And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon,
See this woman? I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
All Commentaries on Luke 7:44 Go To Luke 7
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
And He turned unto the woman, and said unto Simon, seest thou this woman? He turned, because the Magdalene stood behind Him, for from consciousness of her guilt, she did not dare to meet His sight. Seest thou this woman? no longer, as thou thinkest, a sinner, but a penitent reconciled with God.
I entered into thine house, but thou gavest Me no water for My feet. It was the custom in those days to wash the feet of one"s guests before they sat down to meat, both for purposes of cleansing and refreshment. Thus Abraham washed the feet of the Angels, Gen. xviii4 , and Lot, Genesis 19:2. See also Judges 19:21. Whence S. Paul considers that a widow may be set apart for the service of God, "if she have washed the saints" feet," 1 Timothy 5:10.
Christ had come as a guest to the house, and therefore Simon should have washed His feet. Christ therefore reproached him for his want of consideration and care, and contrasts his conduct with the love of the Magdalene. For Titus says, "It is an easy matter to provide water, but difficult to supply such an abundance of tears."
