Kissing the Feet of Christ
As it is written in the word of God, so the Lord speaks and shows me many things in the night.
Luke 7:36-39 And one of the Pharisees desired him that He would eat with
him. And He went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold,
a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat
in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his
feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe
them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with
the ointment. Now when the
Pharisee which had bidden Him saw it, he spake within
himself, saying, This man, if He were a prophet, (He) would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth
him: for she is a sinner.
Here we have a most remarkable situation; a Pharisee seemingly wakes up one morning with an irresistible urge to invite Jesus Christ over to his house for a meal and a discussion of the finer points of scripture with him and his fellow Pharisees.
In reality this Pharisee has not personal regard for Jesus Christ as His being a Rabbi, as His being the Messiah, or as His being a Prophet of God. This is demonstrated in this Pharisees actions; as he did not kiss Christ when Jesus entered the door of his house, as he refused to lower himself to pour water over Christ’s feet to wash them when Jesus first entering his house, and when this Pharisee did not anoint his great guest Jesus Christ’s head with oil.
Luke
7:40,44-46
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith,
Master, say on. – (And Jesus answered him) I entered into thine house, and thou gavest
me no water for my feet: -- Thou gavest me no kiss:
-- And My head with oil thou didst not anoint.
This Pharisee’s
elevated view of himself, as well as his disdain and contempt of Christ was
plainly evident to all that were there present in that room and at that table
that day. Jesus
called this Pharisee out on his flagrant disrespect towards Him (Which
was a chargeable offense and sin according to the Talmud). So that while Christ forgave the woman of her great sins, this Pharisees personal
sin(s) and offense(s) remained, even
though Christ had entered his house that day and sat at his table and supped
with him.
On the most basic level this
passage reveals that one can meet Christ, one can invite Christ to enter their
house, one can sit at the table and hear Christ teach, and one can sup with
Christ and his sins and offenses can still remain – unforgiven,
and Christ having ought against them.
The words and actions of Jesus
Christ here defy everything that men teach and preach about coming to Jesus
Christ and salvation. Jesus here
declares the folly of what is commonly taught in Churches regarding salvation,
redemption, regeneration, and conversion. Jesus expresses here the difference
between the broad way, the cattle car method that men preach and teach and the
narrow way that few (Only as individuals) find.
Is it any wonder when Evangelical,
Fundamentalist, Pentecostal, and Charismatic missionaries and evangelists can
claim hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and even a million souls being
saved in a single event?
Is it any wonder when churches
chalk up week in and week out souls that have supposedly come to Jesus Christ
and have been saved by having heard their fanciful unscriptural preaching and teaching. From having heard their unscriptural special mood
music and quiet singing. And from having heard these preachers unscriptural unabashed
begging for someone anyone, within the sound of their voice to say yes, to say
yes and raise their hand . . .
And that somehow through all of
these preachers and teachers lies and deceit, hocus pocus, begging and
cajoling, that these people have indeed found the narrow way that Jesus said
that few (It is a rarity) find
it, having
done far less than even the Pharisee did who remained unforgiven
with Christ having ought against him?
Some time back a great fear of God fell upon me one day of what I had taught and preached when I was a pastor for a time along with what I had said to other students in bible school. For days I was under this fear of God, for though the Lord had began to speak and to teach me things I had neither seen or heard before, the Lord made it know that I was going to be held accountable for what I had formerly said and taught in His Name, and the effect those words had on those peoples lives as those words that I had spoken were living in these people and bearing whatever fruit those corrupt words caused.
I wept, I cried out to God for those people that the Lord would lead them one and not leave them to what I had unrightly said and taught. I do not recall how long this occurred whether it was for a week or two weeks or longer, that is not material here, what is material here is that all who would make themselves to be Masters as Christians, Shepherds, Preachers, and Teachers will be severely judged for their words. That things that may have sounded completely innocent we will discover that the Lord has ought against us for those words. That things that were taught to the best of our knowledge at the time but were false, incorrect, misleading, or just implied things that were not so, we will discover to our shame that the Lord has ought against us for all of those things.
I have testified on this website how for years the Lord rebuked, reproved, and chastised me over all that I had seen heard and spoken in bible school and when I had Pastored. Day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out and year in and year out, the Lord brought up things that He had ought against me. I repented for each offense sometimes for a week until my soul became clear. The Lord played movies in my mind of these conversations, of teaching of preaching, over and over until I could discern what the Lord had been displeased with. The Lord probed me deeper and deeper for 18 years. Had any preacher or teacher I had known had heard of this they would have declared this to be the work of the devil. That I had been deceived, that I had fallen under the condemnation of the devil.
