Luke 7:44

44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

Luke 7:44 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:44

And he turned to the woman
That stood behind him at his feet,

and said to Simon, seest thou this woman?
and what she has done? pointing to her, and comparing him, and her, and their actions together, whereby he might judge of the preceding parable, and how fitly it might be applied to the present case:

I entered into thine house;
not of his own accord, but by the invitation of Simon, and therefore might have expected the usual civilities:

thou gavest me no water for my feet:
to wash them with, no, not so much as water; a civility very common in those hot countries, where walking without stockings, and only with sandals, they needed often washing; and which was very refreshing, and was not only used to travellers and strangers, but to guests, and was usually done by the servants of the house; (See Gill on Luke 7:38).

but she hath washed my feet with tears.
The Persic version reads, "with the tears of her eyes"; which made a bath for his feet;

and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read only, "with her hair", which she used instead of a towel, when Simon neither gave him water to wash with, nor a towel to wipe with.

Luke 7:44 In-Context

42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.

46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.