Friday | 27 March 2026
Jesus addressed Simon with the kind of question that the general Jewish populus might ask of a Pharisee. That is, He answered Simon’s query with a scenario and a question, saying, ‘Tell Me, therefore, which of them [i.e. the one who was forgiven little or much] will love him more?’ Luk 7:42. After Simon had adequately answered Christ’s question, Jesus then spoke directly to him about the attitude that he must have if he was to enter Christ’s kingdom. This attitude was being demonstrated by the woman who was worshipping Jesus and kneeling at His feet.
Jesus came to dine with Simon because he loved Christ ‘a little’. Luk 7:47. A little love was sufficient to bring this leader ‘out’ to Jesus. In this regard, Simon was like the children of Israel whom the Lord brought out of Egypt to meet Him at Mount Sinai. As the prophet Ezekiel said, ‘Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgements [the commands of the King], which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ Eze 20:10-11.
However, the children of Israel did not go ‘into’ the promised land because they would not obey the word of the Lord and His messengers, as the fruit of repentance – they did not love much.
Jesus received Simon by entering his house. He did this to upgrade Simon’s love from ‘a little’ by bringing a word, or command, to him. This was a word of faith that would enable Simon to increase in love and faith and become a citizen of Christ’s kingdom. However, it appears that Simon refused this word, which could have been Spirit and life to him, enabling him to be ‘strengthened with might through the Spirit in the inner man’. Eph 3:16.
The evidence of receiving this strength is the response of one who loves much, demonstrated by humility, repentance, washing one another’s feet, and kissing and anointing the Messenger of the Covenant when He comes.
Further Study:
Colossians 1
References:
Luk 7:42
And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?
Luk 7:47
Therefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
Eze 20:10-11
Therefore, I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgements, which, if a man does, he shall live by them.
Eph 3:16
That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.