When does the devil seek for one to repent? When does the devil seek to cleanse ones heart of stone and make it into a heart of flesh? Had I not submitted unto God in this great working of His Spirit, the Lord would have NEVER visited me and would have NEVER began to speak and to teach me Himself in such a profound way.
I am declaring that after I was “Saved” in 1972 Filled with the Holy Ghost in early 1973 and turned inside out, after all the Lord said and did in those days. After I attended bible school and prayed long into the night for two years, and was blessed with all the Lord said and did there, after we had miraculously obtained a property where we began to pioneer a church with all the Lord said and did there, after leaving the ministry to separate myself unto the Lord, after repenting for many things for 18 years, the Lord began to speak and teach me. and after I suffered great loss of my wife my family torn in two, my having had congestive heart failure, severe sleep apnea, nerves shorting out in my lower back, diabetes, depression, and in all clinging to the Lord and believing him for my needs, my households needs, as I have not been able to work for almost 4 years with the Lord faithfully providing all our needs on a daily basis, conversion, my entering in through the straight gate occurred one day when God spoke to me and said “You have been accepted.”
I had entered into the acceptance of Abraham, the acceptance of David, the acceptance of Peter, the acceptance of Paul. I had passed from death unto life. All the while before seeking after the Lord, intensely so, reading studying his word, hours and hours in prayer, fasting at times. Obeying what God would tell me to do.
Peter did these things for three and a half years with Christ himself teaching him personally and all that time, and all the marvelous things that occurred with Peter even healing the sick as they went out two by two, and casting out devils except for legion. Peter had not been converted and Christ declared it to be so. And I am declaring the same thing in my own life, that despite all that men sat and taught and all that I heard of the Lord and did all those years, I did not come to conversion in my life until early in 2008. Thirty years after I had first come to Christ.
Peter and the apostles cried out in sudden revelation “Who then can be saved” and Jesus answered with man it is impossible (Regardless of all of our efforts) but with God all things (Even conversion) are possible. And even after that point it was a year or so before Peter entered into conversion, entered into personal sanctification.
Abraham the father of faith followed after and obey God offering prayers building altars for decades until he was converted, until he entered into personal justification, until he entered into personal sanctification.
Paul the apostle repeats again and again and again in his epistles about Abraham and his having entered into this personal justification – from this I can see clearly now what Paul was teaching along with the other apostles, that they were seeking those in the Corinthian church as well as in every church individual to enter into this same state before the Lord, and thereafter be able to function in God as never before.
Another example is in acts the men that were chosen to wait on tables were among the ones that sought after the Lord with the greatest vigor, and in these atmosphere several were able to enter into personal justification and God did mighty things with them thereafter.
What we are saying is all that has been given you is but a foretaste
of what had for those who love him and are called according to His purpose (Those
who love him and who find the narrow gate that few find, that is conversion,
personal sanctification, personal justification)
I will drop a hint here that there is chastisement and being scourged, there is great humbling, there is a breaking, there is a personal revelation of sin, there is a revelation of the fear of God in anyone that enters or pierces the narrow gate that few find. All of this is plainly spoken of by Christ in the gospels and Paul.
We have been given great grace from God to be able to articulate these mysteries. And with the articulation of these things comes a signal from on high that the end has indeed come, that we are now in the terminal generation. As the revelation and understand of this and other things as recorded plainly in scripture even though for centuries men have not understood what they read as a veil was placed over their hearts and minds. The piercing of that veil is no small event. Nor is the opening and revelation of things that have been hid in plain site since the days of Christ and the Apostles.
Though I am sickly and feeble I am here none the less to encourage others and to declare with all assuredness this is the way walk ye in it. We have no disciples. We take no tithes and offerings of anyone, nor do we seek to rule over the house of the Lord and burden His people with oppressive doctrines and traditions of men. Instead we unashamedly point to Jesus Christ as being to author and finisher of our faith individually, and that salvation and conversion come from no other hand except his own. And that all men and ministries that seek to enslave and burden with their doctrines and traditions, and their demands of tithes and offerings are not of Christ. As all their buildings and structures are all made of hands, but we are commanded to seek instead a city made without hands, to be a part of a kingdom that is invisible and undetectable to the eye of men. And most assuredly all these churches and structures are plainly visible and seen of men and shall indeed be destroyed and trodden down even as it has been declared by Christ and the Prophets of old.
To better explain what transpired here we need not go any farther than the Talmud.
Kallah 51a."The elders were once sitting in the gate when two young lads passed by; one covered his head and the other uncovered his head. Of him (Christ) who uncovered his head Rabbi Eliezer remarked that he is a bastard. (Joseph was not his father) Rabbi Joshua remarked that he (Christ) is the son of a niddah (A child conceived during a unclean woman's menstrual period).
