Intro to “The Scope of Jesus’ Ministry” (Luke 8:1-3)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/3/2026 8:10 PM

My Worship Time                                                Focus:  Intro to “The Scope of Jesus’ Ministry”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 8:1-3

            Message of the verses:  “Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God.  The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many other who were contributing to their support out of their private means.”

            This evening we begin to look at the eight chapter of the book of Luke and I cannot say how long that we will be in this chapter, but as always I will not go fast through it, as you have to go slow through the study of God’s word so that you can get the most out of it.  I will as always quote the introduction from MacArthur’s commentary.

            “The plan of God that unfolded in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is counterintuitive to conventional human wisdom.  Modern so-called experts on ministry methodology would not have devised such a narrow strategy to bring salvation to the world by limiting the exposure of the Son of God to the small, weak, embattled, and oft-conquered nation of Israel.  Nor would their plan have called for Him to live the first thirty years of His life in obscurity in a tiny hamlet (Nazareth) in a backwater region (Galilee), and then spend the overwhelming majority of His three years of ministry within the borders of Israel.  They would have been puzzled by His rejection of all religiously trained and influential leaders, and their place His choice of twelve common, ordinary men to be His closest associates in ministry and preachers.  And scorning the influential and powerful, He spent His time with common people, especially the poor and outcasts of society.  Jesus’ welcoming of sinners and withering criticism of the religious elite could not only be viewed as counterproductive to the impact of His message.  Modern marketers would hardly have been surprised that Jesus wound up being rejected by the nation and being executed as a result of the hatred of the leaders.

            “But worldly experts would think like that would be dead wrong in their evaluation of God’s strategy.  With a breathtaking economy of effort, the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly and precisely carried out the ministry given Him by the Father (John 17:4).”  “4  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”  “Working within the limits set by the Father allowed Jesus’ brief three years of ministry to set in motion the most powerful force for truth the world has ever known.  Over the generations the gospel has spread to every corner of the globe and the church has continued to expand worldwide.

            “Jesus’ simple, fixed, and precisely focused ministry stands in sharp contrast to modern concepts of the ministry.  Mimicking worldly management theories, ministries today are often designed to have the widest possible impact, and with that goal in mind to be diverse, eclectic, synergistic, tolerant, and culturally connected.  Enormous amounts of time, money, and manpower are poured into strategies, plans, and activities designed to influence as many people as possible.  The goal is to create a matrix of perceptions, cultural expectations, and felt needs that can be met at the broadest level by the ministry. The divine model of ministry by the Lord Jesus Christ in the plan and power of heaven needed not of those devices.

            “The brief summary passages (cf. 4:14-15, 31-32, 40-41; 6:17-19) marks the transition into the final phase of the Lord’s Galilean ministry.  It provides a remarkable insight into the divinely-imposed limitations that made Jesus’ ministry so effective.  Six insights into the scope of His ministry may be discerned.  Jesus’ ministry was limited sovereignly, geographically, theologically, humanly, society, and materially.”

(cf. 4:14-15, 31-32, 40-41; 6:17-19)

“14 ¶  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”

“31 ¶  And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32  and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.”

“40  Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41  And demons also came out of many, crying,, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

“17  And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18  who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19  And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.”

9/3/2026 8:49 PM

 

PT-2 “The Self-Righteous Man” (Luke 7:39-50)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/3/2026 9:22 PM

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-2 “The Self-Righteous Man”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 7:39-50

            Message of the verses:  “39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this Man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

           MacArthur then writes “Continuing to address Simon, the one He sought to reach, Jesus said, ‘For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.’  The perfect tense verb (describing action completed in the past with continuing results in the present) translated have been forgiven indicates that the woman had already been forgiven before she came there that day.  This was her opportunity to show her gratitude and love to the one who had graciously forgiven her.  Then, addressing the woman, Jesus reaffirmed that she had already been forgiven (again the verb is in the perfect tense), saying to her, ‘Your sins have been forgiven.’  Her outpouring of love for the Savior was the mark of her transformed life.

