Luke 7:46

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. The double contrast is here to be observed-between his not anointing the head and her anointing the feet; and between his withholding even common olive oil for the higher purpose, and her expending that precious aromatic balsam for the humbler. What evidence did the one afford of any feeling which forgiveness prompts? But what beautiful evidence of this did the other furnish! Our Lord speaks this with delicate politeness, as if hurt at these inattentions of His host, which though not invariably shown to guests, were the customary marks of studied respect and regard. The inference is plain-Only one of the debtors was really forgiven, though in the first instance, to give room for the play of withheld feeling, the forgiveness of both is supposed in the parable. Our Lord now confines Himself to the woman's case.