Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 7:47

Luke 7:47. Wherefore I say to thee. Because of these exhibitions of love, in recognition of them, I say to thee. Our Lord gives the reason for His saying that she is forgiven, not for the forgiveness itself. The latter sense is ungrammatical, as well as out of keeping with the parable.

Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, ‘have been and are forgiven.'

For she loved much. Not: because she loved much, as though her love were the cause of the forgiveness. This sense is directly opposed to the parable (Luke 7:42), which represents the debtors as unable to pay and the forgiveness free; to the next clause, which plainly makes the forgiveness the ground of the love, not the reverse; and also to Luke 7:50, which represents faith, not love, as the antecedent of forgiveness, on the side of the person forgiven. The clause is to be explained: ‘since she loved much,' i.e., Her sins which are many are forgiven (as you may conclude according to your own judgment, that much forgiveness produces much love), since she loved much (as these manifestations indicate). The word ‘loved' refers to the acts spoken of in Luke 7:44-46. The assumption that the woman was Mary Magdalene is used to support the false view mentioned above; the gratitude being regarded as called forth by the casting out of the demons, and the forgiveness of sins as first granted after this display of love. The aptness of the parable is destroyed by this interpretation.

Little is forgiven, etc. One who feels little need of forgiveness is meant. Our Lord does not apply this directly to Simon but leaves that to his conscience.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 7:47

Old Testament

New Testament