            “The transformation was evident to those who were reclining at the table with Christ and they began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man who even forgives sins?’  That Jesus took it upon Himself to forgive her sins, instead of saying God had forgiven her, was not lost on them.  Christ’s parting words to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace,’ made it clear that her love and the good deeds she had done to Him were the result of her salvation, not its cause (Eph. 2:10).”

(Eph. 2:10)

“10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

“Salvation is by faith alone (John 5:24; 6:40; Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:24; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9; 2 Tim. 3:15), and produces eternal peace (Acts 10:36; Rom. 15:13; Eph. 2:14; Col. 1:20)”

(John 5:24; 6:40; Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:24; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9; 2 Tim. 3:15)

“24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

“40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’”

“28  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

“1 ¶  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“16  yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”

“24  So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”

“8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

“9 ¶  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”

“15  and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in to make thee wise unto salvation Christ Jesus.”

(Acts 10:36; Rom. 15:13; Eph. 2:14; Col. 1:20)

36  As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),”

“13 ¶  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

“14 ¶  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”

“20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

            “It is their love for the Lord Jesus Christ that is the believers’ most powerful witness to the lost world.  An ungrateful, loveless Christian undercuts the testimony of the gospel and such attitudes are incompatible with God’s gracious forgiveness.”

Spiritual Meaning for my wife today:  I think that this last highlighted paragraph says it all for me today.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Living a life that follows the first sentence of the highlighted section has to be the goal for me.

9/3/2026 9:10 AM

 

PT-1 “The Self-Righteous Man” (Luke 7:39-50)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/2/2026 9:22 PM

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-1 “The Self-Righteous Man”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 7:39-50

            Message of the verses:  “39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this Man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

            I will begin looking at these verses in this evening’s SD and then hopefully be able to finish this section in tomorrow morning’s SD.

            John MacArthur writes “The woman’s actions could have put Jesus in a very bad light.  After all, she was a notorious sinner.  Letting down her hair, washing, kissing, embracing, and anointing His feet was a serious breach of propriety.  That may have led some to wonder why she felt the freedom to be so familiar with Him and reach an obvious, but wrong, conclusion.  The Lord’s sinless, unblemished character (John 8:46) precluded any thoughts of impropriety on His part, even on the part of His enemies.”

(John 8:46)

“46 ¶  Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?”

            “The Pharisee drew an equally false conclusion:  he chalked up the Lord’s reaction not to evil, but to ignorance.  That, however, was proof to him that Jesus could not be who He claimed to be because, the Pharisee reasoned, ‘If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.’ How could Jesus tell them things they did not know if He did not even know what they themselves knew about this woman?  After all no sensible religious teacher, let along one claiming to be the Messiah, would ever allow such a woman to touch Him.  The pharisee was both disgusted by the scene he was witnessing, and at the same time satisfied, because it confirmed his belief that Jesus’ ignorance of this woman’s wickedness was proof that He was not a true prophet.

            “Our Lord’s words to the Pharisee, now introduced as Simon, inject a touch of irony into the story.  Simon had assumed that Jesus did not know the woman’s true character and hence was not a true prophet.  But although Simon had not verbalized his question, He answered him.  His knowledge of Simon’s thoughts proved that Jesus was in fact a true prophet (cf. Luke 5:22).”

(cf. Luke 5:22)

“22  When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts?”

“Interrupting any conversation that may have been taking place, Jesus said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you.’  Respectfully polite but cold, Simon replied, ‘Say it, Teacher.’  The Lord communicated the point He intended to make by means of a simple parable or analogy: A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  Their debts differed dramatically (five hundred denarii was about a year and half’s wages for a common laborer; fifty about two month’s wages), but neither could repay their debt. Fortunately for both the moneylender had mercy on them, and when they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both.  In addition to its use here in a business sense, (graciously forgave) charizomai, is used in a theological sense to describe the forgiveness that God grants believers in Christ (Rom. 8:32; Eph. 4:32; Col. 2:13; 3:13).” 

