Second Forgiveness Saying
- The Second Forgiveness Saying
- The woman who loved much
- The testimony of the Perfect Man
- The Parush and the prostitute
- Shim’on failed to practice the mitzvah of Hospitality
- The Untouchable one whose sins were many
- The woman was keenly aware of her need for the Rabbi’s help
- Shim’on was convinced of his own self-sufficiency and self-importance
- In their pride and self-vanity the Haredim (חרדים) have become separated from God
- In her humility and great love the Untouchable one became separated unto God
- In Summary what have we learned so far?
The Second Forgiveness Saying:
Lukas 7:36-50
וְאֶחָד מִן־הַפְּרוּשִׁים בִּקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ לֶאֱכֹל אִתּוֹ לָחֶם וַיָּבֹא אֶל־בֵּית הַפָּרוּשׁ וַיַּסֵּב׃ וְהִנֵּה אִשָּׁה אַחַת בָּעִיר אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה חֹטֵאת כְּשָׁמְעָהּ כִּי־הוּא מֵסֵב בֵּית הַפָּרוּשׁ וַתָּבֵא פַּךְ־מִרְקָחַת׃ וַתַּעֲמֹד לְרַגְלָיו מֵאַחֲרָיו וַתֵּבְ וַתּוֹרֶד דְּמָעוֹת עַל־רַגְלָיו וַתְּנַגֵּב אֹתָן בִּשְׂעַר רֹאשָׁהּ וַתִּשַּׁק אֶת־רַגְלָיו וַתָּסָךְ אֹתָן בַּמִּרְקָחַת׃ וַיַּרְא הַפָּרוּשׁ אֲשֶׁר קָרָא אֹתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר בְּלִבּוֹ אִלּוּ הָיָה זֶה נָבִיא כִּי־עַתָּה יָדֹעַ יָדַע מִי־הִיא זֹאת וְאֵי־זוֹ הִיא הַנֹּגַעַת בּוֹ כִּי־אִשָּׁה חַטָּאָה הִיא׃ וַיַּעַן יֵשׁוּעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו שִׁמְעוֹן דָּבָר־לִי אֵלֶיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר רַבִּי דַּבֵּר׃ לְנשֶׁה אֶחָד הָיוּ שְׁנֵי בַעֲלֵי־חוֹבוֹת הָאֶחָד חַיָּב לוֹ דִּינָרִים חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְהָאַחֵר דִּינָרִים חֲמִשִּׁים׃ וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁלּא הָיָה לָהֶם לִפְרֹעַ מָחַל לִשְׁנֵיהֶם וְעַתָּה אֱמָר־נָא מִי מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם יְחַבֵּב אֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר׃ וַיַּעַן שִׁמְעוֹן וַיֹּאמַר כִּמְדֻמֶּה אֲנִי זֶה שֶׁמָּחַל לוֹ יוֹתֵר וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יָפָה דָנְתָּ׃ וַיִּפֶן אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־שִׁמְעוֹן הֲרָאִיתָ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת הִנֵה בָאתִי אֶל־בֵּיתְךָ וּמַיִם עַל־רַגְלַי לֹא נָתָתָּ וְהִיא הוֹרִידָה דְמָעוֹת עַל־רַגְלַי וַתְּנַגֵּב בְּשַׂעְרָהּ׃ אַתָּה לֹא נְשַׁקְתַּנִי נְשִׁיקָה אֶחָת וְהִיא מֵאָז בָּאתִי לֹא חָדְלָה לְנַשֵּׁק אֶת־רַגְלָי׃ אַתָּה בְּשֶׁמֶן לֹא סַכְתָּ אֶת־רֹאשִׁי וְהִיא בְּמִרְקַחַת סָכָה אֶת־רַגְלָי׃ לָכֵן אֹמֵר אֲנִי אֵלֶיךָ נִסְלְחוּ לָהּ חַטֹּאתֶיהָ הָרַבּוֹת כִּי הַרְבֵּה אָהֵבָה וַאֲשֶׁר נִסְלַח־לוֹ מְעַט הוּא אֹהֵב מְעָט׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ נִסְלְחוּ־לָךְ חַטֹּאתָיִךְ׃ וַיָּחִלּוּ הַמְסֻבִּים עִמּוֹ לֵאמֹר בְּלִבָּם מִי הוּא זֶה אֲשֶׁר גַּם־יִסְלַח לַחֲטָאִים׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה אֱמוּנָתֵךְ הוֹשִׁיעָה לָּךְ לְכִי לְשָׁלוֹם׃
אחד הפרושים בקש מישוע כי יסעד אתו. הוא נכנס לבית הפרוש והסב שם. והנה אשה חוטאת מן העיר, שידעה כי הוא מסב בבית הפרוש, הביאה פך שמן בשם. היא התקרבה מאחור ורכנה לרגליו כשהיא בוכה, ובדמעותיה החלה להרטיב את רגליו. אחרי כן נגבה אותן בשערות ראשה, נשקה את רגליו ומשחה אותן בשמן בשם. הפרוש שהזמינו, כראותו את הנעשה, אמר בלבו: אלו היה זה נביא, היה יודע מי היא ומה טיבה של האשה הנוגעת בו – שהיא אשה חוטאת. פנה אליו ישוע ואמר: שמעון, יש לי דבר לומר לך. אמר שמעון: דבר, רבי. לנושה מסים היו שני בעלי חוב. האחד היה חיב לו חמש מאות דינרים, והשני חמשים דינרים. כיון שלא השיגה ידם לשלם ותר לשניהם. ועכשו, אמר נא, מי משניהם יאהב אותו