3 Eyewitness Accounts of a small Dinner Party That Went Viral!
A small dinner party held at a local religious leader's house was almost totally shut down by a scandal.
The dinner party at Simon's house recounted by eyewitnesses in the gospels has crisscrossed the globe wherever the good news of the gospel has been preached this dinner party story has also been told.
Simon one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, He went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. (Historians say this perfume cost her about a full year's wages) So in today's terms maybe $50,000-$90,000!
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?
I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Jesus had openly come into the house by invitation. Every person present saw Him and heard Him, yet they had their own opinion, although they all witnessed the same set of events.
There were four present at the dinner party whose accounts of that event have been documented:
Jesus' the guest of honor was not honored by the host who invited him. He who is forgiven much loves much, he who (perceives) he was forgiven little loves little.
Simon is a religious leader and the host of the party. He saw the events through the laws of the Pharisees. He saw the woman and her actions as disrupting or corrupting an otherwise momentous spiritual event. He was hosting a popular preacher with a significant following. He was thinking about his reputation, so He totally missed Jesus' purpose and calling. Jesus said of Himself, I have come to seek and save the lost, the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We could title this witness account as Love Much?
Judas (the disciple that later would betray Christ) and the disciples saw the events through the lens of the Levite - Fundraising and Ministry Promotion. They saw the woman's actions as borderline obsessive, too extravagant, or an act of insanity. They said, the costly perfume could have been sold and the money could have been more wisely spent. They also totally missed Jesus' calling as the Lamb of God slain before the foundations of the world and his ministry of reconciliation. We could title this witness account We Love Ministry?
Mary - the woman who loved Jesus much!
Mary saw Jesus (the anointed one) she knew He had set her free, she was abandoned in her worship. She did not care about the approval of the Pharisees, or the disciples, she could only see what Love demanded, and then she did what was required. We could call this witness as So Much Love! Her story has gone viral for over 2,000 years!
How do this story and the insights into the four views of it apply to us today?
Well according to the Scriptures, Jesus is still alive today and by the Spirit, He can walk right into the room at any gathering. Thank back, to the last time you sensed His supernatural presence in the room.
How did you respond?
Would you identify your reaction as similar to:
- the Woman who loved intensely - crashed the party and broke all social etiquette because of her intense love,
- the Disciple who loved money and position - with Judas, who was concerned with managing the books, and loved ministry
- the Pharisee who loved his position and was worried about the soiling of his reputation?
Various writings from the past
The Road Not Taken
At Home In MN
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