(Rom. 8:32; Eph. 4:32; Col. 2:13; 3:13)

“32  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

“32  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

“13 ¶  And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”

“13  bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

            “What made the moneylender’s act so generous is that by forgiveness the debts of the two individuals, he incurred those debts in full.  Paul understood that principle when he magnanimously offered to take on the debt Philemon would otherwise have incurred when he forgave his runaway slave Onesimus: “But if he was wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it’ (Philem. 18-19).  Similarly, when God forgives believers’ sin He incurs their debt, and Jesus Christ died to pay it.

            “Then the Lord got to the point of His illustration by asking Simon, ‘So which of them will love him more?’  Hesitating to give a straightforward reply Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’  He may have been being sarcastic, since the answer to the Lord’s question was obvious, or cautious, suspecting that somehow Jesus intended to embarrass him if he gave the wrong answer.  But he got it right, and Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged correctly.’  The principle was simple and obvious:  whoever is forgiven the most will love the forgiver the most; great love comes from great forgiveness.

            “Turning toward the woman, Jesus then applied the principle illustrated in the parable to her and Simon.  Addressing Simon, the Lord contrasted her obvious love for Him with his cold indifference.  ‘Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.’  Her demonstration of love for Jesus gave clear evidence of her transformed life; she love much because she had been forgiven much.  In contrast, Simon had insulted Jesus by failing to offer the normal courtesy of providing water for His feet (cf. Gen. 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; Judg. 19:21; John 13:4-5) or greeting Him with the customary kiss (cf. Gen. 29:13; 45:15; Ex. 4:27; 18:7; Rom. 16:16).  And while he had failed to anoint the Lord’s  head with inexpensive olive oil she had anointed His feet with costly perfume.”

(cf. Gen. 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; Judg. 19:21; John 13:4-5)

“4  Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,”

“2  and said, "My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the town square.’’

“32  So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”

“24  And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,”

21  So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.”

“4  rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

(cf. Gen. 29:13; 45:15; Ex. 4:27; 18:7; Rom. 16:16)

“13  As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,”

“15  And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.”

“27  The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.”

“7 ¶  Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.”

“16  Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.”

9/2/2026 10:11 PM

 

“The Sinful Woman” (Luke 7:37-38)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/2/2026 8:51 AM

My Worship Time                                                                             Focus:  “The Sinful Woman”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 7:37-38

            Message of the verses:  “And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with perfume.”

            MacArthur begins his commentary on this section by writing “The Greek text of verse 37 literally reads, ‘and behold’ (kai idou), emphasizing that a startling, shocking thing was about to happen.  What was shocking was that this woman was well-known in the city as a sinner, a term for the most despised people of society (cf. Prov. 11:31; Matt. 9:10-13; Luke 19:7).”

(cf. Prov. 11:31; Matt. 9:10-13; Luke 19:7)

“31 ¶  If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!”

“10  And as Jesus reclined at table in the house,, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11  And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12  But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13  Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’’

“7  And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.’”

“In all likelihood, she was a prostitute, a professional adulteress; immoral, impure, and living a flagrantly sinful life at a public level.  There is no reason to identify her, as some do, with Mary Magdalene.  Mary is introduced just a few verses away (8:2) as if for the first time; if she were this sinful woman, Luke would have named her here, not later.”

(8:2) (Luke)

“2  and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,”

            “Having learned that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, and knowing that the doors could be left open, the woman went there with a specific plan in mind.  She brought with her an alabaster vial of perfume.  Not only was perfume part of the trade of being a prostitute, it was also widely used by women in general.  That the vial in which the perfume was stored was made from alabaster, an expensive kind of marble quarried in Egypt, indicates that the perfume was valuable.  The woman intended to anoint Jesus’ head with the perfume, instead of the more common and less expensive olive oil normally used for such purposes (cf. v. 46; Pss. 23:5; 133:2; 141:5; Ecc. 9:8)

(cf. v. 46; Pss. 23:5; 133:2; 141:5; Ecc. 9:8)

“46  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.”

“5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

“2  It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!”

