Luke 7 39

Luke 7:39 kjv

Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

Luke 7:39 nkjv

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."

Luke 7:39 niv

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is?that she is a sinner."

Luke 7:39 esv

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."

Luke 7:39 nlt

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"

Luke 7 verses

Luke 7 39 Meaning

Luke 7:39 captures the inner thought and judgment of Simon, the Pharisee host, as he observes a "sinful woman" anointing Jesus' feet. Simon internally challenges Jesus' prophetic claim and wisdom, reasoning that if Jesus were truly a prophet, He would supernaturally know the notoriously sinful character of the woman touching Him and, by extension, would not allow Himself to be defiled by such contact. This reveals Simon's rigid legalism, his reliance on external appearances and ritual purity laws, and his limited understanding of Jesus' true identity and mission, which transcended the conventional expectations of a prophet by embracing the marginalized and offering grace.

Luke 7 39 Context

Luke chapter 7 unfolds with powerful demonstrations of Jesus' authority and identity, immediately preceding the scene at Simon's house. It begins with Jesus healing the centurion's servant (7:1-10), demonstrating His power over disease and distance, and highlighting faith from a Gentile. Next, Jesus raises the widow's son at Nain (7:11-17), displaying His power over death and eliciting wonder that a "great prophet has appeared among us" (7:16). John the Baptist then sends disciples to inquire if Jesus is the Messiah (7:18-23), to which Jesus responds with deeds of healing and evangelism. Jesus then affirms John's prophetic role but critiques the generation's spiritual blindness (7:24-35), stating they neither responded to John's asceticism nor Jesus' social engagement, dismissing both as driven by demons or gluttony.

It is against this backdrop of powerful signs, declarations about His identity, and discussions of spiritual perception that Jesus accepts an invitation to dine with Simon, a Pharisee (7:36). While Jesus reclines, a woman "who had lived a sinful life" (likely a prostitute, notorious for her immorality) enters, weeps, anoints Jesus' feet, and dries them with her hair (7:37-38). Luke 7:39, therefore, captures Simon's internal, judgmental reaction to this unsolicited and intimate act, filtered through his strict legalistic lens. His thought directly contradicts the evidence of Jesus' divine power and discernment presented earlier in the chapter and sets the stage for Jesus' direct teaching on forgiveness and love (7:40-50).

Historically and culturally, Pharisees adhered rigidly to the Mosaic Law and the oral traditions that had developed around it, which were often stricter than the written law regarding purity and association. To touch a person known to be a public sinner was considered defiling according to their understanding, requiring ritual purification. Simon's assumption that a true prophet, especially one from God, would possess spiritual discernment ("know who and what kind of woman this is") and uphold such purity standards reveals his expectation that God's representative would conform to his specific understanding of holiness. This scene also implies the social custom where guests reclined at dinner, allowing non-guests to enter and observe or interact, providing an opportunity for the woman's bold action.

