SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:37
Y he aquí una mujer que había sido pecadora en la ciudad, cuando entendi que estaba a la mesa en casa de aquel fariseo, trajo un alabastro de ungento,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 7:37
Verse 37. A woman-which was a sinner] Many suppose that this woman had been a notorious public prostitute; but this is taking the subject by the very worst handle. My own opinion is, that she had been a mere heathen who dwelt in this city, (probably Capernaum,) who, through the ministry of Christ, had been before this converted to God, and came now to give this public testimony of her gratitude to her gracious deliverer from the darkness and guilt of sin. I am inclined to think that the original word, amartwlov, is used for heathen or Gentile in several places of the sacred writings. I am fully persuaded that this is its meaning in Matt. ix. 10, 11, 13; xi. 19; and xxvi. 45. The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, i.e. is delivered into the hands of the heathens, viz. the Romans, who alone could put him to death. See Mark ii. 15-17; xiv. 41. I think also it has this meaning in chap. vi. 32-34; xv. 1, 2, 7, 10; xix. 7; John ix. 31. I think no other sense can be justly assigned to it in Gal. ii. 15: We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles. We Jews, who have had the benefit of a Divine revelation, know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ, (Gal. ii. 16,) which other nations, who were heathens, not having a Divine revelation, could not know. It is, I think, likely that the grand subject of the self-righteous Pharisee's complaint was her being a heathen. As those who were touched by such contracted a legal defilement, he could not believe that Christ was a conscientious observer of the law, seeing he permitted her to touch him, knowing who she was; or, if he did not know that she was a heathen, it was a proof that he was no prophet, ver. 39, and consequently had not the discernment of spirits which prophets were supposed to possess. As the Jews had a law which forbade all iniquity, and they who embraced it being according to its requisitions and their profession saints; and as the Gentiles had no law to restrain evil, nor made any profession of holiness, the term amartwloi, or sinners, was first with peculiar propriety applied to them, and afterwards to all others, who, though they professed to be under the law, yet lived as Gentiles without the law. Many suppose this person to be the same as Mary Magdalene, but of this there is no solid proof. Brought an alabaster box] See on Mark xiv. 3.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 37. And behold, a woman in the city , etc.] Not Mary Magdalene, spoken of in ( Luke 8:2) under another character; and is a different person, who had not been taken notice of by the evangelist before; nor Mary the sister of Lazarus, who is said to anoint the feet of Christ, and wipe them with her hair, ( John 12:3). The character given of this woman, does not seem so well to agree with her; at least, the fact here recorded, cannot be the same with that; for this was in Galilee, and that in Bethany; this in the house of Simon the Pharisee, that in the house of Lazarus; this was some time before Christ's death, and after this he went a circuit through every city and village, that was but six days before his death, and after which he never went from those parts; nor is this account the same with the history, recorded in ( Matthew 26:6,7) ( Mark 14:3) for that fact was done in Bethany also, this in Galilee; that in the house of Simon: the leper, this in the house of Simon the Pharisee; that was but two days before the death of Christ, this a considerable time before; the ointment that woman poured, was poured upon his head, this upon his feet: who this woman was, is not certain, nor in what city she dwelt; it seems to be the same in which the Pharisee's house was; and was no doubt one of the cities of Galilee, as Naim, Capernaum, or some other at no great distance from these: which was a sinner ; a notorious sinner, one that was known by all to have been a person of a wicked, life and conversation; a lewd woman, a vile prostitute, an harlot, commonly reputed so: the Arabic word here used, signifies both a sinner and a whore f298 ; and so the word, sinners, seems to be used elsewhere by Luke; (see Luke 15:1,2) compared with ( Matthew 21:31,32). Some think she was a Gentile, Gentiles being reckoned by the Jews sinners, and the worst of sinners; but this does not appear: when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house ; having observed it herself, that he was invited by him, and went with him, or being informed of it by others, brought an alabaster box of ointment : ointment was used to be put in vessels made of alabaster, which kept it pure and incorrupt; and this stone was found about Damascus, so that there might be plenty of it in Judea; at least it might be easily had, and such boxes might be common; and as this woman appears to have been a lewd person, she might have this box of ointment by her to anoint herself with, that she might recommend herself to her gallants. The historian reports, that Venus gave to Phaon an alabaster box with ointment, with which Phaon, being anointed, became the most beautiful of men, and the women of Mitylene were taken with the love of him.
If this box had been provided with such a view; it was now used to another and different purpose.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 36-50 - None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospe encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicin in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to he former bad character. But without free forgiveness none of us can escape the wrath to come; this our gracious Saviour has purchased with his blood, that he may freely bestow it on every one that believes in him. Christ, by a parable, forced Simon to acknowledge that the greate sinner this woman had been, the greater love she ought to show to Hi when her sins were pardoned. Learn here, that sin is a debt; and all are sinners, are debtors to Almighty God. Some sinners are greate debtors; but whether our debt be more or less, it is more than we ar able to pay. God is ready to forgive; and his Son having purchase pardon for those who believe in him, his gospel promises it to them and his Spirit seals it to repenting sinners, and gives them the comfort. Let us keep far from the proud spirit of the Pharisee, simpl depending upon and rejoicing in Christ alone, and so be prepared to obey him more zealously, and more strongly to recommend him unto all around us. The more we express our sorrow for sin, and our love to Christ, the clearer evidence we have of the forgiveness of our sins What a wonderful change does grace make upon a sinner's heart and life as well as upon his state before God, by the full remission of all his sins through faith in the Lord Jesus __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S γυνη 1135 N-NSF εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF πολει 4172 N-DSF ητις 3748 R-NSF ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S αμαρτωλος 268 A-NSF επιγνουσα 1921 5631 V-2AAP-NSF οτι 3754 CONJ ανακειται 345 5736 V-PNI-3S εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF οικια 3614 N-DSF του 3588 T-GSM φαρισαιου 5330 N-GSM κομισασα 2865 5660 V-AAP-NSF αλαβαστρον 211 N-ASN μυρου 3464 N-GSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
37. A woman who (htiv). Of that class which was, etc.A sinner. Wyc., a sinneress. Her presence there is explained by the Oriental custom of strangers passing in and out 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").
Sat (katakeitai). Lit., is reclining at meat: a lively change to the present tense.
Alabaster. See on Matt. xxvi. 7.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:37 {A woman which was in the city, a sinner} (gune hetis en tei polei hamartwlos). Probably in Capernaum. The use of hetis means "Who was of such a character as to be" (cf. #8:3) and so more than merely the relative h, who, that is, "who was a sinner in the city," a woman of the town, in other words, and known to be such. hamartwlos, from hamartanw, 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 #Lu 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 (#Mr 14:3-9; Mt 26:6-13; Joh 12:2-8). Certainly Luke knew full well the real character of Mary of Bethany (#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. {When she knew} (epignousa). Second aorist active participle from epiginwskw, 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} (katakeitai). Literally, he is reclining (present tense retained in indirect discourse in Greek). {An alabaster cruse of ointment} (alabastron murou). See on Mt 26:7 for discussion of alabastron and murou.
