Daily Inspirations » Your Many Sins Have Been Forgiven

Your Many Sins Have Been Forgiven…

Submitted by ang frayle on Thursday, 18 September 2008No Comment

Reading I: 1 Corinthians 15:1-15
Resp. Ps: Psalm 118:1
Gospel: Luke 7:36-50

"I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." (NAB)

"Therefore, I tell you, her sins, many [as they are], are forgiven her — because she has loved much.
But he who is forgiven little, loves little." (The Amplified Bible)

The discrepancy in these two translations is due to the interpretation for the Greek particle hoti which is ambiguous here: it can mean "because" (causative) or "such that" (result clause). If the first, then we have here something similar to the saying "Charity covers a multitude of sins." If the other, then the woman’s gesture of love is the result of gratitude for sins forgiven. The following verse where Jesus draws the comparison made with Simon the Pharisee gives weight to the second meaning. Simon did not show the same gestures of affection as the woman because he has a lesser sense of gratitude to Jesus.

The next time you see someone giving his/her all to the Lord, remember: you may be witnessing someone who has received more gifts from the Lord than you have.

1 Corinthians 15:1-15
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek

1Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;

2By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.

3For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures:

4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures:

5And that he was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven.

6Then he was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.

7After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.

8And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.

9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

11For whether I, or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.

12Now if Christ be preached, that he arose again from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen again.

14And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have given testimony against God, that he hath raised up Christ; whom he hath not raised up, if the dead rise not again.

Psalm 118:1
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew

1Give praise to Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Luke 7:36-50
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek

36And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat.

37And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment;

38And standing behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.

40And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.

41A certain creditor had two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most?

43Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly.

44And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them.

45Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet.

47Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.

48And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee.

49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.

Popularity: 5% [?]