יותר? השיב שמעון: לפי דעתי, זה שהנושה ותר לו יותר. אמר ישוע: יפה פסקת. ובפנותו אל האשה אמר אל שמעון: אתה רואה את האשה הזאת? אני נכנסתי לביתך ומים בשביל רגלי לא נתת, אך היא בדמעותיה הרטיבה את רגלי ובשערותיה נגבה אותן. אתה נשיקה לא נתת לי, אך היא מאז שנכנסתי לא חדלה לנשק את רגלי. בשמן את ראשי לא משחת, אך היא בשמן בשם משחה את רגלי. על כן אומר אני לך: נסלחו לה חטאיה הרבים, כי רבה אהבתה. אבל מי שנסלח לו מעט אוהב מעט. ואליה אמר: נסלחו לך חטאיך. המסבים עמו החלו לומר בלבם: מי הוא זה שגם סולח על חטאים? הוסיף ואמר אל האשה: אמונתך הושיעה אותך, לכי לשלום. פ
אַחַד הַפְּרוּשִׁים בִּקֵּשׁ מִיֵּשׁוּעַ כִּי יִסְעַד אִתּוֹ. הוּא נִכְנַס לְבֵית הַפָּרוּשׁ וְהֵסֵב שָׁם. וְהִנֵּה אִשָּׁה חוֹטֵאת מִן הָעִיר, שֶׁיָּדְעָה כִּי הוּא מֵסֵב בְּבֵית הַפָּרוּשׁ, הֵבִיאָה פַּךְ שֶׁמֶן בֹּשֶׂם. הִיא הִתְקָרְבָה מֵאָחוֹר וְרָכְנָה לְרַגְלָיו כְּשֶׁהִיא בּוֹכָה, וּבְדִמְעוֹתֶיהָ הֵחֵלָּה לְהַרְטִיב אֶת רַגְלָיו. אַחֲרֵי כֵן נִגְּבָה אוֹתָן בְּשַׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשָׁהּ, נִשְּׁקָה אֶת רַגְלָיו וּמָשְׁחָה אוֹתָן בְּשֶׁמֶן בֹּשֶׂם. הַפָּרוּשׁ שֶׁהִזְמִינוֹ, כִּרְאוֹתוֹ אֶת הַנַּעֲשֶׂה, אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ: אִלּוּ הָיָה זֶה נָבִיא, הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מִי הִיא וּמַה טִּיבָהּ שֶׁל הָאִשָּׁה הַנּוֹגַעַת בּוֹ – שֶׁהִיא אִשָּׁה חוֹטֵאת. פָּנָה אֵלָיו יֵשׁוּעַ וְאָמַר: שִׁמְעוֹן, יֵשׁ לִי דָּבָר לוֹמַר לְךָ. אָמַר שִׁמְעוֹן: דַּבֵּר, רַבִּי. לְנוֹשֶׁה מְסֻיָּם הָיוּ שְׁנֵי בַּעֲלֵי חוֹב. הָאֶחָד הָיָה חַיָּב לוֹ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת דִּינָרִים, וְהַשֵּׁנִי חֲמִשִּׁים דִּינָרִים. כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא הִשִֹיגָה יָדָם לְשַׁלֵּם וִתֵּר לִשְׁנֵיהֶם. וְעַכְשָׁו, אֱמֹר נָא, מִי מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם יֹאהַב אוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר? הֵשִׁיב שִׁמְעוֹן: לְפִי דַּעְתִּי, זֶה שֶׁהַנּוֹשֶׁה וִתֵּר לוֹ יוֹתֵר. אָמַר יֵשׁוּעַ: יָפֶה פָּסַקְתָּ. וּבִפְנוֹתוֹ אֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר אֶל שִׁמְעוֹן: אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אֶת הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת? אֲנִי נִכְנַסְתִּי לְבֵיתְךָ וּמַיִם בִּשְׁבִיל רַגְלַי לֹא נָתַתָּ, אַךְ הִיא בְּדִמְעוֹתֶיהָ הִרְטִיבָה אֶת רַגְלַי וּבְשַׂעֲרוֹתֶיהָ נִגְּבָה אוֹתָן. אַתָּה נְשִׁיקָה לֹא נָתַתָּ לִי, אַךְ הִיא מֵאָז שֶׁנִּכְנַסְתִּי לֹא חָדְלָה לְנַשֵּׁק אֶת רַגְלַי. בְּשֶׁמֶן אֶת רֹאשִׁי לֹא מָשַׁחְתָּ, אַךְ הִיא בְּשֶׁמֶן בֹּשֶׂם מָשְׁחָה אֶת רַגְלַי. עַל כֵּן אוֹמֵר אֲנִי לְךָ: נִסְלְחוּ לָהּ חֲטָאֶיהָ הָרַבִּים, כִּי רַבָּה אַהֲבָתָהּ. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁנִּסְלַח לוֹ מְעַט אוֹהֵב מְעַט. וְאֵלֶיהָ אָמַר: נִסְלְחוּ לָךְ חֲטָאַיִךְ. הַמְסֻבִּים עִמּוֹ הֵחֵלּוּ לוֹמַר בְּלִבָּם: מִי הוּא זֶה שֶׁגַּם סוֹלֵחַ עַל חֲטָאִים? הוֹסִיף וְאָמַר אֶל הָאִשָּׁה: אֱמוּנָתֵךְ הוֹשִׁיעָה אוֹתָךְ, לְכִי לְשָׁלוֹם. פ
The woman who loved much:
Now one of the Prushim was requesting him to dine with him. And he entered the house of the Parush, and reclined at the table. And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the house of the Parush, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing his feet, and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Parush who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet he would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” And Yeshua reading the thoughts of the man answered and said to him:
“Shim’on, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Rabbi”:
