1 NOW when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. [ meaning "Nahum's village" in Hebrew and Arabic, it was a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. ]

2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. [ See also Matt 8: 5-13. ]

3 And when he [ The centurion, remember he has ears everywhere he knows everything that is going on. ] heard of Jesus, he [ The centurion. ] sent unto him [ Sent to Jesus. ] the elders of the Jews, [ So he does not go personally. Since Jesus is jewish let's send his elders. ] beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: [ The elders of the jews declare to Jesus that this centurion is a good man he is doing good things for the jews, so we need to take care of the centurions servant. ]

5 For he loveth our nation, [ What nation? the Jews; as proof of his affection to them in building them a synagogue ] and he hath built us a synagogue. [ He loves us and is willing to show it. Is it possible that the centurion is trapped in his station in life, his life all he knows is in the Roman army, How could he do anything else? ]

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I [ The centurion. This is interesting here. The Jews think that Jesus is not worthy of them and the centurion feels that he is not worthy or Jesus - truely humble. ] am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

7  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: [ So humble that he does not want to ask Jesus to come down to his level. ] but say in a word, [ I have enough trust in your power that if you will just say it, it will be so. ] and my servant shall be healed.

8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

11 ¶ And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; [ A small city of Galilee, in the tribe of Issachar. According to Eusebius, it was two miles from Mount Tabor, southward; and near to Endor. ] and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, [ The place of wisdom, and the place where judgement was passed - who could and could not enter the city. ] , behold, there was a dead man carried out, [ The Jews always buried their dead without the city, except those of the family of David. No burying places should be tolerated within cities or towns; much less in or about churches and chapels. ] the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: [ So she is really all alone, lost her husband and now her son. She would have been relieing on her son to care for her in her age, and now he was gone too. ] and much people of the city was with her.

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. [ Jesus does not cry and tells her not too because he was going to show compassion on her. ]

14 And he came and touched the bier: [ Coffin. ] and they that bare him stood still. [ They could feel that something was happening, they felt the power of the miracle. ] And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. [ Is this not the same call that the Savior makes to all of us? Awake from our state of sleep, repent, wake up and come unto him. ]

15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. [ Several translations add, "eiv agaqon", "for good". We often read of God visiting his people in a form of judgment, to consume them in their transgressions; but here the visit was to show compassion and mercy. This seems to have been added by some ancient copyist, by way of explanation. ]

17 And this rumour [ That is front of a large gathering Jesus had raised a man from the dead. ] of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

19 ¶ And John [ If it is the possibility of the Messiah why would John not go himself? Because he was locked away in prison at this time. ] calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? [ That is, the one who is to save. Or art thou the promised Messiah? See Matt. 11: 3. So John is sending two of his disciples to ask these two questions of this prophet whom he supposed to be Jesus. ] or look we for another?

20 When the men [ The two disciples that were sent by John to Jesus vs 18. ] were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? [  John the Baptist’s disciples came to Him to inquire whether He is the expected Messiah. ] or look we for another? < [ These are the exact words which John asked them to speak. I think that it would appear that John is really setting them up to gain a testimony for themself that he really is the Messiah. ]

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. [ So while this conversation is going on with the two disciples of John Jesus continues to help those who have gathered around by performing miracles on them. In all his miracles, Jesus showed the tenderest mercy and kindness: not only did he cure the disease, but the manner in which he performed the healing and treated the infirm, endeared him to those who were objects of his compassionate regards. As for sight he gave that to those who where both physically bland as well as those who were spiritually blind. ]

22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; [ Go tell John that you have witnessed that he makes the blind to see; the lame to walk; he cleanses the lepers; he give the power to hear to the deaf; and even raises the dead. ] how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. [ In addition to all of the atributes this Jesus also is found preaching the same redemptive gospel that you have been teaching John. ]

