The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 7

The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 7 – July 6th, 2012

Last week we talked about the purpose of the Sabbath. This is something that practically every Biblical commentator misses or skims over in the words of the prophets, and I have been guilty of doing so myself. The words of Yahweh our God in Hosea concern the ancient Israelites, who are about to be deported into captivity by the Assyrians. In Hosea 2:11, Yahweh said through the prophet: “I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.” Likewise, the Septuagint at Hosea 2:11 says “And I will take away all her gladness, her feasts, and her festivals at the new moon, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn assemblies.” So we see that these things as they were known to the Israelites of the ancient kingdom are removed. Now, as it was stated here last week, it should be clear as to why Paul said in Colossians chapter 2: “16 Therefore no one must judge you in food and in drink, or in respect of feast or new month or of the Sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of future things. Whereas the body is of the Anointed”. 

Paul also said in Romans chapter 14: “1 Now he who is weak in the faith you should not receive for the arguing of decisions. 2 While one trusts to eat all things, yet another being weak eats vegetables. 3 He who eats must not despise him that eats not; and he who eats not must not judge him that eats: indeed Yahweh has taken him to Himself. 4 Who are you to be judging another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he shall stand; indeed the Prince is able to establish him. [An examination of 1 Corinthians chapters 10 and 11 reveal that Paul is talking about profane foods – such as things sacrificed to idols, and not about unclean non-foods.] 5 While one distinguishes a day contrary to another day, yet another distinguishes every day. Each in his own mind must be fully assured. 6 He who is observing the day, observes it with authority, and he who eats, eats with authority; for he gives thanks to Yahweh.And he who does not eat, with authority eats not, and he gives thanks to Yahweh. 7 Not one of us lives to himself, and not one dies to himself. 8 Therefore if either we were to live, in the Prince we live; or if we were to die, in the Prince we die: so if we were to live, or if we were to die, we are the Prince’s. [If indeed we are Israel, we were bought with a price, and we belong to Christ.] 9 For this reason Christ died and lived, that He may be master of both the dead and the living. 10 Now why do you judge your brother? Or then, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Yahweh. 11 Indeed it is written, “I live, says the Prince, that to Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God.” [And every knee shall indeed, if not here in this life, then certainly at the day of that judgment, which Paul's next statement verifies.] 12 So then each of us shall give to Yahweh an account concerning himself. 13 Now no longer should we judge one another, but rather determine this: do not put an obstacle in the way of a brother, or a trap. [Now Paul tells us not to judge one another, but those outside, as he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 5, Yahweh shall judge, and therefore we are to separate ourselves from the unrepentant sinners.]”

So while the children of Israel were no longer bound to the Levitical Sabbath, they were however, promised a reward for keeping a somewhat different sort of Sabbath, which we see outlined in Isaiah chapter 58: “13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

Christ healed on the Sabbath, and the Pharisees called it “work”, arguing that it was a violation of the letter of the Mosaic law. But the Levitical Sabbath was eclipsed, and Christ was instead following the Isaiah 58 Sabbath, and seeking to do the will of God on the Sabbath day – which is an example that all Israel should follow today. Christ used His Sabbaths helping His kinsmen, and we should follow that example, to use our Sabbath days seeking to help our kinsmen, just as He also did. Furthermore, helping our kinsmen is more than merely spreading the Word of God: each member of the body has diverse gifts, and it is those gifts which we should recognize and seek to employ in our community.

1 When He had completed all of His sayings for the ears of the people, He went into Kapharnaoum.

The reference to “all of these sayings” is a reference to the Sermon on the Mount, as it is called, and the parables which Christ uttered as they were recorded by Luke in chapter 6 of his gospel.

