Like other incidences in the bible, the
effects of Jesus' words usually brought
silence with embarassment.

At this time the emnity against Jesus by
the Jews wasn't seen by many; so when
He sent the woman away saying, "Thy
faith hath saved thee; go in peace," they
only looked at each other in amazement
and thought, "Who is this who forgiveth
sins also?"

Jesus wasn't saying or implying that
man should "do evil that good may
come" Romans 3:8

It was just that the woman knew that
she was a sinner and hated herself for
her past. Yet Simon was proud of his
life and his position in society and was
blind to his condition.

The closer we get to God the more we
realize our unholiness.

Jesus agreed with Simon's answer of the
difference between himself and the woman.
He pointed out the love and devotion that
she had in comparison to Simon's; his had
been cold and empty.

No wonder Jesus had given His attention
to the woman who had shown so much
appreciation.

Jesus went on to apply the parable to Simon.

"Simon answered and said, I suppose that he,
to whom he forgave most. And he said unto
him, Thou hast rightly judged.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto
Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into
thine house, thou gavest me no water for my
feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears,
and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since
the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my
feet.
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this
woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to
whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

Then Jesus spoke a parable:

"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?" Luke 7:41-42

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to
whom he forgave most, not realizing that Jesus'
words were referring to him.

This Pharisee saw what was happening and must
have been disgusted by the tears and her touch
on Jesus' feet. He would have sent her away but
was shocked by Jesus' permission of her worship.

The Pharisee thought Jesus was a prophet and
it was the reason he invited him to dinner. What
a mistake, if Jesus was a prophet He would have
known this woman and made her leave.

So he stood by helpless as he watched the woman
shower caresses on Jesus' feet. Jesus knew what
he was thinking and answered him, "Simon, I have
somewhat to say unto thee." And he saith, "Master,
say on."
Luke 7:36-40

She had heard of Jesus and hope rose in her heart.
If He helped others just a vile as she, wouldn't He
help her also. So she gathered the courage to go in
to this Pharisee's house and took the box with her.

When she saw Jesus at the table, she went to Him
and knelt at His feet. While listening to Him speak,
she began to weep. Tears fell on His feet so she took
her hair and wiped them. Then she put the ointment
on them.

This Pharisee's hospitality was limited and even
demeaning.

All of the regular comforts that are given to an
honored guest not given to Him. Like no washing
His feet; no welcome kiss; no ointment for His hair.
He was just offered a seat at the table.

But a woman made her way in among the other
guests. She was one who would never be invited
to a home as Simon's. She brought an alabaster
box with her that was filled with ointment.
Luke 7:36-40

"She washed His feet

with her tears and

wiped them with her

hair and anointed them

with the ointment."

Even though many of Jesus' disciples left Him
after His sermon on the bread of life; the miracles
that happened in the area caused an excitement
regarding His healings so He was able to continue
His ministry there.

A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to come
to dinner. Jesus accepted. Before, His invitations
were from lower class people like tax-gathers,
giving Him a reputation of being a friend of publicans
and sinners.

But this one was to the home of a Pharisee.

Apparently Judas was disappointed with the
day's events and he didn't understand any more
than the other disciples what Jesus meant when
He said:

"Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is
a devil?
He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for
he it was that should betray him, being one of the
twelve."

After most of the people had left, Jesus turned
to the disciples and said, "Will ye also go away?"
The remaining twelve looked down because the
excitement of the day was gone.

Some of the other disciples had left also; but the
main twelve stayed even though they didn't
understand all Jesus had said, they did understand
what He said about eternal life.

Then Peter spoke up,"Then Simon Peter answered
him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the
words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure
that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."

Even though they didn't understand, what they had
seen caused them to trust Him. The miracle the
day before (feeding loaves and fishes) they believe
was enough to show them that He was the Messiah.

They had to agree that those who ate manna in the
wilderness had died, so they needed more than manna
But still, it was difficult to understand.

"This is a hard saying, who can hear it?"

"I am the living bread which came down from
heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall l
ive for ever: and the bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:51

This was a stumbling block to them. How could
Jesus give His own flesh to them? They were so
carnally minded, that instead of seeking the true
meaning, they began to dispute the question, "The
Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying,
How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
John 6:52

Those that opposed Jesus was always following
on the edges of the crowds to see and hear what
He was doing. They got angry as He was trying
to teach them of His purpose of coming.

