Luke 7:38

Luke 7:38, in plain English

Standing behind Jesus at His feet, weeping, she began washing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. She kissed His feet and poured the perfume on them.

Why it's here

Every single thing she did would have shocked the room. She didn't care. Her love for Jesus was bigger than her shame.

Who's speaking

Luke describes the woman's raw, unrestrained act of devotion.

Where it sits in the story

This is what love looks like when there's nothing left to lose. She gave everything — her tears, her hair, her most expensive possession, her dignity — because Jesus was worth all of it.

The scholarly reading

The woman's actions — weeping at Jesus' feet, wetting them with tears, wiping with her hair, kissing, and anointing with perfume — represent an extravagant, uncalculating expression of love and gratitude. Loosening her hair in public was considered shameful for a woman.

Language and setting

Each action would have scandalized the Pharisee: the physical intimacy, the loosened hair, the contact between an unclean woman and a supposed prophet. The scene is rich with social transgression.

Voice

Luke describes the woman's elaborate, emotionally charged acts of devotion at Jesus' feet.

Significance

The woman's worship is raw, unscripted, and socially devastating. She sacrifices her remaining dignity (loosening her hair) and her expensive possession (the perfume) in an outpouring of love that defies every convention.

36Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

37When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

38As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

39When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

40But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

Read all of Luke 7 — A Roman centurion's faith astonishes Jesus, a widow's dead son is raised, and a sinful woman's tears become an act of worship.