“A certain money lender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarim, and the other fifty denarim. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave, pardoned them both. Now, please tell me who of the two cherished him more?” Shim’on answered and said, “I would imagine the one whom he forgave more.” And he said to him:
“You have judged beautifully.”
And turning toward the woman and looking directly at her, he said to Shim’on: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has brought tears down upon my feet, she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me one kiss, you gave me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not apply oil to my head, anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she has loved greatly; but one who is forgiven a little, loves a little.” And he said to her:
“Your sins are forgiven you.”
And those who were reclining at the table with him began to secretly say to in their hearts, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” He said to the woman, “your faith has saved you. Go in shalom.”
The Testimony of the Perfect Man:
“Your faith has saved you. Go in shalom.”
The Second Forgiveness Saying of Rabbi Yeshua is found only in the third Face of Ezekiel that of the Perfect Man (cf. the Jewish Besorah of *Lukas, the “Light-bringer“). The Testimony of the third Jewish Gospel is written by the physician Lukas. Dr. Lukas communicates to us the testimony of the Perfect Man, Rabbeinu **Yeshua, who is the light of the world (Or Ha’Olam).
*The given names of Lukas and Aaron both mean “Light-bringer.”
**Rabbi Yeshua’s name literally means the “Salvation of God” (the LORD).
The Parush and the prostitute:
In this narrative the scene is set when Rabbi Yeshua is invited to the home of Shim’on whose name means “Heard.” Shim’on is identified as being a member of the ultra-orthodox religious party called the Prushim (Pharisees). The other key figure in the story is an unnamed sinful woman.
The unnamed woman is quite the opposite of the ultra-orthodox man Shim’on.
The unnamed woman is a person of lowly status. The context of the narrative quite clearly infers the woman is a prostitute. As much as Shim’on is religious, the woman is irreligious. Shim’on is of the highest social caste. The woman is of the lowest social caste.
Shim’on failed to practice the mitzvah of Hospitality:
The ultra-orthodox religious leader Shim’on invited Rabbi Yeshua to dine at his home as his special guest. It was customary during Rabbi Yeshua’s day that the host would provide for the washing and cleansing of his guest’s feet before the meal. Due to the ancient roads being unpaved, dusty, and muddy, and the normal footwear being sandals, people’s feet would get quite dirty. Shim’on failed to have one of his servants provide this customary service to Rabbi Yeshua at the beginning of the dinner party (cf. “hachnasat orchim” – הכנסת אורחים). At this time:
Hospitality was considered a sacred responsibility that was binding on everyone.
Even today, in the modern era this sacred principle of hospitality continues to be practiced by many who live in the Middle East. So the Prushim’s behavior would have been considered pretty low form for any person; especially one who was born with the high social and religious status that Shim’on enjoyed.
The Untouchable one whose sins were many:
Rabbi Yeshua was reclined because the custom of the day was to recline on the floor, or on low level couches while eating (1, 2).