23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. [ What does this have reference too? Is it just a generic message of is it directed at one of those in the story? Who could it be? 1st It could be directed at John who is in prison and this is in a way a message of hope for John. Telling him to not be discouraged that he cannot do more as he is in prison, offended that he is not there as a disciple right along side of Christ; 2nd it could be to the disciples of John who are looking like they are going to need to change their loyalty from John to Jesus, so don't be offended that you need to do that. So are these two disciples maybe thinking that if anyone should be delivered by Jesus it is John, and yet Jesus is really doing nothing to deliver John it appears. So are they offended because Jesus is not helpping John - So blessed are they if they are not offended by that. ]

24 ¶ And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, [ Jesus testify's of the valiant nature of John the Baptist. ] What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [ Is this what you were expecting to see when you went out in the wilderness to see John, a reed blowing in the wind? If that is what you were expect of John then you are dead wrong, he is not and never one who was moved by something so fickle as the wind. Of unsteady mind, one whom will believe and speak one thing to-day, and another tomorrow. Christ is asking these Jews wasn't John always steady and uniform in the testimony he bore to me? ]

25  But what went ye out for to see? [ Was it just your curiosity that brought you to go see this wild man named John? What were you hoping to see there? ] A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.

26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God [ The original verb used here is "aqetein" which has two meanings:-1, to disbelieve; 2, despise, or disobey: and that both senses may be properly conjoined here. The will of God was that all the inhabitants of Judea should repent at the preaching of John, be baptized, and believe in Christ Jesus. Now as they did not repent, with John's preaching, so did they not believe his testimony concerning Christ: thus the will, or design (counsel) of God, relative to their salvation, was annulled or frustrated. They disbelieved his promises, despised the Messiah, and disobeyed his precepts. ] against themselves, being not baptized of him.

31 ¶ And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

34 The son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

36 ¶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he [ Jesus. “From the place of this incident in Luke's narration of events, it appears that it may have occurred on the day of the visit of John the Baptists messengers.” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” Apple Books. ] went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. [ “His reception at Simon's house appears to have been somewhat lacking in warmth, hospitality and honorable attendance. The narrative suggests an attitude of condescension on the part of the host. It was the custom of the times to treat a distinguished guest with marked attention; to receive him with a kiss of welcome, to provide water for washing the dust from his feet, and oil for anointing the hair of the head and the beard. All these courteous attentions were omitted by Simon.” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” The idea that he was the honored guest and yet was not attributed the proper hospitality brings emphasis on the woman who will at his site wash his feet with her tears of humble gratitude. Usually rested on on side, with his feet curled up toward his back side. This was the custom in order to make as much room as possible for others who were gathered. It is also important to note that it was the custom of the day for complete strangers to enter a house at meal time mingle with the guests, eat and then leave all without a invitation. ]

37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, [ JST changes the "which" to "who" was a sinner. First note that she WAS a sinner, past tense. Suggesting that she has changed. Many suppose that this woman had been a notorious public prostitute; but this is taking the sinner to the farthest degree. In a way it does not matter other than the fact that she is repesentative of each of us as we are wll sinners. One of the inherent facts of mortality is that we all commit sin. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans3:23), and John cautioned us that “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8) “this woman was one of the fallen class, a woman who had been unvirtuous, and who had to bear, as part of the penalty for her sins, outward scorn and practical ostracism from those who professed to be morally superior.” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” ] when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, [ The woman was aware that Jesus was inside in Simon's home. So knowing that Jesus was there she sought to go inside to be with him. ] brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, [ In taking their meals, the eastern people reclined on one side; the loins and knees being bent to make the more room, the feet of each person were turned outwards behind him. This is the meaning of standing BEHIND at his FEET. ] and began to wash his feet with tears, [ She knew who Jesus was and had faith in him and his mission. Which was that he would take away her sins. We are aware from the previous verse that she was a sinner, but that implies that she has undergone a change and has repented. So her tears here are tears of gratitude for what Jesus has and will do for her. ] and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, [ In a loving gesture so that she will not leave a mark so to speak, or put him out in any way. She is trying not to impose, in a way she imposed upon Jesus by crying and leaving her tears on him, so she attempts to do what she can to remove any reside of that incident. In a deeper symbolic way she is is like everyone of us, she recognizes what the Savior has done for us, and in the feeling of remorse for what we have done, the sufferring that we brought upon the savior we attempt to try to remove as much of the extra burden that we have placed on the Savior for our sins. ] and kissed his feet, [ katefilei - With affectionate tenderness, kissed them again and again. The kiss was used in ancient times as the emblem of love, religious reverence, subjection, and supplication. It has the meaning of supplication, in the way of adoration, accompanied with subjection. ] and anointed them with the ointment. [ Ointment is for anointing, he is the anointed one. “Seemingly oblivious of her surroundings and of disapproving eyes watching her movements, she shook out her tresses and wiped the Lord's feet with her hair. Then, opening an alabaster box of ointment, she anointed them, as a slave might do to his master. Jesus graciously permitted the woman to proceed unrebuked and uninterrupted in her humble service inspired by contrition and reverent love.” Excerpt From: James E. Talmage. “Jesus the Christ / A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy / Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern.” ]

