Simon, “Do you notice this woman? I entered your home, yet you did not provide water for my feet. She, however, wet my feet with her tears and wiped 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, yet she has anointed my feet with perfume.

Who are these two debtors if not two distinct nations? One represents the Jewish people, the other the Gentiles, both indebted to the Giver of heavenly riches. The first debtor owes five hundred denarii, while the second owes fifty. The greatness of the denarius lies in the image of the King it bears and the victorious seal of the Emperor it showcases. To the Lender, we are not obliged with mere monetary wealth but rather with the glory of our deeds, the currency of virtue, whose worth is measured by the depth of our thoughts, the beauty of our righteousness, and the resonance of our confessions. Woe to me if I do not possess what I have borrowed! Woe to me if I fail to utter: ‘Forgive me my debt’ (Matt. 6:12, Luke 11:4), for fulfilling this debt in full is a daunting task for any Lender!

He indicated that, similar to the preceding illustration, you who had a minor debt showed a minor love for Me, whereas she who had a significant debt expressed great love, resulting in much being forgiven her. Therefore, I welcomed her to approach Me as one who truly loved, so I could bestow great mercy upon her. By "much," consider this to encompass all things.

Observe the plight of the Pharisee: he perceived himself as he was already straying from the truth through his statements; he uttered "I think," afraid to provide a definitive response. Yet the Lord does not probe into his reasoning; instead, acknowledging his response, says, “Thou hast reasoned rightly.” A commentary on the sinful woman and the Pharisee.

Let us consider the reflection that leads to the downfall of this arrogant Pharisee. He is confronted with a parable about two debtors, one who owes a smaller amount and the other who owes a larger sum. When both debts are absolved, the question is posed: which of them will express greater love toward the benefactor? The Pharisee promptly responds, “I suppose it is the one who has been forgiven more.” In this instance, we observe that the Pharisee, impacted by his own reasoning, resembles a lunatic holding onto a rope that is meant to bind him.

When the astute Pharisee heard this, he replied, ‘Master, it is well recognized that the one whose large debt is forgiven by the lender is loved more.’ The Lord responded to him, ‘You have answered correctly, Simon; indeed, it is as you have said. For the one whom you did not truly anoint, she anointed with perfume; the one from whom you did not offer water, she washed with her tears; you did not give me a kiss, yet she, kissing my feet, cries out to me, “I have grasped your feet—lift me from the filth of my actions.”’

While the Pharisee concluded that Jesus could hardly be considered a prophet, the Lord addressed him directly, revealing that no heart is concealed from Him, including that of the Pharisee. He had already assessed both the heartfelt sorrow of the repentant sinner and the detached righteousness of the ‘righteous one’ and found the repentant sinner to be favored. In the parable of the two debtors, one indebted for 500 denarii and the other for 50, He unveiled the principles guiding His actions. All individuals stand as sinners before Him, all debtors to Him—some more aware of their transgressions than others, with the latter often feeling their sinfulness less acutely. The Lord's redeeming love leans more towards those who carry a profound awareness of their sinfulness.

Around the same time as the Baptist sent messengers to Christ, a Pharisee named Simon invited the Lord to a banquet he had organized. Jesus accepted the invitation and entered Simon's home, taking His place at the table. This gathering was open, allowing others besides the invited guests to be present and observe. As the Lord attended this meal, many followers accompanied Him, eager to hear His teachings or seek healing for their ailments; thus, a large crowd gathered. Among them was a woman known to be a sinner. In that moment, she was profoundly aware of her sins and overwhelmed with deep, heartfelt repentance. With the intent to implore the Lord for forgiveness, she approached Him in tears.

The Pharisee kept his thoughts to himself, yet the Savior discerned his heart and understood his intentions, although He did not immediately challenge his frigid insensitivity and harshness. To engage those around Him, He spoke to the master: “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Speak, Master,” Simon replied, a hint of tension in his voice. “There was a creditor with two debtors: one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Since they had no means to repay, he forgave both of them. Now, which of them do you suppose loved him more?” It seemingly did not cross Simon’s mind that this inquiry might pertain to him, just as it had escaped David when he candidly judged Nathan’s parable. “I suppose,” he said, “the one who was forgiven more.”

“You have made a just judgment”: the debtor will be thankful to the one who lent, will respect and cherish him, particularly when considering those unable to settle their obligations. The debt is greater for those who owe more, and the fact that the lender has shown greater sacrifice makes it more challenging for them to repay, thus rendering the act of forgiveness all the more gracious and welcomed.

Simon's heart, burdened by the biases of his religious beliefs, came to a state of profound doubt, causing him to lose even his minimal faith. The Pharisee silently pondered, ‘If he truly were a prophet, he would be aware of the identity and the sinful nature of the woman who touches him.’ While Simon was caught up in these thoughts, the Lord spoke directly to him, reminding him that the hidden struggles of the Pharisee were not unknown to Him, and that He fully recognized the heartfelt contrition of the sinner. Thus, the Lord, who knows all hearts, caused Simon to reflect upon his own judgment, urging him to recognize that it was he who stood in condemnation for doubting the One who governs both the seen and unseen aspects of life.