Rabbi Akiba said that he (Jesus) is both a bastard and a son of a niddah.
"They said, 'What induced you to contradict the opinion of your colleagues?'(This is a very interesting quote that flat out says that this man of belial held a minority view among his colleagues) He replied, "I will prove it concerning him." He went to the lad's mother and found her sitting in the market selling beans.
"He said to her, 'My daughter, if you will answer the question I will put to you, I will bring you to the world to come.' (This Rabbi claims he had the powers to grant eternal life and suggests Mary after Christ’s Death, and Resurrection and His Ascension, and after being filled with the Holy Sprit on Pentecost that: a) she was reduced to selling beans at the market for a living, b) that she would have believed the words of a serpent like this man) She said to him, 'Swear it to me.'
"Rabbi Akiba, taking the oath with his lips but annulling it in his heart, (This is the typical lying deceitful form for a rabbi as presented in the Talmud) said to her, 'What is the status of your son?' She replied, 'When I entered the bridal chamber I was niddah (Menstruating woman) and my husband kept away from me; but my best man had intercourse with me and this son was born to me.' Consequently the child was both a bastard and the son of a niddah (Menstruating woman). "It was declared, '..Blessed be the God of Israel Who Revealed His Secret to Rabbi Akiba..."
The Talmud is filled with fanciful stories
to testify the supposed wisdom power and greatness of Rabbi’s. The Talmud is where
the arch angel Gabriel and angels freely speak to Talmudic rabbis on seemingly
anything. Talmudic Rabbis making up visions, dreams, and prophetic events as
they will to justify themselves. Talmudic Rabbis even declare they debated God
on the Talmud and God loses. In the Talmud Rabbis freely curse everyone and
everything. The Talmud is filled with Rabbis
and the great lengths which they will go through to lie and deceive others. Along
with Rabbis bizarre use of three word phrases from scripture and clipped passages
to make up doctrine and to justify their evil actions.
So that here in Luke 7:36-39 we now can see
that this was no happenstance. That this rabbi did not wake up one morning with
a burning desire to see Christ face to face and learn of Him. And neither did
this notable local woman of ill repute just show up either. But that this one
of many deliberate set ups in the Gospels where Rabbis sough to trap and deface
Christ before the face of multiple witnesses of fellow Rabbis. They were
seeking things that Christ could be hauled before the Sanhedrin, and found
guilty. Consider also that Christ knowing
all things allowed himself to enter such a den of wolves and to be so defrauded
by them.
Luke 7:36-39 And one of the Pharisees desired him that He would eat with
him. And He went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold,
a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat
in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his
feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe
them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with
the ointment. Now when the
Pharisee which had bidden Him saw it, he spake within
himself, saying, This man, if He were a prophet, (He) would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth
him: for she is a sinner.
So that in this passage a second amazing event takes place; in which a whore, or woman of otherwise ill repute – that was locally well known for her wickedness just happened to hear about Christ coming to this certain Pharisee’s house for dinner. (She arrives dressed in such a way as to not belay her trade or sin, along and bearing what was her most valuable object an alabaster box containing perfume. – [Note*** This event is early on in Christ’s ministry, and is not to be confused with Mary who does much the same thing latter, anointing Christ with perfume for His burial.] Consider here that this event with Christ’s feet occurs twice in the word of God, indicating at very least that we are to look at these occurrences to see some possible meaning and applicable to us) And even more remarkable she comes freely traipsing into this revered and holy Pharisee’s house without the least objection from this rabbi or the fellow rabbis seated at the table with him.
One again we need to take a look at the Talmud to comprehend the gravity of this event.
According to the Talmud this woman was a
contagion.
Nedarim 20a The Sages say: -- Do not converse much with
women, as this will ultimately lead you to unchastity.
A scholar was forbidden from greeting a niddah – because the utterances of her
mouth was unclean.
A man shouldn’t walk behind a niddah – since the dust beneath her feet caused impurity.
Her words were defiling, her walking into this house was defiling,
and her sitting before Christ and touching Him was all
the more defiling.
Nedarim 20a Rabbi
Aha of the
Nedarim 20a Rabbi
Aha of the
Berakoth 24A R. Isaac said: A handbreadth [exposed] in a [married] woman
constitutes sexual incitement.21
In which way? Shall I say, if one gazes at it? But has
not R. Shesheth [already] said: Why did Scripture
enumerate the ornaments worn outside the clothes with those worn inside?22
To tell you that if one gazes at the little finger of a woman, it is as if he
gazed at her secret place! — No, It means, in one's own wife, and when he
recites the Shema'. R. Hisda said: A woman's leg is a sexual incitement, as it
says. Uncover the leg, pass through the rivers,23
and it says afterwards, Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall
be seen.24
Samuel said: A woman's voice is a sexual incitement, as it says, For sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.25
R. Shesheth said: A woman's hair is a sexual
incitement, as it says, Thy hair is as a flock of
goats.26
21 Lit. — 'nakedness'.
22 Among the ornaments taken by the Israelites from
the women of Midian (Num. XXXI, 50) was the kumaz
(E.V. 'girdles') which the Rabbis supposed to have been worn inside under the
garments, while the others were worn outside.