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, [ So when Simon saw that Jesus allowed the woman with such a reputation to touch him he was taken back as if that was not right. ] he [ Simon ] spake within himself, [ Said to himself, so he does not speak what he is thinking but rather just thinks the thoughts. - now how would anyone have know the thoughts of Simon without inspiration? ] saying, This man, if he [ Or if Jesus - ] were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. [ This is a clear and powerful example of the forgiveness and peace that Christ offers to those who come unto Him. This story is just as much about Simon and the Savior’s attempt to reach out to him as it is about the woman who washed the Savior’s feet with her tears. We can all learn valuable lessons as we contemplate the Savior’s interactions with both of these individuals. In addition; Luke, uses the story to draw his readers in and to teach each of them to identify with and learn from the experiences of both Simon and the woman. There is real power in the story as we alternately identify with both of these individuals. ]

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, [ Note that Jesus is answering Simon's thoughts. Remember Simon has not asked the question out loud. Unlike all the other Pharisees mentioned in the four Gospels, this particular Pharisee’s name is recorded. I believe this reminds the readers that Jesus knows each person as an individual and that He responds to each according to his or her individual needs. Further, the Savior sees beyond the labels that society places upon them. Simon is not just one of a group of Pharisees who have fought against the Savior at every turn; rather, the Savior responded to him as an individual who is in need of His help, even if he doesn’t realize it! The irony, of course, is that Jesus treats Simon in such a way that he does not reciprocate to the woman who enters his house. Simon simply sees her as “a woman in the city, which is a sinner” (Luke 7:37; see also verse 39) and thus interprets her actions only within that framework. ] I have somewhat to say unto thee. [ the exchange that follows is that while Jesus clearly chastises him for his thoughts, He uses the moment not so much to condemn Simon but to teach him. He hopes that Simon will better understand who Jesus is and what His mission is and also that he will move beyond the societal labels so that he can recognize the potential of this daughter of God. ] And he saith, Master, say on. [ So Jesus answers the question posed in verse 39 which is if he were a prophet he would have know, by answering Simon with a parable that goes to what Simon was thinking, so Simon knew that he was a prophet if he knew that. while Jesus clearly chastises him for his thoughts, He uses the moment not so much to condemn Simon but to teach him. He hopes that Simon will better understand who Jesus is and what His mission is and also that he will move beyond the societal labels so that he can recognize the potential of this daughter of God. societal labels are so often based on external criteria, and clearly Simon views the woman’s actions through lenses of one of these labels. But the Lord has always used a different standard. He taught Samuel that He “looketh on the heart” of an individual (1 Samuel 16:7). see vers 44]

