Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 7:37-38

"And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee`s house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment, and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." — Luke 7:37-38 (ASV)

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 hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

She was not a sinner in the ordinary sense of the word, but she was "a sinner" by trade, "a sinner" by profession. It always seems to me that, in this description of her, every word is emphatic. There is much meaning in every separate action of the woman; and even in her little mannerisms there is something that is instructive to us. Our Lord was reclining at his meal, and his feet were turned towards the door, so that she did not have to come far into the house before she reached his feet; and there she stood "at his feet." Those are blessed words: "at his feet." That is where we also would stand and weep.

That is where we would sit and learn. That is where we would wait and serve. That is where we hope to live and reign forever: "at his feet."

This woman "stood at his feet behind him"—as if she were unworthy to be looked upon by him, but found it honour enough to be behind him, as long as she was only near him: "at his feet behind him weeping"—with sorrow for her sin, with joy for her pardon, with delight in her Lord's presence, perhaps with grief at the prospect of what yet awaited him. And she "began to wash his feet with tears." O sweet repentance, which fills the basin better than the purest streams of earth could ever do!

Then she unbound her tresses—those nets in which she had, perhaps, caught many a man when she had hunted for the precious life after her former sinful manner. But now she uses those tresses for something better; she makes a towel of her hair. That which was her pride will now fill that humble office, and even be honoured by it.

And kissed his feet. Oh, the tenderness of her love, and the strength of her passion—a sacred one, not born of earth at all—for that dear Lord of hers! She kissed his feet; and then she poured upon them the precious perfumed ointment which had cost so much.

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,—

His feet probably lay towards the door as he reclined at the table, and she could readily get at them without becoming too conspicuous in the room: she stood at his feet behind him weeping,—

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.

As she could do, you see, without coming into the room, except for a few yards, especially if the Saviour's feet were close against the door.