The Meaning of Luke 7:37 Explained

Luke 7:37

KJV: And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

YLT: and lo, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having known that he reclineth (at meat) in the house of the Pharisee, having provided an alabaster box of ointment,

Darby: and behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, and knew that he was sitting at meat in the house of the Pharisee, having taken an alabaster box of myrrh,

ASV: And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And,  behold,  a woman  in  the city,  which  was  a sinner,  when she knew  that  [Jesus] sat at meat  in  the Pharisee's  house,  brought  an alabaster box  of ointment, 

What does Luke 7:37 Mean?

Study Notes

sinner
i.e. in the sense of unchaste.

Verse Meaning

Social custom allowed needy people to visit such meals and to partake of some of the leftovers. [1] Moreover it was not unusual for people to drop in when a rabbi was visiting. [2] 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 regarded as treating the law loosely. The liquid perfume was in an expensive alabaster vial. Jewish women frequently wore such vials suspended from a cord around their necks. [3]

Context Summary

Luke 7:36-50 - The Forgiven Sinner's Grateful Love
What a trio! Christ stands here as a manifestation of the divine love, as it comes among sinners. The love of God is not dependent on our merits; frankly, Luke 7:42, is "freely." It is not turned away by our sins: she is a sinner. It ever manifests itself as the clearing of debts. But it demands recognition and service: thou gavest me no kiss.
The woman represents those who penitently and lovingly recognize the divine love. She was not forgiven because of her love; but her love was the sign that she had been forgiven and recognized it. What will not God's love do! The tropical sun produces rare fruit. What Jesus did for her He can do for your many sins. Pardon will lead to much love, and love becomes the gate of knowledge and the source of obedience.
Simon, the Pharisee, stands for the unloving and self-righteous, who are ignorant of the love of God. They may be respectable in life, rigid in morality, unquestioned in orthodoxy, but what are these without love? See 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Note the contrasts between thou and she, thy and her. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 7

1  Jesus finds a greater faith in the centurion;
10  heals his servant, being absent;
11  raises from death the widow's son at Nain;
18  answers John's messengers with the declaration of his miracles;
24  testifies to the people what opinion he held of John;
31  compares this generation to the children in the marketplaces,
36  and allowing his feet to be washed and anointed by a woman who was a sinner,
44  he shows how he is a friend to sinners, to forgive them their sins, upon their repentance

Greek Commentary for Luke 7:37

A woman which was in the city, a sinner [γυνη ητις εν τηι πολει αμαρτωλος]
Probably in Capernaum. The use of ητις — hētis means “Who was of such a character as to be” (cf. Luke 8:3) and so more than merely the relative η — hē who, that is, “who was a sinner in the city,” a woman of the town, in other words, and known to be such. αμαρτωλος — Hamartōlos from αμαρτανω — hamartanō to sin, means devoted to sin and uses the same form for feminine and masculine. It is false and unjust to Mary Magdalene, introduced as a new character in Luke 8:2, to identify this woman with her. Luke would have no motive in concealing her name here and the life of a courtesan would be incompatible with the sevenfold possession of demons. Still worse is it to identify this courtesan not only with Mary Magdalene, but also with Mary of Bethany simply because it is a Simon who gives there a feast to Jesus when Mary of Bethany does a beautiful deed somewhat like this one here (Mark 14:3-9; Matthew 26:6-13; John 12:2-8). Certainly Luke knew full well the real character of Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:38-42) so beautifully pictured by him. But a falsehood, once started, seems to have more lives than the cat‘s proverbial nine. The very name Magdalene has come to mean a repentant courtesan. But we can at least refuse to countenance such a slander on Mary Magdalene and on Mary of Bethany. This sinful woman had undoubtedly repented and changed her life and wished to show her gratitude to Jesus who had rescued her. Her bad reputation as a harlot clung to her and made her an unwelcome visitor in the Pharisee‘s house. [source]
When she knew [επιγνουσα]
Second aorist active participle from επιγινωσκω — epiginōskō to know fully, to recognize. She came in by a curious custom of the time that allowed strangers to enter a house uninvited at a feast, especially beggars seeking a gift. This woman was an intruder whereas Mary of Bethany was an invited guest. “Many came in and took their places on the side seats, uninvited and yet unchallenged. They spoke to those at table on business or the news of the day, and our host spoke freely to them” (Trench in his Parables, describing a dinner at a Consul‘s house at Damietta).He was sitting at meat (κατακειται — katakeitai). Literally, he is reclining (present tense retained in indirect discourse in Greek).An alabaster cruse of ointment See note on Matthew 26:7 for discussion of alabastron and murou f0). [source]
He was sitting at meat [κατακειται]
Literally, he is reclining (present tense retained in indirect discourse in Greek). [source]
An alabaster cruse of ointment [αλαβαστρον μυρου]
See note on Matthew 26:7 for discussion of alabastron and murou f0). [source]
A woman who [ἥτις]
Of that class which was, etc. [source]
A sinner []
Wyc., asinneress. Her presence there is explained by the Oriental custom of strangers passing in and cut of a house during a meal to see and converse with the guests. Trench cites a description of a dinner at a consul's house in Damietta. “Many came in and took their places on the side-seats, uninvited and yet unchallenged. They spoke to those at table on business or the news of the day, and our host spoke freely to them” (“Parables”). Bernard beautifully says: “Thanks to thee, most blessed sinner: thou hast shown the world a safe enough place for sinners - the feet of Jesus, which spurn none, reject none, repel none, and receive and admit all. Where alone the Pharisee vents not his haughtiness, there surely the Ethiopian changes his skin, and the leopard his spots” (cit. by Trench, “Parables”). [source]
Sat [κατάκειται]
Lit., is reclining at meat: a lively change to the present tense. [source]
Alabaster []
See on Matthew 26:7. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 7:37

