Luke 7:43
“Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.””
What does Luke 7:43 mean?
Simon the Pharisee has just heard Jesus tell a story about two people who owed money to a lender—one owing a small debt, one owing a large one. When neither could pay, the lender forgave them both. Jesus asks Simon who would love the lender more, and Simon gives the obvious answer: the one who was forgiven more would feel deeper gratitude. What makes this moment powerful is that Simon doesn't yet realize Jesus is talking about him. A sinful woman has just washed Jesus' feet with her tears and perfume while Simon watched with judgment, and Jesus is gently showing him that her extravagant love flows from her sense of being deeply forgiven. Simon's correct answer actually becomes a mirror held up to his own heart, inviting him to see what he's been missing: the connection between recognizing how much we need mercy and how much we can love in return.