“5 ¶  Let a righteous man strike me— it is a kindness; let him rebuke me— it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.”

“8  Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.”

“Waiting for her opportunity, she took up a position standing behind Jesus at His feet.  She evidently was not immediately recognized by the other people there; certainly the Pharisee would have been outraged that she defiled the purity of his house and would have ordered her to leave.  It may be that the banquet took place in the evening, and the dim light from the candles and lamps masked her identity.

            “Now as she stood silently wondering how she was going to get to where she could anoint Jesus’ head, the woman was suddenly overcome with emotion and began weeping.  Because of where she was standing, she began to wet His feet with her tears.  Brecjp (wet) literally means, ‘to rain’ (Matt. 5:45; Luke 17:29; James 5:17; Rev. 11:6).

(Matt. 5:45; Luke 17:29; James 5:17; Rev. 11:6)

“45  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

“29  but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—”

“17  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.’

“6  They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.”

“The emotional dam had burst, and her tears flooded down on the feet of Jesus in a gentle rain.

            “Bent over as she wept, the woman noticed that the host had neglected to provide for Jesus’ feet to be washed (v. 44), so she kept wiping them with the hair of her head. In that culture, washing the feet of another person was considered degrading, something done by only the lowliest slaves (cf. John 1:27.”

(cf. John 1:27)

27  even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’”

“But what would have shocked the onlookers even more than the woman’s washing of Jesus’ feet was her letting down her hair.  For a Jewish woman to do so in public was considered indecent, even immoral.  But overwhelmed with emotion, she was not concerned with the shame she might face.

            “After finishing washing them, the woman began kissing Jesus’ feet. Katophileo (kissing) is an intense word.  In Luke 5:20 it describes the father’s kissing of the prodigal son on his return home.  Luke used it in Acts 20:37 to describe how the elders of the church at Ephesus kissed Paul when he took his leave of them.  The woman’s kissing of Jesus’ feet was a striking expression of affection.  Then, unwilling or unable to wait any longer, she did what she had come to do and anointed the Lord’s feet with the perfume.  This was a staggering display of honor rendered to Jesus in the midst of those who sought only to dishonor Him.”

Spiritual Meaning for my life today:  What this woman did took a lot of courage, and this shows that it does take courage to live the Christian life, as doing things like she did proved her love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

My Steps of Faith for  Today:  To have the courage to live for the Lord even when it is most difficult to do so.

9/2/2026 9:43 AM

 

PT-3 “Intro to The Transformed Sinner” (Luke 7:36-50)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/01/2026 8:15 PM

My Worship Time                                               Focus:  PT-3 “Intro to The Transformed Sinner”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 7:36-50

            Message of the verses:  “36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this Man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

            “As the story opens, one of the Pharisees was requesting the Lord to dine with him.  Where this incident took place is not known, except that it was in Galilee during Jesus’ Galilean ministry, which Luke describes in 4:14-9:50.  Like the other Pharisees who invited Jesus to a meal, this Pharisee had no personal interest in Him.  He was not an open-minded inquirer, but had like the majority of the Pharisees, already decided that Jesus was a blasphemer, arrogating to Himself the right to forgive sins that belongs to God alone (Luke 5:21).”

(Luke 5:21)

“21  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

“These self-appointed guardians of legalistic, external, ritualistic religion hated Jesus’ message of grace, repentance, and forgiveness, and His call for sincere love of God from the heart.  They also hated Him for pointedly rebuking their hypocritical self-righteousness (Matt. 23), and for associating with the outcasts of society (Luke 7:34).”

(Luke 7:34)

“34  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’”

“Having already reached a conclusion regarding Jesus, they were busy accumulating evidence against Him.  This Pharisee’s invitation to Jesus was part of that evidence-gathering process.  No self-respecting Pharisee would invite any association with a blasphemer, except to do him harm.