Luke 23:27 Bewailed [εκοπτοντο]
Imperfect middle of κοπτω — koptō to cut, smite, old and common verb. Direct middle, they were smiting themselves on the breast. “In the Gospels there is no instance of a woman being hostile to Christ” (Plummer). Luke‘s Gospel is appropriately called the Gospel of Womanhood (1:39-56; Luke 2:36-38; Luke 7:11-15, Luke 7:37-50; Luke 8:1-3; Luke 10:38-42; Luke 11:27; Luke 13:11-16).Lamented (ετρηνουν — ethrēnoun). Imperfect active of τρηνεω — thrēneō old verb from τρεομαι — threomai to cry aloud, lament. [source]
John 1:15 Cried [κέκραγεν]
See on Mark 5:5; see on Mark 9:24; see on Luke 18:39. The verb denotes an inarticulate utterance as distinguished from words. When used is connection with articulate speech, it is joined with λέγειν or εἰπεῖν , to say, as Luke 7:28, cried, saying. Compare Luke 7:37; Luke 12:44. The crying corresponds with the Baptist's description of himself as a voice ( φωνή , sound or tone ), Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23. The verb is in the perfect tense, but with the usual classical sense of the present. [source]
John 12:3 A pound [λιτραν]
Latin libra, late Koiné (Polybius, Plutarch) word with weight of 12 ounces, in N.T. only here and John 19:39. Mark (Mark 14:3) and Matthew (Matthew 26:7) have alabaster cruse. Of ointment of spikenard “Of oil of nard.” See note on John 11:2 for μυρου — murou (also Matthew 26:7). Nard is the head or spike of an East Indian plant, very fragrant. Occurs also in Mark 14:3. Πιστικης — Pistikēs here and in Mark 14:3 probably means genuine Only two instances in the N.T. Very precious Old compound adjective Matthew (Matthew 26:7) has here βαρυτιμου — barutimou of weighty value (only N.T. instance). Anointed First aorist active indicative of αλειπω — aleiphō old word (Mark 16:1). The feet Mark (Mark 14:3) and Matthew (Matthew 26:7) have “his head.” Why not both, though neither Gospel mentions both? The Latin MS. fuldensis and the Syriac Sinatic do give both head and feet here. Wiped First aorist active indicative of εκμασσω — ekmassō old verb to wipe off already in John 11:2; Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44. With her hair Instrumental plural. It is this item that is relied on largely by those who identify Mary of Bethany with the sinful woman in Luke 7:37 and with Mary Magdalene. It is no doubt true that it was usually considered immodest for a woman to wear her hair loose. But it is not impossible that Mary of Bethany in her carefully planned love-offering for Jesus on this occasion was only glad to throw such a punctilio to the winds. Such an act on this occasion does not brand her a woman of loose character. Was filled with the odour of the ointment Effective first aorist passive of πληροω — plēroō and a natural result. [source]
Hebrews 10:36 Which [ητις]
Your boldness of Hebrews 10:35. Recompense of reward Late double compound, like μισταποδοτης — misthapodotēs (Hebrews 11:6), from μιστος — misthos (reward, wages) and αποδιδωμι — apodidōmi to give back, to pay (repay). In N.T. only here, Hebrews 2:2; Hebrews 11:26. Of patience Old word for remaining under trial (Luke 8:15). This was the call of the hour then as now. Having done the will of God This is an essential prerequisite to the exercise of patience and to obtain the promised blessing. There is no promise to those who patiently keep on doing wrong. That ye may receive the promise (ινα κομισηστε την επαγγελιαν — hina komisēsthe tēn epaggelian) Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist middle subjunctive of κομιζω — komizō old verb to carry (Luke 7:37), in the middle to get back one‘s own (Matthew 25:27), to receive. See also Hebrews 11:39. Now the author is ready to develop this great idea of receiving the promise in Christ. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 7:37 mean?

And behold a woman who was in the city a sinner she having known that He had reclined house of the Pharisee having taken an alabaster flask of fragrant oil
καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἁμαρτωλός ἐπιγνοῦσα ὅτι κατάκειται οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου κομίσασα ἀλάβαστρον μύρου

ἰδοὺ  behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
γυνὴ  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
πόλει  city 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πόλις  
Sense: a city.
ἁμαρτωλός  a  sinner 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτωλός  
Sense: devoted to sin, a sinner.
ἐπιγνοῦσα  she  having  known 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐπιγινώσκω  
Sense: to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
κατάκειται  He  had  reclined 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κατάκειμαι  
Sense: to have lain down, i.e. to lie prostrate.
οἰκίᾳ  house 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: οἰκία  
Sense: a house.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Φαρισαίου  Pharisee 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Φαρισαῖος  
Sense: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile.
κομίσασα  having  taken 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: κομίζω  
Sense: to care for, take care of, provide for.
ἀλάβαστρον  an  alabaster  flask 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀλάβαστρον 
Sense: a box made of alabaster in which unguents are preserved.
μύρου  of  fragrant  oil 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: μύρον  
Sense: ointment.