41 There was a certain creditor [ GOD. ] which had two debtors: [ Simon and the woman. ] the one owed five hundred pence, [ About fifteen months’ wages for a laborer. Simon who had the light of the law, and who, in consequence of his profession as a Pharisee, was obliged to abstain from outward iniquity, might be considered as the debtor who owed only fifty pence, or denarii. ] and the other fifty. [ About one and a half months’ wages. The woman, whom I have supposed to be a heathen, not having these advantages, having no rule to regulate her actions, and no curb on her evil propensities, may be considered as the debtor who owed five hundred pence, or denarii. And when both were compared, Simon's debt to God might be considered, in reference to hers, as fifty to five hundred. ]

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. [ Notwithstanding this great disparity, both were insolvent. Simon, the religious Pharisee, could no more pay his fifty to God than this poor heathen her five hundred; and, if both be not freely forgiven by the Divine mercy, both must finally perish. Having NOTHING to PAY, he kindly FORGAVE them both. some think that this very Simon was no inconsiderable debtor to our Lord, as having been mercifully cleansed from a leprosy; for he is supposed to be the same as Simon the leper. See the note on Matt. xxvi. 6. The beauty of th eplan of our Father in Heaven is that in a way it does not matter what we have done. God does not look at us or love us differently based on what we have or have not done. It is Heavenly Father plan to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. There are no exceptions to that plan. so what does Heavenly Father expect? He expects us to repent, to work through the repentance process until we have gained a remission of sin. The parable demonstrates that Heavenly Father trusts his plan. The plan that Heavenly Father is forward thinking and is working toward bringing us back to him. If we need to repent then he has full confidence that the atonement has been worked out in complete detail so that we can be forgiven of anything and everything that we have done if we will repent. ] Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? [ Which is under the greater obligation and should love him most? Both were the same, they were both in debt - it was only to the degree that they were in debt. ]

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. [ By this acknowledgment he was, unknowingly to himself, prepared to receive our Lord's reproof. ] And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. [ Interesting choice of words here. He could have said you have answered correctly; but no he says "judged correctly". Implying that the judgement here is correct but that he has misjudged the woman earlier. Jesus see's the womna for who she is not who she might have been. She has repented vs 37, but not so any more. ]

44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? [ An invitation for Simon to lift his sights and see the woman as the Savior saw her. ] I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: [ In this respect Simon was sadly deficient in civil respect, whether this proceeded from forgetfulness or contempt. The custom of giving water to wash the guest's feet was very ancient. Common custom is, that when a superior enters the house of an inferior, the latter washes his feet, and gives him water to rinse his mouth before he eats. Giving water for the feet was only common politeness,.look at Genesis 18:4 and Judges 19:21. Offering a kiss of peace denoted treatment of a friend, look at Genesis 22:4 and Exodus 18:7. The application of oil denoted the treatment of a festive guest, look at Psalm 23:5, 141:5 and Matthew 6:17. In other words, Simon was not polite, not a friend nor a true host to Jesus. He offerred no love. ] but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: [ To help him make that transition, Jesus offers him the parable of the two debtors and then, with probing questions, guides Simon to the mirror of self-awareness. Although Simon probably considered himself to be a righteous man, at least by Pharisaic standards, he had failed to recognize what it meant to invite the son of God to dwell with him, even if it was only for a single meal. He had invited the Savior as a guest into his home but then had neglected to treat him with the respect He deserved. No not even with the respect that would have been given a common guest let it alone an honored guest. Simon neither greeted Jesus with a Kiss nor did he offer water to wash his feet with. The Pharisees were correct when they charged that Jesus ate with sinners, but in this case, regardless of how Simon might have judged his personal worthiness, the sinner was not the woman. Are there lessons that we can learn from Simon? Are there ways that we sometimes can relate to him? Are we at times guilty of inviting the Savior into our homes but then failing to treat Him with the respect He deserves? Are there times when we mechanically attend church without actively participating in the gospel? We extended the invitation to Christ on the day we were baptized, and we reissue it to Him every time we partake of the sacrament or go to the temple. But are there times when we, like Simon, fail to provide water for Him to wash His feet by failing to magnify our home-teaching or visiting-teaching assignments? Do we sometimes neglect to greet Him with a kiss by neglecting to reach out to those in need within our sphere of influence? Do we sometimes forget to provide oil to anoint His head by filling our minds with good intentions but then either procrastinating or just failing to follow through? Luke doesn’t record how Simon responds to the Savior’s teachings. He leaves it open perhaps so that his readers can write their own conclusions from the annals of their own lives.] but this woman since the time I came in [ Rather, Since the time SHE came in, af hv eishlqen, not eishlqon, I came in, for it is clear from ver. 37 that the woman came in after Christ, having heard that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee's house. ] hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: [ Anointing the head with oil was as common among the Jews as washing the face with water is among us. ] but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. [ What is the difference between oil and ointment? Oil was cheap, while ointment was expensive. How does that knowledged change the story? ]

