Third Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 7:36-8:3
Perception often colors reality. What we name something or how we define something tends then to color how we understand and relate to it.
Perception. That's what has struck me most about our gospel lesson this morning. This incident is all about perceptions.
First we need to look at our perception of Jesus. If we closed our eyes and imagined Jesus I dare say we would come up with visions of many of the pictures of Jesus from childhood. The gentle shepherd cradling lambs in his arms, the compassionate healer with outstretched hand and soft eyes, the tortured victim. I remember a number of years ago when I was in college a picture of "the laughing Jesus" became popular. At the time it scandalized mainstream congregants because I guess a lot of people couldn't imagine Jesus laughing. And yet isn't laughter at least as significant a human emotion as crying or anger? In time, as the idea of a laughing Jesus caught on, I think a lot of people were drawn to a Jesus who could laugh.
Luke, I think, would have been very comfortable with the picture of the laughing Jesus. Luke is always recording episodes of Jesus at people's homes eating and drinking. Luke even records several episodes of Jesus being invited to the homes of Pharisees. I imagine Jesus made a good guest and that often people vied for his presence at their gatherings. I'm certain he was a good conversationalist at all parties but since the Pharisees delighted especially in argumentation and debate he probably thrilled them... Jesus undoubtedly didn't worry about the rules of etiquette preferring instead to experience genuine caring and generosity. No doubt he didn't expect extravagant spreads and found who ever he sat next to to be thoroughly engaging. The perfect guest!
So Luke records the event we have in our gospel today. Mark Matthew and John record a similar episode but its context is really quite different. For those gospels the episode takes place just before Jesus is to be killed and clearly its point is to suggest that Jesus body is now prepared for burial. Luke's gospel on the other hand, records this party at the beginning of Jesus ministry, at a time when Jesus is beginning to build his reputation. Opposition to Jesus had not yet begun to solidify. Pharisees were still happy to hear and entertain Jesus message and were not yet about the business of settings traps.
Indeed our perception of the Pharisees is also somewhat clouded by what we know happened later. The Pharisees were lay people dedicated to studying and understanding God's word. They were intent on living a good, a righteous, life. From our more permissive vantage we might have seen them as stuffy, strict, and rigid but they would have been trying to be truthful, honest and follow the rules as they understood them. So today's gospel puts us at the table with Jesus. Jesus is a guest of a man, a Pharisee, named Simon.
The blessing has been said, God has been invoked and then the conversation begins. First century Jews were often members of religious societies that met for meals and religious conversation. They do seem to be discussing religion.
All goes well until there enters a woman, a "woman of the city." Now the perception about her is that she was a prostitute. Feminist scholars have disputed that characterization suggesting that the men's perception of her did not actually agree with the reality. The gospel writer Luke however seems at great pains to use words and terms to indicate that she really was what she appeared to be. No respectable woman would let down her hair. The words used to talk about what she was doing to Jesus feet are more accurately translated as fondling and caressing. Luke wants us to be clear that she really was sinful not just perceived by others as sinful. I don't know about you but if I had a party and this happened I'd be pretty uncomfortable.
This sinful woman's entrance is more than Simon can take. It isn't just that this woman has violated social propriety, the problem is religious. "If this man were a real prophet," Simon says to himself, just loud enough for everyone to hear, "he would be able to see what sort of woman she is...a sinner."
What are prophets for but to be able to recognize real sin when it occurs, to point to the boundaries between the holy and the unholy, the righteous and the unrighteous? If Jesus were really a prophet he would be able to see her for what she was and then seeing, shun her.
At which point, Jesus tells a parable. One man owed his creditor a small sum. Another owed a great sum. The creditor forgave both. Think now, Simon, which would be the most grateful?
Then Jesus turns to Simon at the table and says, "Simon, look at this woman. You showed me no hospitality. Look how she welcomes me." Perhaps it's a matter of perception. Simon look at this woman. What do you see? A sinner in need of exclusion? Or a sinner in need of forgiveness and reconciliation. Is she a rule breaker who ought to be punished or a person who needs life-giving nourishment? It all depends on how we look at it.
Simon looks a bit rattled, if only because Jesus had the gall to point out his lack of etiquette. But Simon is cool. He quickly regains his control.
Then you look at Jesus again and think about what he said. It dawns on you that there are two debtors. One is a flaming sinner with a colossal debt. But she knows what she is, and when she meets someone who forgives her, she is so full of grace and gratitude that she falls at his feet and worships him, and then gets up to go serve him in love.
The other debtor owes just a little. He's kept most of the commandments at least outwardly. He has done well in life and he takes his prosperity as a sign of his virtue. He knows he's not perfect, but then nobody is. He offers his general confession at worship like everyone else. But he has none of the woman's gratitude because he doesn't think there's much to forgive. And because he lacks gratitude he lacks love.
And so our perceptions. There are sinners who know they are sick and need a physician and there are sinners who do not know they are sick, but they are both sinners. And Jesus eats with them both. Where would you be seated at this table? I surmise that some of us here today are like that Pharisee--good at being good, religious and upright. Others of us identify with the woman, that "publicly" sinful woman. For some our sinfulness is our lifestyle, for others our sin is our condemnation of others lifestyles. Some of us sin in our sinfulness; others of us sin in our righteousness.
And the real point of the story, Jesus eats with both types of sinners. He receives the weeping penitent, he patiently, though honestly instructs the self-righteous Pharisee. Therein is our hope, that every time this congregation gathers--to eat the Lord's supper or at a picnic--Jesus eats and drinks with sinners--only sinners. Thanks be to God!
(Pulpit Resource, 2007, 2001)
Amen