The One Forgiven Most - Luke 7:43

Luke the beloved physician wrote how Jesus told Simon the Pharisee, “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?”, and in chapter seven and verse forty-three of his book Luke shared how Simon answered Jesus' question by saying, “I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most” where we read:

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.

And he said unto him, You have rightly judged.

The verse reads, “Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.” Luke began with the words, “Simon answered and said” or “Simon the Pharisee whose name means little rock or stone responded and began to speak by uttering, declaring, proclaiming and answering”, “I suppose that he” which means “I, Simon the Pharisee answer and assume the debtor”, “to whom he forgave most” or “the debtor the creditor granted forgiveness, pardon, gave freely to and bestowed the greater amount or quantity”. Luke shared how Simon the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his home and eat with him responded to Jesus by saying he “assumed” the debtor who was forgiven the greater amount.

The verse continues, “And he said unto him, You have rightly judged.” Luke added the words, “and he said unto him” which means “and Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed to Simon”, “you have rightly judged” or “you, Simon, have straightly, plainly, correctly and morally determined, resolved and decreed”. Luke shared how Jesus told Simon he made a correct “judgment” concerning the one who loved the creditor more.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how the creditor's greater forgiveness of debt incurred a greater love for the one who forgave him. The idea is that a person who knows they have been forgiven and freely given grace will love the one who extended the forgiveness and grace toward them. God loves. God forgives, and God constantly desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus. Those who examine themselves and discover God has forgiven them much will love Him much, and those who do not, will love God very little. Let all who read these words understand the great extent of God's immeasurable love and forgiveness given to those who yield themselves to Him.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus acknowledges the, “woman” again, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".