March 29th, 2025

This Sunday, known as The Fourth Sunday in Lent, has for its Gospel Reading Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. And with another jump from last week’s text, you are correct in thinking that Jesus is getting closer to his death and resurrection.

It could be noted that in the first verses of the text, Jesus responds to those who have some power with a parable. It could also be said that both the Pharisees and scribes GREATLY murmur this time. This particular verb has as its base “to murmur”, and it also has a prefix on it to intensify the verb. In Luke 5:30 the same two groups just “murmur” at Jesus. With this brief look at the text, one can see that the tension is definitely increasing.

In the writings of this website, we are also going through the Gospel according to Luke, in a way that also shows the increase of tension, but also in the way that was laid out by the writer. We are somewhat in between chapters fifteen and five. And we have been noting the use of the word “Lord” by the writer before the resurrection of Jesus.

The first use of the title Lord was connected to compassion for a widow whose son had just died. The second use has to do with John the Baptist’s disciples of Jesus basically wanting to know the plan of Jesus, since John is in prison and Jesus obviously has the power to get him out. Both of these occurrences could be connected to the early times of the Church—and to the Church today—about the presence (or what appears to be the absence) of the Lord of the Church.

If this is your first encounter with the writings of this website, please note that this is an extremely literal translation of the original language of the text. The order of the words makes it difficult sometimes to understand what is being said. But this order can be helpful to give the proper emphasis on the various words of the text, with the earlier words often being the important ones. It should also be noted that the hyphens below are designed to give the reader an idea of how many words in English are from the one word in the Greek, the language of the New Testament. And some of the translations of the words are designed to show how similar the Greek language is to the English.

To summarize, a good recommendation is to look at this text in another translation or a study bible. There are A LOT of ways words can be translated. Now what follows is Luke 7:36-50 (Please note that the verb in capital letters is in the present tense when a past tense verb would be expected; in this situation the person wants a response from Jesus, and that is a situation that certainly happens in the Church today):

Now  he-was-asking,  a-certain-one,  him,  of-the  Pharisees,  that  he-would-eat  with  him;  and  having-come-into  into  the  house  of-the  Pharisee,  he-was-caused-to-recline.  And  behold,  a-woman  who  was  in  the  city,  a-sinner,  and  having-definitely-known  that  he-is-reclining  in  the  house  of-the  Pharisee,  having-brought  an-alabaster-jar  of  ointment,  and  having-stood  behind  at  the  feet,  his,  weeping,  with-the  tears,  she-began  to-wet  the  feet,  his,  and  with-the  hairs  of-the  head,  hers,  she-was-wiping-off,  and  she-was-fervently-kissing  the  feet,  his,  and  she-was-rubbing-with-oil  with-the  ointment.

Now  having-seen,  the  Pharisee,  having-called  him,  he-said  in  himself,  saying,  “This-one,  if  he-were  a-prophet,  he-would-know,  ever,  who,  and  what-kind-of  the  woman,  who  she-is-touching  him,  because  a-sinner  she-is.”

And  having-answered  the  Jesus,  he-said  toward  him,  “Simon,  I-have  to-you  something  to-say.”

Now  the-one,  “Teacher,  say,”  HE-RESPONDS.

“Two  debtors  they-were  to-a-creditor,  a-certain-one;  the  first  he-owed  denarii,  five-hundred,  now  the  other,  fifty.  Not  having  they,  to-repay,  both  he-graced.  Therefore  who  of-them  more  will-agape  him?”

Having  answered,  Simon,  he-said,  “I-assume  that  to-whom  the  more  he-graced.”
Now  the-one  said  to-him,  “Rightly  you-judged.”  And  having-turned  toward  the  woman,  to-Simon  he-responded,  “You-see  this  the  woman?  I-came-into,  your,  into  the  house,  water  to-me  upon  feet,  not  you-gave;  now  this-one  with-the  tears,  she-wet  my,  the  feet,  and  with-the  hairs,  hers,  she-wiped-off.  A-kiss  to-me  not  you-gave,  now  this-one  from  which  I-came-into,  not  she-ceased  fervently-kissing  my,  the  feet.  With-oil  the  head,  my,  not  you-rubbed-with-oil,  now  this-one  with-ointment,  she-rubbed-with-oil  the  feet,  my.  Of-which  grace,  I-am-saying  to-you,  they-have-been-forgiven,  the  sins,  hers,  the  many,  because  she-did-agape  much,  now  to-whom  little  is-forgiven,  little  he-agapes.”  Now  he  said  to-her,  “They-have-been-forgiven,  yours,  the  sins.”

And  they-began,  the-ones  reclining-with,  to-say  in  themselves,  “Who  this,  he-is,  who  also  sins,  he-forgives?”​

Now  he-said  toward  the  woman,  “The  faith,  yours,  it-has-saved  you;  go  into  peace.”