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, [ Unlike Simon, the woman in this story is not named. In fact, there is much that we do not know about her. She was a real person, but by and large she remains anonymous. The one detail that Luke provides about her past is that people considered her to be “a woman in the city, which was a sinner,” and Jesus acknowledges in verse 47 that her sins “are many.” This has led many, including Simon (see verse 39),to view her as a prostitute, but it is important to note that Luke never makes that label explicit in his recounting of the story. Two important reasons may explain Luke’s ambiguity here. On the one hand, it is a reminder, as Elder Scott taught, that everyone has “many sins” that need the healing power of the Atonement. Since this woman is anonymous,she represents everyone who reads the story. But the suggestion of her past life also serves as a powerful sense of hope that Christ’s Atonement can and will heal even one of the most serious of sins (see Alma 39:3–6). President Boyd K. Packer reiterates that same sense of hope when he says, “There are times you cannot mend that which you have broken. Perhaps the offense was long ago, or the injured refused your penance. Perhaps the damage was so severe that you cannot fix it no matter how desperately you want to.” I can imagine that this was once how the woman in our story felt. But then President Packer continues: “When your desire is firm and you are willing to pay the ’uttermost farthing,’ the law of restitution is suspended. Your obligation is transferred to the Lord. He will settle your accounts. I repeat, save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ.” - Boyd K. Packer, “The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness,” Ensign, November 1995, 19. ] are forgiven; [ This unnamed woman had experienced the power of that complete forgiveness before she ever entered Simon’s house. Again, Luke does not record the details of her journey to repentance. Such things do not occur in an instant.  Note what Elder McConkie has to say: “Here is a woman who once was a sinner but now is clean. Jesus is not going to forgive her sins—he has already done so; it happened when she believed and was baptized in his name; it happened when she repented with full purpose of heart and pledged her life and every breath she thereafter drew to the Cause of Righteousness.” Luke’s silence on the specific details gives his readers another opportunity to insert the details from their own life pages. Jesus’s declaration to the woman in verse 48, “Thy sins are forgiven thee,” is a reiteration of what the woman already knew, but it is also a public declaration for Simon and his other guests at the banquet. As one New Testament scholar has noted, “She does not need forgiveness from God, but she does need recognition of her new life and forgiveness among God’s people.” ] for she loved much: [ "She has sought me out to exhibit the unbounded gratitude of one who was filthy, but now is clean. Her gratitude knows no bounds and her love is beyond measure, for she was forgiven of much. Had she been forgiven of but a few sins, she would have not have loved me so intensely." Bruce R McConkie Doctrinal New Testament commentary Vol 1, pg 265 ] but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. [ The reading of verse 47 in the King James Version seems to indicate that Jesus forgives her because of her outpourings of love. There are two reasons that suggest otherwise. The perfect tense of the Greek word afa?ontaican be translated as “have been forgiven” (John J. Kilgallen, “John the Baptist, the Sinful Woman,and the Pharisee,” Journal of Biblical Literature 104 [1985]: 675–79). In addition,Jesus’s use of the parable of the two debtors strongly indicates that the outpouring of love is the result of forgiveness rather than the catalyst for it. The important Greek word is the conjunction hoti that is here translated in a causal sense, “because.” However, it can also be translated in a logical or resultant sense(see John 9:19; 1 John 3:14; Matthew 8:27; Hebrews 2:6). For a discussion of this second point, see Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke, 692 Loved much-loveth little. That is, A man's love to God will be in proportion to the obligations he feels himself under to the bounty of his Maker. ]