            “Jesus, of course, was well aware of this man’s motive for inviting Him.  Despite the fact that inviting someone to a banquet was normally a sign of friendship and honor, He understood that the Pharisee was a hypocrite and that his intentions toward Him were evil.  Yet Jesus graciously reached out to the sinner, exposing him to the power that He has to transform lives.  The Lord entered the Pharisee’s house and, was muddy, it was prudent to keep the guests’ feet as far away from the table as possible.  Lying down leaning on one’s elbow was both a sanitary and a comfortable position for the prolonged conversation that accompanied such a meal.

            “It was not uncommon to invite a visiting rabbi to a Sabbath meal or a special banquet, giving those present the opportunity to discuss the theological, cultural, and social issues with him.  There is some evidence that on such occasions the doors were often left open so that those not invited to the meal could stand around the perimeter of the room and listen in on the dialogue.  That is undoubtedly what happened on this occasion.

            “The story revolves around two main characters:  the sinful woman, and the self-righteous man.”

9/1/2026 9:06 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PT-2 “Intro to The Transformed Sinner” (Luke 7:36-50)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/01/2026 9:29 PM

My Worship Time                                               Focus:  PT-2 “Intro to The Transformed Sinner”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 7:36-50

            Message of the verses:  “36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this Man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

            “This passage emphasizes several key themes: forgiveness, humility, and love. The woman’s actions demonstrate deep repentance and devotion, contrasting with Simon the Pharisee’s lack of hospitality and understanding. Jesus uses the parable of the two debtors to teach that those who recognize the magnitude of their forgiveness respond with greater love. Ultimately, Jesus affirms that faith and love are intertwined with forgiveness, and He pronounces peace upon the woman, highlighting the transformative power of grace and faith in Him.” (Gateway Bible)

            I stated in last nights SD that this introduction from the pen of John MacArthur would probably take two SD’s to finish, but because of the many verses that he used in this introduction I think it will take longer for me to get through this introduction.

            MacArthur writes “The main thrust of this passage appears on the surface to be the transformed life of the sinful woman.  But she was merely one element of the story which focuses primarily on the Lord evangelizing a Pharisee.  Jesus used her as a testimony to him and the others present of the truth and power of the gospel.  Ironically, Jesus demonstrated His power to forgive sins and transform lives by using the very type of person the Pharisees despised the most.  In reality, the self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders were the worst possible sinners; people who believe they are not lost and think they do not need redemption cannot be saved.

            “The Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and save the penitent and believing lost (Luke 19:10)—the self-righteous members of the religious establishment as well as the outcast riff raff of society.  In keeping with the truth, Luke records two other occasions when Jesus had a meal at a Pharisee’s house (11:37-54; 14:1-24).”  Now because of the length of these verse references I will not put them on this SD, but please take the time to look them up and read them.  “In both instances, the Pharisees had no genuine interest of Jesus.  Having already rejected Him and His message, they were merely attempting to gather evidence they could use to condemn Him.  In 14:1 Luke notes that the Pharisees present were ‘watching [Jesus] closely,’ while after the meal recorded in chapter 11, ‘the scribes and the pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say’ (vv. 53-54).

            “This incident is not to be confused with the later anointing of Jesus by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8).”  I will just look at Mark 14:3-9 as the other gospels are very similar.

(Mark 14:3-9)

“3  And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4  There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5  For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her. 6  But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7  For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8  She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9  And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.’”

“The story recorded in this passage took place in Galilee, not Bethany; the unnamed woman was a sinner (most likely a prostitute, as noted below) not Mary; this anointing happened much earlier in the Lord’s ministry, not during Passion Week, at the house of Simon the Pharisee, not Simon the leper.  The only superficial similarity is that the owners of both houses were named Simon.  However Simon was an extremely common name in Israel.  The New Testament lists several other men by that name, including two of the apostles, Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot, (Luke 6:14-15), one of Jesus’ brothers (Matthew 13:55), a man from Cyrene forced by the Romans to carry Jesus ‘cross (Mark 15:21), the father of Judas Iscariot (John 6:17), the false prophet Simon the magician (Acts 8:9-24), and Simon the tanner, at whose house in Joppa Peter stayed (Acts 9:43).”  Now in conclusion to this morning’s SD I will quote these verses in the order that they are above.

