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Mary Anoints Jesus
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of mercies and resources. Well may the heavenly host look with
amazement on the human family who refuse to be 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
complete. Christ’s offering could not be restricted so as not to exceed
the number who would accept the Gift. The plan of redemption is
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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 was surprised at the conduct of Jesus, and he 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.”
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 Christ was not a prophet.
But it was Simon’s ignorance of God and of Christ that led him to
think as he did.
How God Really Acts
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. Mary’s act of kissing Christ’s
feet and anointing them with ointment was exasperating to his hard-
heartedness. He thought that Christ should 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.”
As did Nathan with David (
2 Samuel 12:1-7
), Christ threw upon
His host the burden of pronouncing sentence on himself. Simon
had led into sin the woman he now despised. She had been deeply