“When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.”
Luke 7:29-30
The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance, so one could interpret this passage “the people acknowledged God’s justice for they had repented, but the Pharisees rejected God’s purpose for themselves because they had not repented.” Looking to God from a position of repentance causes us to delight in Him and acknowledge His justice. Whereas engaging Him from a position of pride, without repentance, only makes us like the Pharisee, perplexed, suspicious and arrogant, as we ultimately reject God’s purposes, His forgiveness, and His salvation.
This episode contrasting the Pharisees and the sinful woman demonstrates the profound difference between knowing Jesus with and without repentance. The Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner, not because desired to be with Jesus or to draw near to Him – but more likely because he thought Jesus might make an interesting dinner guest. He wanted to check Jesus out – to see if He might be able to discern whether He was a prophet or not. Perhaps this Pharisee thought that getting some face time with Jesus would allow him to develop a stronger position on the subject of who Jesus was – thereby making him more influential among his peers. Whatever motivated the invitation, it was not faith and repentance.
The sinful woman, on the other hand, came to Him full of repentance. She saw Jesus as Lord and one through whom she could receive forgiveness for her many sins. Her repentance and faith caused her heart to be filled with love and mournful joy as she wept and washed His feet with her tears. The same Jesus sat before both of them. To one He was worshiped as savior while the other rejected Him, disqualifying Him as a prophet because He received the worship of a sinner.
O how much better is repentance as a prescription for failing eyesight than any pair of glasses. Put on repentance and brokenness over sin and the glory of Christ majestically comes into view. Without repentance Jesus is just a man – a man of confusion whose words and actions are often incomprehensible. With repentance Jesus is glorious. Approach Him without repentance and all you can say is “who is this man?” Come before Him through repentance and you fall at His feet to worship!
O Lord, I’m so much more like the Pharisee than the sinful woman. How shallow is my repentance. Grant me, by your grace, deeper, fuller repentance that I might see Christ more clearly and love Him more. Break through my hard heart that I might fall down in tears and worship at His feet. Have mercy O Lord. Amen.
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