Dan Wells: When Jesus met the prostitutes

It was a situation that drew shocked gasps from those present. Simon, a prominent religious leader and Pharisee, had heard about a rabbi who had been causing a stir around Judea, Jesus of Nazareth. Simon invited Jesus to dinner in order to examine this man for himself. He invited the great and the good of the town to be there, the most religious and respectable folk around.

Then it happened. The dinner had started well, and the conversation was flowing. Then people began to notice her. A woman had slipped into the house uninvited. Simon turned his eyes away from her, as was appropriate, but he saw enough to recognise who she was. Everyone knew her, and knew what she did. She was the town prostitute. What will Jesus do?

Simon’s breath was taken away when she approached Jesus in tears and poured perfume on his feet. The aroma filled the room and Simon dreaded to think how much it cost. Then, horror of horrors, she let down her hair, which she should have only ever done with her husband, if she had one. She began to wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair, and Simon began to fume inside. “Isn’t this Jesus supposed to be a prophet? Doesn’t he know what kind of person she is? Doesn’t he realise what she has done and how she makes her living? How could he let her near him, let alone touch him?”

This incident at the home of Simon the Pharisee is recorded for us in Luke 7. It is just one instance of Jesus encountering a prostitute. Again and again the Bible tells us that Jesus spent time with ‘tax collectors and sinners.’ In the context of a situation like that at Simon’s dinner party, ‘sinner’ was a well-used euphemism for a prostitute. American pastor R. Kent Hughes comments that the fact of this woman being a prostitute “seems apparent from Simon’s revulsion at her actually touching Jesus,” going on to note that “this is the view of most commentators, older and modern.”

Jesus spent time with prostitutes and with those whose sexual lives were broken and distorted. He drew criticism from the religious establishment for the kind of people he associated with. Rabbis and religious leaders didn’t do that sort of thing. But Jesus went looking for those who were spiritually poor and in need of mercy and grace.

As the scene at Simon’s dinner plays out, the crowd is shocked and startled. How will Jesus react to an encounter with this woman? How did Jesus deal with the prostitutes and ‘sinners’ that he spent time with?

It is interesting to note not only what Jesus says to this prostitute at Simon’s house, but also what he does.

First, Jesus allows her to touch him. Simon is repulsed by the idea, and an upright Jew would not have even touched the finger of a woman, but Jesus is perfectly happy for her to do what she is doing. Given her work as a prostitute this might be the only positive physical touch she has experienced in quite some time. In fact, Jesus calls what she does for him “her great love” (Luke 7:47).

Second, Jesus turns toward her. For religious men of the time it would have been inappropriate to look at a woman, let alone a prostitute. When walking down the street, they would look down at their feet to avoid making eye-contact with a woman. Some even boasted about the injuries they had suffered from walking into things while acting in this way.

But Jesus acts differently. He turns toward her and looks at her. He even invites Simon to do the same: “Do you see this woman?” he asks (Luke 7:44). Simon does not see her, does not want to see her, chooses deliberately to exclude her from his gaze. Jesus looks her in the eye and sees her.

Simply put, Jesus treats a prostitute as if she is a person, made in the image of God. Because that is who she is. Certainly she has committed acts that were sinful. But Jesus also acknowledges that she has worth and value because she has been created by God and is loved by him.

Those trapped in prostitution often speak about being treated like an object rather than a person. They are a commodity to be bought instead of a human being to be loved. Jesus stands in stark contrast to this attitude. He demonstrates that everyone, including prostitutes, has worth and value.

In another encounter with the religious leaders, Jesus is subjected to questions about his authority. Turning the spotlight back on them, Jesus tells them a parable about two sons. Both are asked to do something for their father. One says he will do it, but does not; the other refuses but then goes on to obey. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” Jesus asked. When they acknowledge that it was the one who obeyed, Jesus tells the religious elite:

The religious people thought they were far above the tax collectors and the prostitutes. But Jesus exposes the fact that prostitutes were the ones who responded to the preaching of John the Baptist. John called people to repentance: to turn around, leaving their life of sinful self-rule and turning back in obedience to God. The tax collectors and prostitutes knew they needed to change and came to John to repent. Meanwhile the teachers of the law looked down their noses at them and refused to see their own poverty of spirit and their need to repent.

Prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God. They are doing so ahead of the seemingly religious, because they recognise they need forgiveness and grace. As Jesus went around proclaiming that the kingdom of God was near, he told people, “Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). This is the invitation to everyone, no matter who we are or what we have done. Entering the kingdom means repenting and believing, and that invitation is for all, including the prostitute.

As Simon the Pharisee reacted to the disruption of his dinner party, he would not call this woman a prostitute. There was a perfectly good Greek word for that, be he didn’t use it. A religious man wouldn’t let that word pass his lips. Instead he talks about “what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

Theologian David Instone-Brewer writes that “Prostitutes at that time were called “sinners” in polite company, just as they were called “fallen women” by the Victorians. Interestingly, the Gospels never record Jesus using a euphemism for the word prostitute.” When Jesus talks about prostitutes coming into the kingdom in Matthew 21, he uses the Greek word for prostitute. Jesus doesn’t dance around the issue or pretend things are not as they are. He speaks the truth.

Jesus does not pretend that there is no need to repent. Each one of us has things we need to turn away from as we turn to Jesus in faith – whether we are a prostitute, a police officer, a pimp or a politician. Jesus calls each and every one of us to plainly recognise our sin and our need for forgiveness of sin. Jesus is truthful, but speaks the truth with grace.

In John chapter 8, we read about a woman brought before Jesus having been caught in the act of adultery (John 8:2–11). There is some ambiguity about the status of the woman: she could be someone who is married, or committing adultery with a married man. Equally, she could be a prostitute, caught in the act of selling sex for money. Jesus’ actions and attitude demonstrate truth and grace whatever the circumstances.

Jesus asks the crowd that has gathered: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) As the crowd gradually disperses, convicted of their own sinfulness, Jesus remains with the accused woman.

Jesus shows her grace and mercy. He does not condemn her, but calls her to a radical change of lifestyle. “Go now and leave your life of sin” is nothing less than a complete change of direction, with profound consequences. As David Instone-Brewer comments: “If she was a prostitute this meant that he was also telling her, in effect, to become unemployed with no prospect that anyone else would employ her.”

Jesus speaks truth about her life of sin, but also shows grace, giving forgiveness for that sin. It is the same message for every person, whether a prostitute or not. Leave your life of sin and find in Jesus true life that is life in all its fullness.

Back at Simon’s dinner party, all eyes are on Jesus and the prostitute. Jesus affirms the inherent worth of this woman in front of him, and the value of that act of love she has shown to him. Where Simon neglected to show welcome and hospitality, a prostitute demonstrated what love and devotion to Jesus looks like.

Jesus uses the opportunity to tell Simon a parable. Two people owe someone money, one a couple of months salary, the other a great deal more. Both their debts are forgiven and Jesus asks, “Now which of them will love him more?”

The answer, obvious even to Simon the Pharisee, is the one who has had more forgiven. If we know the extent to which we have been forgiven, the greater our love will be for the one who forgives us. This prostitute knew that deeply. She had much to be forgiven for, and much love for Jesus who could forgive her completely.

When Jesus speaks to her directly, his words are full of compassion: “Your sins are forgiven… Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:48, 50)

As the prostitute encounters Jesus, she finds forgiveness. She finds a call to live a new life, and the peace of a relationship with the one who can enable her to do just that. Jesus does not exclude, condemn or diminish her. Instead he raises the prostitute to be an example of faith, love and devotion; of the need for forgiveness and the greatness of forgiveness that is available to all who would believe.