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The Desire of Ages
Well may the heavenly host look with amazement upon the human
family who refuse to be uplifted and enriched with the boundless love
expressed in Christ. Well may they exclaim, Why this great waste?
But the atonement for a lost world was to be full, abundant, and
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complete. Christ’s offering was exceedingly abundant to reach every
soul that God had created. It could not be restricted so as not to exceed
the number who would accept the great Gift. All men are not saved; yet
the plan of redemption is not a waste because it does not accomplish
all that its liberality has provided for. There must be enough and to
spare.
Simon the host had been influenced by the criticism of Judas upon
Mary’s gift, and he was surprised at the conduct of Jesus. His Pharisaic
pride was offended. He knew that many of his guests were looking
upon Christ with distrust and displeasure. Simon said in his heart,
“This Man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what
manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner.”
By curing Simon of leprosy, Christ had saved him from a living
death. But now Simon questioned whether the Saviour were a prophet.
Because Christ allowed this woman to approach Him, because He
did not indignantly spurn her as one whose sins were too great to be
forgiven, because He did not show that He realized she had fallen,
Simon was tempted to think that He was not a prophet. Jesus knows
nothing of this woman who is so free in her demonstrations, he thought,
or He would not allow her to touch Him.
But it was Simon’s ignorance of God and of Christ that led him
to think as he did. He did not realize that God’s Son must act in
God’s way, with compassion, tenderness, and mercy. Simon’s way
was to take no notice of Mary’s penitent service. Her act of kissing
Christ’s feet and anointing them with ointment was exasperating to his
hardheartedness. He thought that if Christ were a prophet, He would
recognize sinners and rebuke them.
To this unspoken thought the Saviour answered: “Simon, I have
somewhat to say unto thee.... There was a certain creditor which had
two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And
when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell Me
therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and
said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And He said unto
him, Thou hast rightly judged.”