The Two Debtors
by Kameron York
Insights here:
Points:
In this parable, unlike most, Jesus reveals
the meaning. Jesus is invited to eat with a Pharisee named Simon. While
having dinner, a “sinful” woman enters the house, cleans the savior’s
feet sith her tears, and annoints his feet wirh oil from an alabaster
box. Simon mutters, “Doesn’t He know this woman is a sinner?”, to which
Jesus responds with this parable.
The meaning of the parable
follows the telling. After Simon rightly answers, Jesus says, “Simon,
we’ve been having dinner for a while now and you haven’t washed my feet
or annointed my them with oil.” Then he applies the meaning of the
parable to this scenario, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for
she loved much…”
(Luke
7:47). An interesting phrase! Because she has shown so much love,
her sins are forgiven? Does this mean as long as we show love to others
we can sin as much as we want? No, I believe the meaning is much deeper
than the idea that, “loving others = forgiveness from sin.”
I find it interesting that the phrasing shown im verse 47 is
effectively the reverse of the story in the parable. In the parable the
master forgives and the servant who owed most loves most. However, in
the real world application of verse 47, the Savior mentions her great
love and then says her sins are forgiven. But, let’s not allow this
ordering to confuse us. Think of this real world example on a grand
scale. This woman is washing and annointing the feet of the Messiah, the
one who WILL forgive her sins. She is performing this act of love
because this man is her Savior. Just like in the parable, Jesus has
forgiven her of such a great amount. An amount that has moved her to
compassionate acts of service.
It’s interesting that there are a few givens in the
parable.
1. Both people fell into debt. The reasons for
their circumstances are unknown, but they are both contracted for
loans.
2. Neither person can pay their debt. Again, their
financial reasons for being unable to pay are unknown.
3. Both
people ask for mercy, and are forgiven. There are amounts of debt
mentioned, but the creditor frankly forgives both of their debts
regardless of amount.
4. Both people loved the creditor for
forgiving them. The parable is used to illustrate that one loved the
creditor more, but the comparison shows that both loved.
These
givens are paralleled in our lives. Daily we fall into debt by sinning.
We alone are unable to pay the debts for our sins and plead for
forgiveness. Our creditor is merciful, willing to forgive anyone we asks
for mercy. We then love the Lord more for allowing us - through His
sacrifice - to be free.
We’ve highlighted the similarities
between the debtors, but what of their differences?
1. The
amounts of debt. One debtor only owes 50 pence while the other owes
500.
2. The amount of love. As stated previously they both
love the creditor, but the one who was forgiven of 500 pence loved more.
The Savior went on to say, “…but to whom little is forgiven, the same
loveth little.” Of this passage the New Testament institute manual
says:
“Jesus Christ taught that people who choose not to
seek the blessings of divine forgiveness for their sins are showing
their lack of love for Him… we are warned that deliberate sin mocks the
Savior’s Atonement. We should show our love for the Savior by striving
to keep His commandments and sincerely repenting of our sins.”
Jesus saying that people we repent little love little makes sense.
Our repentance, as was stated in the institute manual, is derived from
our love for the Savior. And, just as both people in the parable were in
debt, we are all debtors to sin. Therefore, if we all require
repentance, then those who repent are showing their love and are
forgiven, while those who don’t repent lack the love necessary to obtain
forgiveness - solely because they don’t ask for it. Everyone is
worthy of the love and forgiveness of Christ, but those without
love for Him seem to disqualify themselves because of it.
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