2 And upon a certain centurion’s having a sickly servant who was about to die, who was dear to him, 3 and having heard about Yahshua, he sent to Him elders of the Judaeans, asking Him that coming He may preserve his servant. 4 And they coming near to Yahshua exhorted Him earnestly, saying that “Worthy is he for whom You may grant this. 5 For he loves our nation and he has built the assembly hall for us.” 6 So Yahshua went with them. And already He being not far from the house, the centurion sent friends saying to Him “Prince, You must not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should come under my roof! 7 Wherefore neither am I myself worthy to come to You, but speak in a word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I also am a man appointed by authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this one ‘go’, and he goes, and to another ‘come’, and he comes, and to my servant ‘do this’, and he does it.” 9 And hearing these things, Yahshua admiring him and turning to the crowd following Him said: “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!” 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house found the servant healthy.

There is a much briefer version of this account given in Matthew chapter 8. Many unlearned commentators attempt to use this verse in order to somehow prove that Christian Identity is wrong, and that the Romans or Greeks could not have been among the dispersed of Israel. In Matthew chapter 8, immediately after the healing of the centurion's servant and Christ's exclamation concerning the faith of the centurion, we see these words of Christ recorded: “11 I say to you that many shall come from east and west and they shall recline with Abraham and Isaak and Jakob in the kingdom of the heavens, 12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outermost darkness. And there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth!”

The Romans and many of the tribes of the Greeks of the time of Christ were indeed among those people of the tribes of Israel who were dispersed in ancient times. However being divorced from Yahweh their God, put off in punishment for their sins – which is the entire theme of the Old Testament – they were alienated, as Paul later told them, and they were not recognized as Israel until their reconciliation to Christ after His sacrifice on their behalf. So here Christ uses the term Israel to describe only those Israelites in Judaea who represented the remnant having kept the law and the prophets. But that does not mean that all of the previously dispersed Israelites were somehow no longer Israel. Isaiah chapter 43 offers proof of this, and may also be compared to the passage which has just been cited from Matthew 8:11-12, and that may also be understood with Isaiah chapter 43 because it was these words in Isaiah to which Christ was referring.

Isaiah 43: “1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. [These are references to Israel's migrations in the dispersions which occurred many centuries before the time of Christ.] 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. [They were all given up to the enemies of God, and are no longer White Adamic kingdoms.] 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; [the identity of the sons and daughters was just given in the opening verse of the passage] 7 Even every one that is called by my name [true Israelite Christians]: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. 8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 9 Let all the nations be gathered together [the nations of Israel Paul describes in Romans chapter 4], and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.”

Isaiah chapter 43 therefore tells us that those people who are to be gathered unto Christ from the “ends of the earth” are indeed the children of Israel, and none others, and that the other nations were given up by God for the purpose that He would demonstrate His love for Israel. Those Israelites who were already dispersed by Isaiah's time were the White nations of the coasts of Europe and the Mediterranean which the Israelites had colonized in ancient times, even from before the days of David and Solomon, all of which can be demonstrated in classical history in concert with the Biblical literature. These are the nations sprung from Abraham's seed, which Abraham was promised, which Paul describes where he describes the faith of Abraham in Romans chapter 4. Isaiah 43:9 is remarkable, where it says: “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.” Today with Christian Identity it is declared, that the dispersed of Israel can indeed be identified, and it is truth.

11 And it came to pass thereafter that He went to a city called Naïn, and His students and a great crowd went with Him.

The Codices Alexandrinus (A) and Ephraemi Syri (C) , which are the two main codices representing the Alexandrian tradition, along with the Majority Text, have “...and a considerable number of His students”; the text follows the papyrus known as P75, and the Codices Sinaiticus (א), Vaticanus (B), Bezae (D) and Washingtonensis (D).

The city Naïn was apparently a small town just a couple of miles southeast of Nazareth.

12 And as He neared the gate of the city, then behold: a dead man being carried out, the best beloved son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable crowd from the city was with her.

The Greek word μονογενής is a difficult one, since it literally means only-born, however it was in many places used by Hebrews as an idiom which means best-loved or most-beloved. While the idiom is not evident in Luke alone, it is evident from its use by the historian Josephus and also where Paul used the word at Hebrews 11:17, where Paul speaks of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac: “By faith Abraham, being tried, had offered up Isaak, and the best-beloved (μονογενής) being offered up took upon himself the promises”.

