Luke 7: 36-39 the relationship between love & forgiveness

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, 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 Pharisee 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.”

In the Bible, we see patterns of behavior so that we might learn from them. In this lesson, Jesus is dining with a Pharisee who is a religious leader. A woman who is a labeled sinner in the community (maybe a harlot) comes to Jesus to worship him with her body. The Pharisee is surprised that someone of Jesus stature would permit it. Jesus proceeds with a parable to teach what the kingdom of heaven is like. He tells the story of the two debtors in which one man is forgiven much, and another little. So he questions his host, "If one is forgiven much and the other little, which of them does he love more?" So his host replies, "The one he forgave the most." This is quite right and Jesus gives a learning lesson by forgiving all of the sins of the woman which were many, because her love and faith has saved her.

Daily Prayer: Jesus said at the cross, "Father forgive them, because they know not what they are doing." The Son of Man did not come into the world to condemn it, but to forgive it. Great is the love of my Father and my Savior. Father, do not permit my heart to be hard, but instead, allow me to freely extend forgiveness, just as you have done for me. In Jesus name I pray Amen.