Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
at his feet behind him—the posture at meals being a reclining one, with the feet out behind.
began to wash, etc.—to "water with a shower." The tears, which were quite involuntary, poured down in a flood upon His naked feet, as she bent down to kiss them; and deeming them rather fouled than washed by this, she hastened to wipe them off with the only towel she had, the long tresses of her own hair, "with which slaves were wont to wash their masters' feet" [STIER].
kissed—The word signifies "to kiss fondly, to caress," or to "kiss again and again," which Luke 7:45 shows is meant here. What prompted this? Much love, springing from a sense of much forgiveness. So says He who knew her heart (Luke 7:47). Where she had met with Christ before, or what words of His had brought life to her dead heart and a sense of divine pardon to her guilty soul, we know not. But probably she was of the crowd of "publicans and sinners" whom Incarnate Compassion drew so often around Him, and heard from His lips some of those words such as never man spake, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour," etc. No personal interview had up to this time taken place between them; but she could keep her feelings no longer to herself, and having found her way to Him (and entered along with him, Luke 7:45), they burst forth in this surpassing yet most artless style, as if her whole soul would go out to Him.
CHRIST'S FEET WASHED WITH TEARS. (Luke 7:36-50)
a sinner—one who had led a profligate life. Note.—There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was. (See on Luke 8:2.)
an alabaster box of ointment—a perfume vessel, in some cases very costly (John 12:5). "The ointment has here a peculiar interest, as the offering by a penitent of what had been an accessory in her unhallowed work of sin" [ALFORD].
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Luke 7:38:
Song of Solomon 1:3
Song of Solomon 1:12
Ezekiel 20:43
Luke 7:37-38
Acts 20:21
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