In Genesis 22:2 we see Isaac referenced as Abraham's only son, in spite of the existence of Ishmael, where the King James Version reads: “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” The Septuagint translators recognized the Hebrew idiom, and they therefore rendered this same passage thus: “And he said, Take thy son, the beloved one, whom thou hast loved--Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there for a whole-burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” So it is evident by comparing Genesis 22:2 in the King James Version with the Septuagint where Isaak rather than being called the only son is instead called the beloved one, that μονογενής may be used to describe the favorite son where it appears at Hebrews 11:17, where there were other sons which existed and therefore the word cannot be interpreted literally.

In this same manner, as an idiom for most-beloved, the word μονογενής was also used by Josephus at Antiquities 1:222 (1.13.1) and 20:20 (20.2.1) and his most famous translator, William Whiston, makes notes of the usage at those points in his translation, showing that the term (and Josephus being a contemporary of Paul) surely was used as a metaphor for “best beloved” or “most loved”, which the LXX translators also clearly understood when they translated the text of Genesis 22:2 to Greek.

Josephus, Antiquities 1:222: “Now Abraham greatly loved Isaac, as being his only begotten (μονογενής), and given to him in his old age, by the favour of God. The child also endeared himself to his parents still more, by the exercise of every virtue, and adhering to his duty to his parents, and being zealous in the worship of God.”

At this passage in Josephus there is the following footnote from Whiston: “Note, that both here and Hebrews 11:17, Isaac is called Abraham's only begotten son, though he at the same time had another son, Ismael. The Septuagint expresses the true meaning, by rendering the text the beloved son.”

Josephus, Antiquities 20:20: “He had indeed Monobazus, his older brother, by Helena also, as he had other sons by other wives besides. Yet did he openly place all his affections on this his only begotten son Izates...”

Here it is clear in the context of this passage alone that Monobazus, the king of Adiabene whom Josephus is discussing, had more than one son. In that part of the discussion previous to this passage Josephus relates that he indeed had many sons. Whiston supplies the following footnote at his passage: “Josephus here uses the word monogenē, an only-begotten son, for no other than the one best-beloved, as does both the Old and New Testament; I mean where there were one or more sons besides, Genesis 22:2, Hebrews 11:17...”

While it does not really matter here in Luke, whether this word μονογενής is interpreted literally to mean only-begotten, or idiomatically to mean most-beloved, it is important to understand the idiomatic use of the word in other passages of Scripture, and especially in places such as John 3:16: for Yahshua Christ is not the only son of God, as many mainstream commentators may insist. Rather all of the children of Israel are the children of Yahweh their God, as Deuteronomy 14:1 and Psalm 82:6 both state explicitly, and as Paul also said in Acts 17:28. Therefore we see that at John 1:14, 3:16, 3:18 and at I John 4:9 where Yahshua is called the μονογενής of God, it is evident that the term should be interpreted idiomatically in those places, and there is no conflict in Scripture if Christ is understood to be described as the most-beloved son of God.

13 And seeing her the Prince was deeply moved by her and said to her: “Do not weep!” 14 And going forth He grasped the coffin, and those bearing it stopped, and He said “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15 Then the corpse sat up and began to speak, and He gave him to his mother. 16 And fear seized all and they honored Yahweh saying that “a great prophet has arisen among us” and that “Yahweh has visited His people.”17 And this account went out in the whole of Judaea and all the surrounding area concerning Him.

It is oft repeated, that Christ was the first person resurrected from the dead, even though Scripture itself plainly refutes the claim, both here and again with the resurrection of Lazarus. There also must have been times in the Old Kingdom where men were resurrected, as Paul says in Hebrews 11:35 that “Women received their dead from resurrection”, speaking of the Old Kingdom. Christ is the “the First Born from the dead”, as it says at Revelation 1:5, but that does not mean He was the first resurrected from the dead. Resurrection is not to be confused with birth. Rather, He is the First Born: Yahweh God incarnate, and then in His bodily advent He both died and was resurrected.

