Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1908
Source: From RevoltLib.com
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
Once it happened that Jesus came to have lunch with a Pharisee. And while he was sitting at the Pharisee’s home, a woman came from the city. She was infidel. She learned that Jesus is in the house of the Pharisee, and she came there, and brought a bottle with perfume. And she knelt down at Jesus’ feet, and burst into tears, and poured her tears over his feet, and wiped them with her hair, and poured the perfume from the bottle. Having seen that, the Pharisee was tempted and thought about Jesus: ‘If this man were truly a prophet, he would know that this woman was infidel and dissolute, and would not allow her to touch himself.’ Jesus understood what the Pharisee thought, turned to him and said: ‘Should I tell you what I think?’ – ‘Go ahead, tell,’ said the Pharisee. And Jesus said: ‘Here’s what: two people considered themselves in debt before a rich man, one owed him 500 rubles, and the other one - 50. And neither of them were able to return the debt. And the rich man forgave that to both of them. So, what do you think, who of the two will love the rich man more and take care of him?’ And the Pharisee said: - ‘Obviously, the one who owed more.’ Jesus pointed out at the woman and said: ‘So it is the same with you and this woman. You consider yourself a faithful and therefore in a little debt before God; she considers herself infidel and therefore in a big debt. I came to your house, you did not give me water to wash my feet, but she washes my feed with her tears and wipes them with her hair. You did not kiss me, but she kisses my feet. You did not give me oil to anoint my head, but she pours expensive perfume on my feet. She considers herself a great sinner, and therefore it is easy for her to love people. But you consider yourself a righteous and therefore it is difficult for you to love. But to the one who loves much, everything is forgiven. (Luke 7, 36-48)
Questions:
1) What happened when Jesus dined at the Pharisee?
2) That the Pharisee thought?
3) What Jesus told him?