(Luke 6:14-15)

“14  Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15  and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,”

(Matthew 13:55)

“55  Is this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?”

(Mark 15:21)

“21  And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

(John 6:17)

“71  He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.”

(Acts 8:9-24)

“9  But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10  They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11  And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12  But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13  Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. 14 ¶  Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15  who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16  for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17  Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19  saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20  But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21  You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22  Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23  For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." 24  And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.’”

(Acts 9:43)

“43  And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  This story that I am looking at is the story of the salvation of a prostitute who had much courage in doing what she did, but the Lord rewarded her courage as He says in the passage that she became a believer.

My Steps of Faith for Today: I am trusting the Lord to continue to see me through this very difficult time in my life, as I continue to grieve the death of my wife.

9/1/2026 10:09 AM

 

 

 

 

PT-1 “Intro to The Transformed Sinner” (Luke 7:36-50)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/31/2026 7:29 PM

My Worship Time                                               Focus:  PT-1 “Intro to The Transformed Sinner”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 7:36-50

            Message of the verses:  “36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this Man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

            “This passage emphasizes several key themes: forgiveness, humility, and love. The woman’s actions demonstrate deep repentance and devotion, contrasting with Simon the Pharisee’s lack of hospitality and understanding. Jesus uses the parable of the two debtors to teach that those who recognize the magnitude of their forgiveness respond with greater love. Ultimately, Jesus affirms that faith and love are intertwined with forgiveness, and He pronounces peace upon the woman, highlighting the transformative power of grace and faith in Him.” (Gateway Bible)

            In this evening’s SD I want to quote the introduction to these verses from John MacArthur’s commentary, and it will probably take at least two SD’s in order to finish his introduction.

            “Much evidence for the truthfulness of the Christian faith can be amassed from such fields as science, history, philosophy; and fulfilled prophecy.  Yet the truth of the gospel is also evidenced by the testimony of the transformed lives of the redeemed.

            “The profound account of the transformation of Saul—zealous, Christian-persecuting Pharisee—to Paul—apostolic missionary—has led, directly or indirectly, to the conversion of millions of people through the centuries.  The transformed lives of the believers (1 Cor 6:9-11) provided a powerful witness in that debauched city.  In 1 Peter 4:3-4 Peter described the impact of believers’ lives on unbelievers.”  Now first I am going to quote (1 Cor 6:9-11), and then the verses from first Peter.

(1 Cor 6:9-11)

“9 ¶  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

(1 Peter 4:3-4)

“For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.  In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you.”

            “The dramatic change in the life of the hated tax collector Levi (Matthew) was immediately evident to those who attended the reception he gave in Jesus’ honor (Luke 5:27-29).”

(Luke 5:27-29)

“27 ¶  After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28  And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29  And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.”

“Even more astonishing was the turnaround in Zaccheus’s life.  As a chief tax collector (Luke 19:2), he oversaw several tax collectors like Matthew, and was thus even more despised.”

(Luke 19:2)

“2  And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.”

“Yet his life was forever changed the day Jesus passed through Jericho (v. 1) and brought salvation to him (v. 9)—a change noted by the others present (v.7).” I am just going to quote Luke 19:1-10 as that should take care of all those verses mention above.

(Luke 19:1-10)

“1 ¶  He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2  And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3  And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6  So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7  And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8  And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’”

“The marked change in the life of the Samaritan woman of Sychar led many more people from her village to believe in Jesus (John 4:39-42).”

(John 4:39-42)

“39  Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40  So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41  And many more believed because of his word. 42  They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’”

“An equally miraculous and uniquely stunning transformation was wrought in the demon-possessed Gerasene man, who went from being a deadly, naked maniac to a sane missionary (Luke 8:26-39).”  And with that quotation I will end this SD this evening.

(Luke 8:26-39)

“26  Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27  When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28  When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29  For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30  Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31  And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32  Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33  Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 34  When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35  Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36  And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37  Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38  The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39  “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”

8/31/2026 8:11 PM