18 And his students reported to Iohannes concerning all of these things, and summoning a certain two of his students Iohannes 19 sent to the Prince, saying “Are You He who is coming, or do we expect another?” 20 Then coming to Him the men said: “Iohannes the Baptist sent us to You, saying: ‘Are you He who is coming, or do we expect another?’” 21 And at that hour He had healed many from diseases and plagues and wicked spirits and many blind were granted to see.

John the Baptist has not yet been imprisoned at this point in Luke's gospel. The account of John's execution by Herod is supplied in Mark chapter 6. This here account of John's inquiry concerning Christ seems to contain only half of the story, one perspective, where with that which is recorded in the Gospel of John we may perceive a more complete account.

John 3:25-30: “25 Then there came a dispute among some of the students of Iohannes with the Judaeans concerning purification. 26 And they came to Iohannes and said to him: 'Rabbi, He who was with you across the Jordan, for whom you testified, look: He immerses and they all come to Him!' 27 Iohannes replied and said: 'A man is not able to receive anything if it has not been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear testimony for me that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I am being sent before Him! 29 He having the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices in joy because of the voice of the bridegroom! Therefore this, my joy, is fulfilled. 30 It is necessary for Him to be augmented, and for me to be diminished.'”

Under the inspiration of God, John the Baptist himself had testified of Christ at His baptism. Here, with the dispute among his students recorded in the Gospel of John, we may perceive that John the Baptist may well have sent his students to inquire of Christ for his students' sake, in order to resolve the dispute, and not merely for his own sake. Christ, for the sake of the students of John, then demonstrated His abilities to heal and His power over wicked spirits before their very eyes, and showed those students that He was indeed “He who is coming”, where John then testified that He was the bridegroom.

22 And replying He said to them: “Going, report to Iohannes the things which you have seen and you have heard: The blind have their sight restored and the lame walk about, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor are brought good news, 23 and blessed is he who is not offended by Me!”

When Yahshua Christ announced these words, He in effect told John and everyone else who heard Him that He was indeed the Messiah, since Yahweh God proclaimed that He Himself would do these very things, for example in Isaiah chapters 29 and 35.

Isaiah 29:18-19: “18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”

Isaiah 35:4-6: “4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

John the Baptist understood that when “He who is coming” actually arrived, that would be the beginning of the fulfillment of Hosea 2:19-20, where Yahweh says: “19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.”

24 And the messengers of Iohannes departing, He began to speak to the crowd concerning Iohannes: “Why do you go out into the desert? To behold a reed being shaken by the wind? 25 Rather why do you go out? To see a man clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who are in splendid and luxurious garments are in the palaces! 26 But why do you go out? To see a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and greater than a prophet! 27 This is concerning whom it was written: ‘Behold, I shall send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.’ 28 I say to you, no one born of women is greater than Iohannes, but he who is least in the Kingdom of Yahweh is greater than he!”

A reed being shaken by the wind is a common site in the desert, and men with riches are generally not found there at all. Christ proves to the people that John the Baptist is indeed a prophet, at least in the human sense and simply because they were all going out into the desert to see him, and then Christ agrees that John certainly was a prophet. However no matter how great a prophet John was, once the Kingdom of Yahweh is attained all those who do attain it shall have even greater capabilities than John had while he was on earth.

29 And all the people heard, and the tax-collectors deemed Yahweh just, being immersed in the immersion of Iohannes. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of Yahweh in regard to themselves, not being immersed by him.

John had come, as the prophet Malachi foretold, to “purify the sons of Levi” (Malachi 3:3). Although other people received the immersion of John, nevertheless he fulfilled his intended mission. Yet the Pharisees and lawyers were not immersed by him, and therefore it is evident that at least many of them were not actually Levites. The accounts of Josephus and Eusebius, while neither is explicit, also reveal that many of the Pharisees and priests were not Levites, and in fact were not even Israelites.

31 “So to what do I compare the men of this race? And what are they like? 32 They are like boys sitting in the market place and calling to one another things which say ‘We piped for you and you did not dance. We sang dirges and you did not weep.’ 33 For Iohannes the Baptist came not eating wheat-bread nor drinking wine and you say ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say ‘Behold the man is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-collectors and wrongdoers!’ 35 And Wisdom is justified by all of her children.”