23 Isa. XLVII, 2.
24 Ibid. 3.
25 Cant. II, 14.
26 Ibid. IV, 1.
So this walking contagion enters this house unopposed comes before the Rabbi that owns the house and his fellow witness rabbis without the least objection. And then plants herself before Christ as she begins weeping and kissing Christ’s feet and anointing them with perfume as Jesus quietly ate and spoke with the Pharisee as if nothing was going on at all. And then this Pharisee says to himself in triumph says to himself I got him! I put it over on this faker! This unclean man, this commoner is no prophet at all, as He could not discern the unclean whore that is before him. And to boot He has let himself be utterly defiled when He allowed her to touch him repeatedly by her tears, by her hand, by her hair, and then poured perfume that was bought by the defiled money she gained in her trade.
This whore had something happen, so that she was desperate to see Christ and to act as she did. The Pharisee no doubt had approached this whore because he knew of her dilemma and her desperation,
So that we can say here with certainty that she had something more than just being overcome with remorse for her acts, for her to present herself before Jesus Christ, and pour something very costly that had been purchased towards her death – this perfume in the alabaster box. More than likely See had contracted some sexual disease, was dying, and was greatly afraid she was going to burn in hell for all eternity for her evil deeds.
Luke 7:40-43
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And
he saith, Master, say on. 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? Simon
answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And He said unto
him, Thou hast rightly judged.
The Significance of this is that when Jesus
asked this Rabbi Simon this question, Rabbi Simon made a ruling. A legal
declaration before 2-3 witness which were themselves not common Jews , or
gentiles whose word could be dismissed by any number of ways, but immutable
Rabbis. They were trapped within the
doctrines and traditions of the Mishnah, and the Talmud.
Luke 7:44-46
And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest
thou this woman? I entered into thine house, Thou gavest me no
water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped
them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss:
but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil
thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with
ointment.
The Pharisees then and now could not wash Christ’s feet much
less any of His disciples.
The Pharisees then and now could not kiss Christ much less any of His
disciples.
The Pharisees then and now could not anoint Christ’s head with a half or quarter hin of oil much less any of His disciples.
Therefore they received nothing
of Christ’s hand that day. No healing. No deliverance. And No forgiveness – And their sins remained.
Just like with all to many preachers and Teachers and their disciples of this
day and hour whose sins yet remain despite their pontifications, their
professions, and confessions. Because in fact their heart is far from Jesus
Christ in their daily walk and talk. Conversion has not come and Conversion
will never some unto such.
Luke 7:47-50 Wherefore
(According to your own Rabbinical ruling) I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for
she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth
little. And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (Her
sins were forgiven by her deeds, her demonstration great tears of repentance at the feet of Christ so
much so that she washed Christ’s feet with them, she so humbled herself before
men, she dirtied herself with the dirt on
Christ’s feet, she then anointed Christ with great costly
perfume that had been reserved unto her death, she
loved Him more than her death. After which she fell once more before him
and could not cease from kissing the feet of
Christ before men) And they that sat at meat with him began to say within
themselves, Who is this that forgiveth
sins also? (Indicating that something also occurred to
this woman) And He said to the woman,
Thy faith hath saved
thee; go in peace.
The word Saved is the word Sozo in the Greek. Sozo is translated as saved, healed, and delivered, in English depending on the context so if the passage speaks of sickness it is translated healed, it the passage speaks of demons it is translated delivered, and if nothing is indicated it is translated saved.
Whatever happened to that woman that day, along with the forgiveness of her sins, it was visible and evident to every one that was in that room that day to put to silence the Pharisee and his Pharisee witnesses that were present.
How valuable were the tears of this woman’s deep repentance
upon Christ’s feet that day?
How valuable was her anointing Christ with her precious perfume that had been
set aside for her own death that day?
How valuable were the kisses that this woman unconditionally offered to Christ’s feet unceasingly that day?
She purchased the
pearl of great price. Her holy and righteous offering was accepted.
Have you so moved Christ? Have you so
touched Christ? Have you so received individual and personal forgiveness and Sozo from His hand?
Don’t sell yourself short and be found wanting as the Pharisees who received neither individual and personal forgiveness and Sozo at the hand of Christ.
But rather think on kissing the feet of Jesus.