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49 And they [ The others that were around Simon at the table enjoying the meal. ] that sat at meat with him [ Simon ] began to say within themselves, [ Again no words are spoken, however Jesus knows their thoughts. They wonder what man could suggest that he has the power of that only God has, the power to forgive sin. ] , Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; [ So why does this woman seek out the Savior if it is not to obtain His forgiveness? It is precisely because she has tasted the sweetness and healing power of Christ in her life that she seeks Him out to thank Him. Words apparently could not adequately convey the feelings of her soul at that time, so instead she expressed her gratitude and love inabject humility by washing His feet with her tears, wiping them with the hair of her head, kissing them, and anointing them with ointment.This is a very tender, intimate moment. Perhaps she felt as the Apostle John did when he wrote, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Luke has drawn his readers into this story. He wants each of them to identify with this woman, but how can modern readers show their love for the Savior? The Savior taught some very concrete ways His followers can show that love. He taught His disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Later in the same discourse He focused even more specifically. “This is my commandment,That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). In effect,He was encouraging them to live the second great commandment (see Matthew 22:39). Jesus’s brother James later taught that “pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). And So the Savior reminds the woman that “thy faith hath saved thee” (Luke 7:50). Her faith had given her hope that forgiveness was possible. Her faith had led her to overcome her fears and seek out the Savior. Her faith had led her to pay the “uttermost farthing” to receive her forgiveness. Her experience with the Savior shows Luke’s readers what is possible for all people who allow Christ to encircle them in the arms of His love. Note the pleading of President Gordon B. Hinckley: Don’t ever feel that you can’t be forgiven. Our Father in Heaven oves you. He is your Father. He is your Heavenly Parent. He has great concern for you. He reaches out to you in love and forgiveness. . . .Our Father in Heaven will take care of the forgiveness. You put it behind you. You talk with your bishop. You live in righteousness. You do what is right and things will work out for you. I don’t want to see you going around brooding forever about something, some little thing,perhaps, that may have happened, or some serious thing that may have happened. There is hope. There is forgiveness. There is peace for those who follow the right path. ] go in peace. [ the last direction the Savior has for this woman is to “go in peace” (Luke 7:50). Having received the power of the Atonement, she can finally find peace with herself, with her God, and, hopefully, with Simon and his other guests. As the Savior taught, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). But notice that having received this peace, the woman is told to take it with her as she leaves Simon’s house and returns to the world. Peace in the world can only be achieve donly as individuals come unto Christ, receive of His love and forgiveness,and then return to the world to, in turn, help others do as this unnamed woman did. Yes, “to err is human,” but forgiveness, ultimate forgiveness, is a divine blessing bestowed upon us through the Atonement. The Savior is waiting with open arms to bestow it upon all those who would come unto Him. The more I have read and pondered the experiences of Simon and the unnamed woman recorded in this short passage, the more I have come to appreciate how much the Savior loves me and reaches out for me. sometimes I am like Simon. sometimes I invite the Savior into my home but fail to treat Him as an honored guest. sometimes my devotion is mechanical. But although He chastises me, I have felt a warming glow in my soul as He helps me raise my spiritual sights and strive for more than spiritual mediocrity. At other times the power of His love is so overwhelming that all I can do is to fall at His feet in humble gratitude and love for all that He does for me. I bear testimony that in either situation I find myself, I know “his hand is stretched outstill” (Isaiah 9:17), beckoning me to come unto Him. ]