The Codex Sinaiticus (א) has “and Wisdom is justified by all of her works”; the text follows the Codices Vaticanus (B), Bezae (D), and Washingtonensis (W), and also the Codex Alexandrinus (A) and the Majority Text which agree but have a different word order.

The idiom of the language here may be a little difficult, however the intent is clear. The Pharisees saw John calling for repentance, and the disciples of John humbling themselves in that repentance. John dressed himself in camel hair, and subsisted upon locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). All of these are signs of poverty and humility, reflecting a state of mourning. Yet the Pharisees did not weep along with those singing the dirges of repentance. The Pharisees saw the apostles and followers of Christ eating and drinking in celebration, and neither did the Pharisees dance along to the sounds of that celebration. For those who were repentant at the beckoning of John, they claimed that John had a demon. For those who celebrated the advent of the Messiah, they claimed that Christ was a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of sinners. Either way, the Pharisees found fault in the message of God.

Wisdom is justified by her children: the Pharisees sought worldly wisdom, and because of that Wisdom herself was indicted, because God operates by His Word which defies worldly wisdom. The anthropomorphism of wisdom is apparent in the Greek here, the Article being used with the Greek word σοφία (4678), and then the pronoun (“her”) being feminine. Wisdom is also personified in Proverbs chapters 8 and 9, and of course such anthropomorphisms abound in Greek and Roman writing, but the Proverbs are older. The mistake that the Greeks and Romans made was in making graven images and worshiping Wisdom personified, among other idols.

36 Then one of the Pharisees had asked Him that He would eat with him. And entering into the house of the Pharisee He reclined. 37 And behold, there was a woman who was in the city, a wrongdoer, and finding out that He reclined in the house of the Pharisee, she acquired a box of ointment, 38 and standing behind by His feet weeping, with tears she began to wet His feet and wiped them off with the hair of her head, and she kissed and anointed His feet with ointment.

This incident which happened early in Yahshua's ministry in Naïn where a woman wipes off and anoints the feet of Yahshua is not to be confused with the later incident, recorded in Matthew chapter 26, in Mark chapter 14, and which is also mentioned in John chapter 11, where in Bethany Mariam the sister of Martha and Lazarus had performed a very similar act.

Here there is a difference in the manuscripts which can probably be explained by purposeful scribal emendations which occurred in order to adjust for differences in dialect. There are many other examples of such emendations among the manuscripts. Where the English has the verb reclined here, the Codices Alexandrinus and Washingtonensis have the Greek word ἀνακλίνω (347), while the Codex Sinaiticus (א) has κατάκειμαι (2621). The text of the NA27 has κατακλίνω (2625), following the Codices Vaticanus (B) and Bezae (D). All three words may be rendered recline in this context, for instance to recline at a meal, since the Greeks usually took their meals upon couches, and not upon chairs at a table.

The word ἀλάβαστρον (211), is a “box” here, and it is actually a certain type of box, made of alabaster, a certain gypsum, which is a mineral. The word for ointment is μύρον (3464), which is often “myrrh”.

39 And seeing, the Pharisee who invited Him spoke to himself saying “If He were a prophet, He would know who and of what sort is the woman who touches Him, that she is a wrongdoer.” 40 And replying Yahshua said to him “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Then teacher,” he said, “speak!” 41 “Two men were indebted to a certain moneylender. The one owed five hundred denarii, the other fifty. 42 Upon their having nothing to repay, he forgave both. Now which of them should love him more?” 43 Answering Simon said “I suspect that to whom he forgave more.” And He said to him “You have decided correctly.”

Simon, of course, must have realized with this saying that Christ was indeed a prophet. Here is something that many Christians do not understand, or even refuse to attempt to understand. With the gravity of sin there is the corresponding abundance of forgiveness. All Israel shall indeed be saved, because that is the promise which Yahweh our God made to our fathers. The Judaizers of the first century did not understand this, and Paul responded to their accusations in Romans chapter 6, where he says: “1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” So while we should not sin more simply because there shall be an abundance of forgiveness, nevertheless there are no exceptions to the promise of God, that He shall cleanse all of the sins of the children of Israel.