Luke 7 39 Word analysis

• Now when the Pharisee (Ὃ δὲ Φαρισαῖος):
  • Pharisee (Φαρισαῖος, Pharisaios): From the Hebrew/Aramaic root meaning "separated ones." They were a strict religious sect of Judaism, focused on meticulously observing the Mosaic Law and their extensive oral traditions, emphasizing ritual purity and moral rectitude. Their separation was from ritual impurity and from "the people of the land" (amme ha'aretz), who were not as scrupulous in their observances, including "sinners."
  • This identity immediately cues the audience to Simon's expected rigid interpretation of holiness and interaction.
• who had invited Him (ὁ καλέσας αὐτόν, ho kalesas auton):
  • Signifies Simon's role as the host, placing Jesus in a guest position. While he extended hospitality, his internal monologue reveals a judgmental spirit rather than genuine openness to Jesus. His invitation does not imply endorsement but perhaps curiosity or even a test.
• saw it (ἰδὼν εἶπεν, idōn eipen):
  • Simon's judgment is based on what he visually observed: the woman's actions and Jesus' acceptance of them. His conclusion about Jesus' lack of prophetic knowledge is immediate upon this visual evidence.
• he spoke to himself (ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων, en heautō legōn):
  • Literal: "saying in himself." This signifies an internal monologue, a silent judgment that Jesus immediately perceives and addresses. It highlights his inner disposition, which is more significant to Jesus than outward decorum. It underscores his judgmental attitude was hidden from others, but not from the Messiah.
• saying, ‘This man (Οὗτος, Houtos)’:
  • "This man" carries a slight tone of disdain or dismissal, depersonalizing Jesus to a mere human rather than acknowledging any special status. It reflects his lack of respect, despite inviting Jesus.
• if He were a prophet (Εἰ οὗτος ἦν προφήτης, Ei houtos ēn prophētēs):
  • Prophet (προφήτης, prophētēs): In Jewish understanding, a prophet was one who received divine revelations and spoke on God's behalf. Crucially, they were often believed to have divine insight into secret matters and inner characters (e.g., Samuel recognizing Saul, Elisha knowing Gehazi's thoughts). Simon here acknowledges the possibility of Jesus being a prophet but applies his own criterion, which Jesus apparently fails based on outward interaction.
  • This conditional clause (a "contrary to fact" or "contrary to expectation" condition in Greek grammar, suggesting Simon's skepticism) exposes Simon's test for authentic prophecy: a prophet must possess supernatural discernment, particularly concerning ritual purity.
• would know (ἐγίνωσκεν, eginōsken):
  • Know (γινώσκω, ginōskō): Refers to a deep, experiential knowledge, often with a spiritual dimension or discernment. Simon expected Jesus to know supernaturally her true character and identity.
• who and what kind of woman (τίς αὕτη καὶ ποταπή, tis hautē kai potapē):
  • This double question indicates Simon's precise awareness of the woman's ill reputation. "Who" points to her identity/name, and "what kind" to her notorious moral standing, leaving no doubt about her status as an outcast sinner in his eyes.
• this is who is touching Him (ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, hētis haptetai autou):
  • Touching Him (ἅπτεται, haptetai): The Greek verb signifies physical contact, implying defilement from the Pharisee's perspective. In Jewish purity laws, touching an unclean person or object rendered one ritually unclean. Simon's entire argument hinges on this defiling contact.
  • This phrasing underscores the continuous action and the perceived violation of purity laws.
• for she is a sinner (ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν, hoti hamartōlos estin):
  • Sinner (ἁμαρτωλός, hamartōlos): In this context, it refers not merely to general human fallenness but to someone specifically known as notorious for immoral conduct, likely a prostitute. This label was a social and religious branding by which many religious leaders distinguished themselves from such individuals.
  • Simon states this as a certain fact, solidifying his judgmental premise for why Jesus should not be touched by her.

Luke 7 39 Bonus section

• The Pharisee's judgment is often compared to a "self-righteous" or "critical spirit" that assumes divine knowledge of others' hearts and uses external appearances or past labels to condemn.
• Jesus' ability to "know" Simon's thoughts (which are only spoken "to himself") immediately after Simon questions Jesus' prophetic knowledge demonstrates Jesus' omniscience and the very quality Simon sought in a prophet, albeit one used in an unexpected way (Luke 7:40).
• The woman's public display of humility and costly offering stands in stark contrast to Simon's hidden critical judgment, highlighting that true devotion is not bound by social conventions or religious protocols of the day, but springs from a repentant heart.
• This verse sets up a dramatic foil to highlight the Kingdom of God's radical inclusivity and emphasis on forgiveness over ritual purity and social status, foreshadowing the expansive nature of Jesus' mission to all, regardless of their past.

Luke 7 39 Commentary

Luke 7:39 acts as a window into the mind of a religious leader confronted with radical grace. Simon, a Pharisee, represents a pervasive worldview rooted in legalistic righteousness, where divine approval is earned through meticulous observance of law and strict separation from impurity. He sees a "sinner" (a woman of known immoral character) performing an act of intimate devotion towards Jesus. Immediately, Simon's spiritual thermometer goes off: if Jesus were a genuine prophet of God, He would surely possess the divine insight to "know" who this woman truly was—a notorious sinner—and, consequently, His holy status would compel Him to recoil from her defiling touch. Simon’s logic is flawless within his religious framework: a prophet identifies sin and avoids impurity.

However, Simon's error is profound. He misjudges Jesus’ true nature, mistaking a prophet for just a prophet, and completely missing the Divine Physician, the One who came not for the righteous but for sinners (Luke 5:31-32). Simon understands purity as an external state achieved by avoidance and adherence to rules, whereas Jesus reveals purity as an inner state connected to a transformed heart and found in grace and forgiveness. Jesus does know who the woman is—far better than Simon knows her. He knows her not merely as a sinner but as a penitent one seeking grace, something Simon is blind to. The Pharisee's judgment of Jesus, expressed in a private thought, is subtly yet fully answered by Jesus' subsequent parable of the two debtors and His direct commendation of the woman’s faith and love, demonstrating that He truly knew hearts, and acted from a place of redemptive love, not self-righteous separation. Simon saw the woman’s past sins; Jesus saw her present faith and future redemption.