Broken and Spilled Out
The issue of sin is one that society always wants to downplay or ignore altogether. This is why Paul says in Romans 12:1-2; Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. We are called to be transformed and to renew our minds. Instead, we can get caught up in how society thinks. They want to call right wrong and wrong right. Isaiah 5:20-23 addresses this specific issue: “Woe to those who drag wickedness with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes, to those who say: “Let Him hurry up and do His work quickly so that we can see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel take place so that we can know it!” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own opinion and clever in their own sight. Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, who are fearless at mixing beer, who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.” None of us really want to admit we’ve sinned, but, as Paul reminds us that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And that is the crux of it. Our actions are not measured by societal norms. They are measured by the glory of God. The standard isn’t like a game of horseshoes – close enough can score some points. The standard is God’s holiness. We are either holy like He is, or we’re not. In the end, we are all sinners. And this is really what’s so amazing about God’s redemptive work. He’s willing to make up the difference so to speak. We come with hands only filled with sin and he wipes it clean with the blood of the Lamb. All we need to do is acknowledge our guilt and come to Him ready to repent. Today’s passage focuses on the one who acknowledges her sin and those who believe they can substitute darkness for light and bitter for sweet, missing God’s redemptive grace in their lives.
Vs 36-39 Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil. When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!”
Several years ago, Gloria Gaither wrote a wonderful song called “Broken and Spilled Out”. The first verse and chorus go like this: One day a plain village woman, driven by love for her Lord, recklessly poured out a valuable essence, disregarding the scorn. And once it was broken and spilled out a fragrance filled all the room, like a prisoner released from his shackles. Like a spirit set free from the tomb. Broken and spilled out, just for love of you Jesus. My most precious treasure lavished on Thee. Broken and spilled out and poured at Your feet. In sweet abandon let me be spilled out and used up for Thee. And this is the scene we find in this passage. Jesus has been invited to the house of a Pharisee. As he is reclining at the table, a woman enters the house. All we know about her is she is apparently a known sinner, most likely a prostitute. She has entered this house with an expensive alabaster jar of fragrant oil which she brings to Jesus and breaks open. Once broken, the jar cannot be closed again and the oil cannot be reused. She could have used it on herself to entice a young man, but, instead, she sacrifices the bottle and perfume to use on Jesus. She has come to Jesus weeping and ready to be spilled out. She knows who she is and knows what everyone in that room is thinking about her. Even so, she takes the risk and enters the home of a Pharisee to see Jesus.
At this point, I think it significant to point out what has just taken place before this. Jesus has been teaching in this town. He has just given an address about John and the people have responded to this teaching; ”And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism,” Luke 7:29. They had been influenced by the teaching of John and his call for repentance. It is most likely that this woman has heard and seen all that Jesus has said and done. She has come with a repentant heart crying out for forgiveness.
On the other hand we have the Pharisee who has invited Jesus to his home. He is disgusted by it all. He can’t believe what he’s seeing. “He said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!” He wants to see justice done. He wants to see Jesus call her out. In Luke 7:30, Jesus describes this Pharisee who we will come to know as Simon; “But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him (John), they rejected the plan of God for themselves.” Simon has rejected the grace that is about to be offered to this woman. In His mercy, Jesus decides to do a little more teaching and gives Simon a lesson he can’t help but understand.
Vs 40-50 Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he said, “say it.” “A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50. Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.” “You have judged correctly,” He told him. Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
If you can imagine the scene with me. A group of teachers and Pharisees are all sitting around the table watching this event take place. Simon didn’t say what he thought out loud, so you have to imagine there was an awkward moment of silence. Everyone else is probably thinking the very same thing as Simon. “What’s that woman doing here?” “Why in the world would he let her touch him?” “Doesn’t he know who she is?” Jesus breaks the silence: “Simon, I have something to say to you.” Simon doesn’t hesitate. Maybe he was thinking Jesus was finally going to call her out. He is indignant. This sinner has entered his home – the home of a Pharisee – and everyone in the town is going to know about it. He’ must have been just a bit agitated by the whole ordeal. Simon is also just a bit self-righteous. Obviously, Jesus isn’t a prophet or he would have known who this woman is. Obviously all the talk about John’s baptism and teachings really don’t hold any special meaning. I knew Jesus wasn’t the real thing. But then, Jesus breaks into his thoughts and speaks into the silence of the moment to tell Simon a parable. There are two debtors. One owes a great deal of money and the other owes just a little bit of money. Both are forgiven their debt. Which one, Jesus asks Simon, will love the creditor more? Simon, probably realizing the trap he was in, hesitates momentarily – I suppose… He knows the answer. He understands the question. He just doesn’t to admit it in public. But he has no choice and must answer honestly – I suppose… the one who was forgiven the most. He has judged correctly. The more forgiveness, the more love. The more forgiveness, the more faith and loyalty.
It is then that Jesus breaks it all down for him. He shows Simon his true self in this moment. Simon, Jesus says, you invited me to your home, yet you didn’t even give me basic hospitality. You denied me the common courtesies of the day. There were common things hosts did for their guests. Because of the dust, a host would provide water so their guests could wash their feet. As an invited guest, Jesus should have expected a greeting when he arrived of a kiss. Most hosts would have anointed a special guest’s head with oil. Yet, Simon did none of these things. He had not invited Jesus to be his guest, but to be seen by others. The new teacher was in town and I had him over for a meal. Instead, it was the “sinner” who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. The sinner greeted him by kissing his feet. The sinner broke open her expensive perfumed oil to anoint his feet. She did everything a host would do an more. And so, because of her faith and repentance, she receives forgiveness. Her life is forever changed in that moment. She has come to God broken and spilled out and God has restored her and redeemed her.
Vs. 8:1-3 Soon afterward He was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.
After his encounter with Simon, Jesus continues on his way, travelling teaching and preaching the message of forgiveness. He continues to spread the good news of the kingdom of God. He continues to offer forgiveness to those who come broken and spilled out. Simon and his fellow Pharisees continue to spread a message that no one could remotely live up to. They have tried to lead people to believe the Law could lead them to salvation. If only you can do everything perfectly. Then you can be holy like us. Jesus came instead to fulfill the Law and offer himself as salvation. I know you can’t, but I can, I will and I did… The Law was not given to save. It was give to show our need for salvation. The Law is the picture of God’s perfect standard of holiness – and it is one we can never live up to. If God had stopped there, we would all be lost without hope. But He didn’t stop there. He took the next step for us and extended His wonderful grace and mercy. We can be forgiven. When we come to Him broken and spilled out, He will redeem and restore us.
The contrast between Simon and the woman is enlightening. The non-repentant heart like Simon judges and has no understanding of their need for repentance. The non-repentant heart pridefully boasts, “at least I’m not like that guy over there.” The non-repentant lacks the understanding that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. In contrast, the repentant heart is broken and spilled out. The repentant heart comes to God in humility, weeping and wanting. The repentant heart is poor in spirit, mourning, and hungering and thirsting after righteousness. For the repentant heart, Jesus offers His assurance, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
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