The woman arrived at the dinner no doubt as soon as she heard Rabbi Yeshua was eating at the Beit haShimon, which means:
“The House of Hearing.”
The woman had lived a sinful life. She had lived a sufficiently despicable enough life that Rabbi Yeshua characterized her sins as being “many” and Shim’on labeled her a person of exceedingly sinful disposition; an outcast who was unworthy to even be *touched.
*An untouchable one – מְנוּדֶה – מנודה, שלא ניתן לגעת בו
She was an untouchable one; still she was entitled to hear the healing words of the visiting Rabbi!
The woman brought a jar of very costly perfume to Rabbi Yeshua. She was a known prostitute, an outcast, an untouchable yet she had the great courage to come to the House of Hearing anyway. For the presence of the woman was not forbidden. For when a rabbi of renown was at a person’s home others within the community-at-large were free to visit that they might hear the wisdom of the rabbi (את חוכמתו של הרב). However, the prostitute’s pouring of expensive costly perfume on Rabbi Yeshua’s feet, her kissing his feet, her unfurling her hair and using it to wipe her many tears from off his feet: This was absolutely *inappropriate. Yet, in spite of all this Rabbeinu Yeshua publicly received and accepted all of this woman’s expressions of deep emotional affection!
*Scandalous grace! (chen, chanan, chesed)
Shim’on was convinced of his own self-sufficiency and self-importance:
The opening-up mashal (proverb) about the two debtors, one owing fifty days pay and the other five-hundred days pay (*50 and 500 denarii), and the follow-up preference question, “Which one loved the lender more?” afforded Shim’on opportunity to perceive his sins of commission and omission. What was it that the ultra-orthodox man did and did not do that was so wrong? Shim’on was arrogantly convinced of his own self-sufficiency and prideful self-value and was unaware of his own relational impoverishment. He had not greeted the Rabbi Yeshua with an attitude of proper humility and respect.
*The number fifty is symbolic of a fullness of God’s kindness and favor (His Grace). The number 50 is suggestive of the Day of Jubilee when one’s debts are forgiven. The number Ten is also symbolic. The difference between a little forgiveness and great forgiveness is indicated by the fact that the greater forgiveness was Ten times more (500) than the lesser forgiveness (50).
The numbers 50 and 500 are an indication of a forgiveness that is boundless; a forgiveness that is unlimited and complete in every way!
Furthermore, the number Ten speaks of sanctification (holiness). It speaks of our being set-apart unto God in every way. Along with the Ten Commandments, Ten is the number of men required to form a quorum for worship. It is written that exactly (אַךְ) on the tenth (עָשׂוֹר) day and the seventh month of the Jewish calendar we shall observe Yom Kippurim (יום כיפורים); which is also the time when the Day of Jubilee is celebrated -every 50 years. Therefore, we have no doubt that the Ten Forgiveness Sayings of the Messiah are all related, each in its own way, to both the Day of Atonement and the Day of Jubilee; which together speak of the salvation of *Israel and of the messianic age to come.
[*Go see what this means: five times one hundred.]
In their pride and self-vanity the Haredim (חרדים) have become separated from God:
The Parush Shim’on was self-deluded.
The self-righteous ‘separated one’ saw himself as being pure, innocent, and virtuous. His self-perception was that he, unlike the woman, was not a sinner. Therefore, forgiveness was something of which he needed very little.
In contrast the woman knew very well she was a sinner.
The woman fully understood that she was in desperate need of forgiveness. The pious man perceived little need for the forgiveness of God and so he possessed little appreciation or love for God. The woman perceived great need for God and so she possessed and demonstrated much love and appreciation for God.
In her humility and great love the Untouchable one was separated unto God:
On the one hand it is a tragedy that the Parush Shim’on (the ‘Separated one who Hears’) while dwelling in his House of Hearing could not live up to the meaning of his name. In his pride the arrogant separated one chose to live in a state of genuine separation from HaShem (מרחוק – במקום מרוחק). He chose to live a life of little forgiveness and little relational love; a life without the Shalom of Avi HaRachamim, our Father of Mercies. If only Shim’on had truly heard, understood, and obeyed what Rabbi Yeshua was saying to him; then he too would have humbly heard the words:
“Your sins have been forgiven.”
“Your faith has saved you; go into Shalom.”
On the other hand we see the lowly repentant Jewish woman who In her humility chose to hear the words of the Messiah, do teshuvah (repent), return to God and live a new life of genuine dedication and love toward HaShem. Therefore, she chose to embrace a life of great forgiveness and abundant life abiding in the real (true) House of Hearing: for her sins were pardoned; her faith saved her; and she indeed went into the Shalom of the Beit HaAvi HaRachamim (בית האבי הרחמים):
“The House of the Merciful Father!”