Ezekiel 36:24-25: “24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.”

I have not attempted to translate denarion, which here in the plural is denarii, or to estimate the values of a denarius today. At the very end of Appendix A in the Loeb Library edition of Caesar's The Gallic War, translated by H. J. Edwards and first published in 1917, the following is found, speaking of the pay scale of Caesar’s soldiers circa 50 B.C.: “Before Caesar’s time the scale of pay was 120 denarii (1,200 asses, about £4) a year; he increased it to 225 denarii (about £7 10s.).” By the time of Christ it is apparent that the denarius was considered a fair day’s wage for a laborer, for which see the parable of the vineyard workers at Matt. 20:1-16, where the King James Version translates the word as penny. The word δηνάριον (1220) also appears at Luke 10:35 and 20:24.

44 Then turning to the woman with Simon He said “Look at this woman. I have come into your house. You did not offer water for My feet. But she with tears wet My feet and wiped them off with her hair. 45 You did not offer Me a kiss. But she from her coming in has not ceased kissing My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with olive oil. But she with ointment has anointed My feet. 47 For that favor, I say to you, her many errors are forgiven, because she has loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

With the gravity of sin there is the corresponding abundance of forgiveness, and those who receive that abundant forgiveness shall love Christ all the more for it. We should all think of that before we judge our own brethren, that Christ Himself shall indeed forgive them all. All of those who make the fleshly assertion that even the most sinful of our Israelite brethren are destined for the Lake of Fire, are actually denying the mercy of Yahweh our God promised in Scripture from the beginning.

Isaiah 54:8-10: “8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. 9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.”

From Romans 14: “4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Isaiah 45:21-25: “21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.”

All Israel shall indeed be saved.

48 Then He said to her: “Your errors are forgiven.” 49 And those dining together began to speak among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives wrongdoing?”

“Those dining together”, or literally “those reclining together at dinner”, the word is a Substantive from the Definite Article and the verb συνανάκειμαι (4873).

Yahweh God said in the Old Testament that He would forgive sin. Sin was violation of God's law, which only God could forgive. Christ, forgiving sin, by His words claims to have the authority of God. Those who opposed him denied that He was the Messiah, and therefore denied that He was God. By the accompanying wonders which He performed, He proved that he was indeed God Incarnate, and they refused to acknowledge as much.

50 Then He said to the woman: “Your faith has preserved you: go in peace.”

By the actions of the woman, she acknowledged that He was indeed her Messiah and Saviour. Her faith preserved her in this life, and her repentance assured that her sins were forgiven in this life and she would not be judged for them, in this life, as we see in Scripture in Amos chapter 9, Romans chapter 13, 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and 1 Timothy chapter 5. All Israel is saved in the resurrection.

Amos 9: “10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.”

From Romans 13: “4 ... But if you practice evil, be fearful; for not without purpose will he bear the sword, indeed a servant of Yahweh is an avenger with wrath to he who has practiced evil.”

1 Corinthians 5:12-13: "12 What is it to me to judge those outside? Not at all should you judge those within you. 13 But those outside Yahweh judges; 'you will expel the wicked from amongst yourselves.'"

1 Timothy 5:24-25: “24 The errors of some men are manifest beforehand, going ahead to judgment, but others then follow after. 25 In like manner also are the good works manifest, and those being otherwise are not able to be concealed.”

That all Israel is saved in the resurrection, we see again in 1 Corinthians chapter 3: “11 For another foundation no one is able to place besides that which is established, which is Yahshua Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds upon that foundation gold, silver, precious stones, timber, fodder, straw, 13 the work of each will become evident; indeed the day will disclose it, because in fire it is revealed; and of what quality the work of each is, the fire will scrutinize. 14 If the work of anyone who has built remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If the work of anyone burns completely, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be preserved, although consequently through fire.” The fire is the trials of this life, which when we immerse ourselves in the blood of Christ and repent of our sins, is a judgment which we hope to avoid. And if we do not avoid that judgment, as Paul says in verse 15, “he himself shall be preserved”.