Luke 7:37-38

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Luke 7:37

Luke 7:37. Which was a sinner—box of ointment,— Who had been a sinner—box of perfume. It is generally supposed, that the woman who anointed our Lord in Simon's house, was she who in the Gospel is called Mary Magdalene, for no other reason than because St. Luke, in the beginning of the following chapter, mentions her as one of our Lord's attendants, and one out of whom he had cast seven devils. Some indeed attempt to prove it out of the Talmud, which mentions a lewd woman called Mary Megadella,... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Luke 7:38

Luke 7:38. Began to wash his feet with tears,— To water his feet with a shower of tears. Doddridge; who observes that this is the proper signification of the word βρεχειν . See Matthew 5:45. We are not to imagine that this woman came on purpose thus to wash and wipe the feet of Christ; but probably, hearing that the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner had neglected the civility usually paid in the eastern countries to such guests as they designed particularly to honour,—that of anointing the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Luke 7:37

37, 38. a sinner—one who had led a profligate life. Note.—There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was. (See on Luke 8:2.) an alabaster box of ointment—a perfume vessel, in some cases very costly (Luke 8:2- :). "The ointment has here a peculiar interest, as the offering by a penitent of what had been an accessory in her unhallowed work of sin" [ALFORD]. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Luke 7:38

38. at his feet behind him—the posture at meals being a reclining one, with the feet out behind. began to wash, c.—to "water with a shower." The tears, which were quite involuntary, poured down in a flood upon His naked feet, as she bent down to kiss them and deeming them rather fouled than washed by this, she hastened to wipe them off with the only towel she had, the long tresses of her own hair, "with which slaves were wont to wash their masters' feet" [STIER]. kissed—The word signifies "to... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 7:36-50

4. The anointing by a sinful woman 7:36-50This incident, appearing only in Luke’s Gospel, illustrates the truth just expressed in Luke 7:35. Here is a case in point of what Jesus had just described happening (Luke 7:34). Jesus reached out to a sinner only to receive criticism from a fastidious Pharisee. The love that the woman lavished on Jesus contrasts with Simon the Pharisee’s lack of love for Him. The motif of Jesus’ identity is also significant in this story since Jesus had forgiven the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 7:37

Social custom allowed needy people to visit such meals and to partake of some of the leftovers. [Note: Liefeld, p. 903.] Moreover it was not unusual for people to drop in when a rabbi was visiting. [Note: Martin, p. 224.] Luke gallantly omitted describing why the woman was a sinner, though the commentators love to guess. Some have assumed that the woman was Mary Magdalene, but this is pure speculation. The point was that she was a member of the social class called sinners that the Pharisees... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 7:38

Jesus was probably reclining on a divan to eat with His head and arms close to the table and His feet stretched out away from it, as was customary at important meals. The woman’s sacrificial gift and her tears raise questions the text does not answer. Was she grateful to Jesus for some act of kindness that He had showed her, or was she seeking His help? By constantly kissing (Gr. katephilei, the imperfect tense) Jesus’ feet the woman was expressing her affection, respect, and submission (cf. 1... read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - Luke 7:38

7:38 kissed (d-27) Or 'ardently kissed,' 'covered with kisses;' so ver. 45. cf. ch. 15.20; Acts 20:37 . read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:1-50

Raising of the Widow’s Son. The Woman who was a Sinner1-10. Healing of the centurion’s servant. See on Matthew 8:5.11-17. The raising of the widow’s son (peculiar to Lk). On the credibility and significance of Christ’s miracles of resurrection, consult Matthew 9:18; John 11:1.11. Nain] 25 m. SW. of Capernaum on the hill ’little Hermon’ as it slopes down to the plain of Esdraelon: now a squalid collection of mud-hovels. Much people] RV ’a great multitude.’ Lazarus also was raised in the presence... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Luke 7:37

(37) A woman in the city, which was a sinner.—The word is clearly used as pointing to the special sin of unchastity. The woman was known in the city as plying there her sinful and hateful calling. The question who she was must be left unanswered. Two answers have, however, been given. (1) The widespread belief that she was Mary Magdalene—shown in the popular application of the term “Magdalen” to a penitent of this class—has absolutely not a single jot or tittle of evidence in Scripture. Nor can... read more

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