The unnamed woman who washed Christ’s feet

Do you know what the first act of hospitality was in New Testament times when a traveler came into a man’s house? Mostly they traveled by foot, they wore sandals and the very first act of hospitality was to draw a container of water so the guest could wash his feet.

In the Bible days the people came to people’s houses, not by limousine or by car. They came by foot path. And they walked on the same foot path as the cows. And so, every now and then, when they stepped down, you know what they stepped in. And this was evening. And usually, that’s why people would wash one another's feet. It was customary to wash your feet. Simon didn’t do that that night. You can read it in all four of the gospels. And Jesus feet were not washed. And also the welcome kiss was withheld. And the anointing oil was withheld. You know, that anointing oil was perfumed. So it was sort of like a deodorant, and people that came in from the heat of Palestine, they smelled good. That’s why they did that. But none of that for Jesus.

Well, all was going smoothly when in walked a very attractive lady named Mary. And there she was. And she had been known for her loose, immoral life. And Simon was unaware of what Mary had become since Mary had met Jesus over the past few months. And he didn’t remember. All he could remember is her past. 

And you know, we human beings have a way of remembering people’s past. They’ve maybe gone way on beyond that, and they’ve been forgiven, and they’re a true follower of Jesus, but we remember their past. How quick we are to expose what somebody used to be.

Well, Simon should have focused on his own problems, because you see, Simon had been a leper. You can read that in Matthew’s account of it. In other words, under his expensive, beautiful, white robes had been a disease. There concealed, was the evidence of his leprosy. He looked good externally but under those fancy robes he was a disfigured man. The Divine Physician though, was in his house that day, but he didn’t benefit. As far as we know, he was not thankful to be healed. Mary went to bed that night cleansed of all her sin. Simon went to bed that night still showing the scars of his leprosy. Uncleansed. An unforgiven, disfigured former leper.

Now then, I would suggest you take a good look at this beautiful woman as she unveils herself at the feet of the Master. The word of God says she started crying, and she shed enough tears that she could literally wash the feet of Jesus. Can you imagine a woman who could shed that amount of tears? Now we’ve all been to funerals or in many ways witnessed someone’s broken heart and grief upon losing a close friend or relative and have watched with sadness as so many tears came flowing down their cheeks.  --- But this woman was not crying because she had lost a mother, father or someone close. She was crying because she was a sinner and she was at the feet of the Son of God.

Now you talk about a beautiful picture of love and adoration. You don’t have to ask this woman if she loved Jesus; her love was manifested by her attitude. Here she is shedding enough tears that she can literally wash the feet of Jesus. And then the Bible says, she took His feet and dried them with the hair of her head. What an absolutely beautiful scene. But not only did she wash the Lord’s feet with her tears of sorrow and dry them with the very hair of her head; but then she anointed His feet with her very expensive perfume. Then the Bible tells me that she kissed His feet. ---

You talk about humility, you talk about love, this woman demonstrated pure and unadulterated love. Love for Jesus and deep sorrow for her sins. She repented with godly sorrow. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren in 2 Cor. 7:9-11; --- ?I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. --- For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. --- For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!

 In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.? --- Get a good look at this woman, don't ever forget her......

As we look at this woman a little closer, we see that she is a woman of courage. I doubt you could read anywhere in the Bible of another woman with more courage than this one. Evidently, this woman went into the house of this Pharisee totally uninvited. The point is, she heard that Jesus was going to be there and she wasn’t  going to let anything or anybody stand in the way of finding Jesus Christ. She was absolutely resolute in finding Jesus Christ and this took a great deal of courage.

The tears of the woman who worshipped Him (Jesus) by washing His feet are most significant. The worship of this woman was, may I say, emotional. Those of us in our tradition tend toward a very intellectual worship. We could use a good deal more emotion. Remember that we are to love the Lord our God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Worship should involve the mind and the emotions.

The worship of this woman was without one word. It took me a while to realize that while our Lord spoke to this woman, Luke did not record so much as one word which she spoke to Him. It is possible that she spoke to Him, but Luke does not find it necessary to record the fact if she did. I also would point this out for the benefit of those men who think that they can only worship when they speak publicly. The best worship may be wordless.

She wiped the feet of Christ, thus washing his feet with her hair. Her hair is her glory, but she will use her glory to clean the dirt and dust off the feet of her Savior.  It is good she obeyed the Bible and had long hair, or else she wouldn’t have any hair to wipe the feet of Jesus with.  She would go away with dirty hair, but it didn’t matter to her, she would use all her glory and honor, and all her life for her Savior.

Simon withheld his water, Mary freely gave her water, her tears. Simon withheld his kiss. Mary continually kissed the feet of Jesus. Simon kept his oil. Mary poured it all upon Jesus. There’s a difference.

Peace be with you

Beth🍀🌿🌾