Wait, Did Jesus Say That To Peter?

This coming Sunday’s gospel text (Luke 7:36-8:3) is one of my favorite not-so-well-known texts from the Good News of Christ Jesus. I love it because it has this strange encounter between “a woman in the city, who was a sinner,” a dinner party hosting Pharisee, Jesus, and poor ol’ Peter. Jesus called him Simon, but I cannot help but think of what my colleague Jeff Evans likes to say after speaking Peter’s name, “Bless his heart.” Peter was plopped into the middle of some conflict that had nothing to do with him, but why?

Let’s take a look at what happened in the story. A generous, or at least showy, Pharisee decided to throw a dinner. He invited Jesus. Somehow in the midst of the evening’s events a woman from the city, a known sinner, more than likely a prostitute, snuck into the party and started washing Jesus’ feet with tears, hair, and ointment. The Pharisee, not so pleased with the uninvited guest, thought some snarky comment in his head. All he did was think something. Then, strangely Jesus turned not to him, but to Peter to tell a story.

Jesus told Peter a tale about two debtors, one with a greater debt than the other. He asked his disciple if both were forgiven by their creditor which one would love the forgiving person more. Peter responded the one who had the greater debt. We can easily draw the comparison of the bigger debtor being the woman of the city. Also, we can think that the Pharisee was forgiven less; however what seems strange in this story is that Jesus did not tell the story to either the Pharisee or the woman. “Wait, did Jesus say that to Peter?” we might question. Then, Jesus takes it a step further.

Jesus turned toward the woman but again spoke to Peter. He told Peter that since he had entered his house Peter had not given him any accommodations, no water for Jesus’ feet, no kiss of peace, and no oil for his head. This woman; however, had not stopped welcoming Jesus. She washed his feet, she kept kissing him, and she spread oil upon him. While most of this is true, there is one huge mistake. This is not Peter’s home! So why did Jesus say this to him?

Sometimes in life we are not ready to hear the truth. Peter was serving a divine purpose. He could listen and respond to Jesus’ inquiry and (hopefully) not be offended by the teaching moment. Peter could hear the truth in the place of those who were not ready to hear. The Pharisee was not ready to hear this difficult (for him) message that God’s love cancels out all debts, so Jesus spoke to Peter instead. Additionally, Jesus did not speak to the woman, perhaps because he did not want to take her from this moment of service. Even though the Pharisee was an expert on the Law and what God had spoken to God’s people, he was not an experienced practitioner of forgiving and being forgiven. The woman on the other hand was intimate with not only sinfulness, but God’s grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love.

What lesson are we being taught indirectly by God? Who is God speaking about us, but right next to us? How might Jesus be teaching us of the healing power of forgiveness through our neighbors?