They exchanged question like "Why was Jesus
saying that He came down from heaven?"; "Why
does He call Himself the Bread of Life?"; "Do we
not know Joseph His father, and His mother
Mary, and was not this man a mere carpenter?"
(Mark 6:3; John 6:41-42

Jesus didn't answer their question about His
supernatural birth and never argue the fact of
His divinity.

Jesus was teaching them that faith was much
deeper than signs and wonders. They needed
a bread other than the manna in the wilderness.
They had to have the bread of life that was sent
from heaven.

They said, "Lord evermore give us this bread,"
yet they were still thinking materially. They
were thinking of this bread, like the woman at
the well was thinking of the water.

And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he
that believeth on me shall never thirst."
John 6:35

They had brought up Nehemiah 9:15 but hadn't
seen how little spiritual good the earthly manna
had done the people of Israel. The people of that
day were proud, disobedient, hardening their
hearts, made a molten image, and slew the
prophets. (Nehemiah 9:16-26)

So they were given over to their enemies. And
all the generations after them did the same thing.
(Nehemiah 9:28)

That is why the Israelites were under the rule
of the Romans. They had taken the promise but
overlooked the conditions.

The disciples and others were willing to go along
with Jesus' claim that He was the true manna.

The Jewish nation, according to tradition, held
that if He was the real Messiah, He would better
them, feed them with finest from heaven, besides
the regular manna like Moses did.

They asked, "What sign shewest thou then, that
we may see, and believe thee? What dost thou
work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert;
as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven
to eat" John 6:30-31

The people hearing Jesus were not satisfied. To
them it was the most important issue. Moses
had given them bread from heaven. Jesus also
had proven that He had the power to feed them
supernaturally. They believed that their question
was based on scripture.

The pot of manna and the grape clusters were
carved on the synagogue. To the Jews the most
important thing in life was plenty of bread.

The people were embarrassed because Jesus had
read their hearts. So they asked, "What are we
to do that we may work the works of God?"

Jesus told them that the work of God was to believe
on Him. whom God hath sent.

The basis of Christianity is salvation through faith
in Christ. The work of redemption is accomplished
by simple faith in Christ's finished work.

Jesus was right up front with them.
John 6:26-27
"Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw
the miracles, but because ye did eat of the
loaves, and were filled.
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but
for that meat which endureth unto everlasting
life, which the Son of man shall give unto you:
for him hath God the Father sealed."

People are taken with their present physical
needs with complete disregard of the future.

There was a service in the synagogue that same
day (John 6:59). Jairus, whose daughter He had
raised from the dead, had charge of the synagogue
and would have given Jesus freedom to preach.

Jesus had led the people there where He could
preach and teach them. There was a custom
where they could ask questions in the services.

He had to remove their expectation that He had
come to be an earthly king and to set up a
temperary kingdom; a false idea they had of His
mission.

Really the people had already decided that Jesus
was the Messiah. The miracle of the loaves and
fishes had fully convinced them of that. But they
were, of course, were thinking of a different kind
of Messiah. One that would feed them with manna
like Moses had. (John 6:30-31). The miracle
of them being feed by Him the day before made
that clear.

But they wondered why He had evaded them
by going up into the mountain; because they
were ready to make Him king. They were
wanting to get an answer from Him.

Not everyone who got in on the miracle of the
loaves and fishes returned to their homes. Some
hung around and slept over night near by hoping
to follow Jesus again the next day. But when they
got up in the morning, waited but he was not to
be found.

Of course, they knew nothing of what happened
on the sea during the night. So then they decided
to return to Capernaum and found that Jesus
was already there. They wondered how he got
there. "Rabbi, when comest thou hither?" He
did't tell them of the miracle on the water because
He did not want to get their loyalty based on miracles.

There have been ridiculous attempts by some to
explain away what happened in some of these
miracles in the natural.

They say that this storm beat against the boat
which moved it quickly to land and that the
disciples actually saw Jesus walking on the shore,
not on the water.

The ministry of Jesus was a series of supernatural
occurances and no one can do away with His
miracles without doing away with Him.

Some wonder if occurances like these will happen
in these last day. No doubt, but they seemed rare
even in Bible days. But possibly more comman
than we know.

Because we do know John wrote in his book in 21:25:
"This is the disciple which testifieth of these things,
and wrote these things: and we know that his
testimony is true.
And there are also many other things which Jesus
did, the which, if they should be written every one,
I suppose that even the world itself could not
contain the books that should be written. Amen.