To whom much is forgiven

In Luke chapter 7 v 47 the Lord makes this statement “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little.”

This statement makes for very interesting reading as one looks at the sin in their own heart. You might begin to think if you have been forgiven much or little. But what determines that you have been forgiven much or little? From the statement it is how much you love. If you love Him much you have been forgiven much and if you love Him little you have been forgiven little. But another question arises. What is to be forgiven much or little? In the statement the Lord says “her many sins” and this could mean being forgiven much. But does “a few sins” mean being forgiven little? If we think like this, it poses a completeness problem as people might think they have not been fully forgiven if they think lowly of how much they love the Lord. But how are we forgiven much or little and how does that have a bearing on how much we love the Lord? To answer this question let us look at the whole passage in which this statement was made.

Turn your bible to Luke chapter 7 v 36 and read right through to v 50. The Lord had been invited to Simon the Pharisee’s house and “a sinful woman” weeps over His feet, dries them with her hair, kisses them and pours perfume on them. The Pharisee, in v 39, thinks to 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.” Jesus, knowing his thoughts, answers him by telling him a story in v 41 and 42. In this story are two debtors. One owes 500 pence, which is a lot of money, and another owes 50, which is a lot less. Now both these debtors were unable to pay back their debts and in his mercy the moneylender cancels both their debts. Jesus then poses a question, “Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?” The Pharisee rightfully answers, “I suppose that [he,] to whom he forgave most.” Jesus goes on to relate how the Pharisee had not given Him water for his feet but the woman wept over His feet and dried them with her hair. How the Pharisee did not kiss Him but the woman had not stopped kissing His feet since His arrival and how the Pharisee did not anoint Him with oil but the woman had poured perfume on His feet. He then makes the statement in v 47 and forgives the woman her sins in v 48.

What is this passage trying to teach us? Let us take the story and say the two debtors are the Pharisee and the sinful woman and the moneylender is God. The money owed representing sin with the woman owing more and the Pharisee a lot less. Both being unable to rid themselves of this sin and hence becoming objects of wrath, God in His mercy forgives their debts by sending His Son to pay the debts on their behalf and thus they become objects of His mercy. At this point the question is asked. Who between the woman and the Pharisee will love God more? Well the passage answers that for us if you read v 45 and 46. This is where Jesus relates how the woman did all those nice things the Pharisee did not do. Note, because the woman had realised how much of a sinner she was and that she could not save herself and had recognised Jesus for who He is i.e. her Saviour, she then shows her love for Him through all she does this representing her faith in the One who can save her. The Pharisee on the other hand, was not convicted of his sin and did not think he needed salvation, had no such faith and hence loves Jesus little this represented through his inaction.


Back to the moneylender story. Owing more means you are fully convicted of the sin in your life, fully understand how grievous it is before God and the consequences thereof and realise you cannot save yourself hence when you hear the gospel, you readily repent, rejoice and fully commit your life to your Saviour loving Him with all your heart, soul and mind thus fulfilling the greatest commandment. Owing a lot less means you don’t recognise how grievous the sin in your life is, the consequences thereof and at times you might even think your own righteousness is good enough to save you hence the gospel won’t be such good news and you do not even repent and commit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, fully appreciating what Christ did for us on the cross liberates us to freely forgive those that offend us.

We are all equal sinners because Romans 3 v 23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Hence we need the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and enable us to repent and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. This is what it means to love much as a result of being forgiven much. If we belittle the cross, which is to love little, we empty it of its power to save us and hence we will always remain unrepentant and objects of God’s wrath. So let us repent and believe the gospel. God bless you.