How Jesus Loved the Sinful Woman and Simon the Pharisee

In this article, David Tate presents a sermon on Luke 7:36-50. Tate contrasts the sinful woman and Simon the Pharisee: The sinful woman knew herself and she knew Christ, therefore she came to Jesus and she came weeping. Simon the Pharisee did not know himself, and he did not know Jesus. Instead, he was the judge of Jesus and looked at the woman with disgust and superiority. Tate argues that Jesus loved Simon, too, and he showed that love by confronting Simon that he might forgive Simon. He concludes “if you know God’s love, you will respond in service.”