John Calvin Commentary Luke 7:41

"A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty." — Luke 7:41 (ASV)

A certain creditor had two debtors: the scope of this parable is to demonstrate that Simon is wrong in condemning the woman who is acquitted by the heavenly judge. He proves that she is righteous, not because she pleased God, but because her sins were forgiven; for otherwise her case would not correspond to the parable, in which Christ expressly states that the creditor freely forgave the debtors who were not able to pay. We cannot avoid wondering, therefore, that the majority of commentators have fallen into so gross a blunder as to imagine that this woman, by her tears, her anointing, and her kissing his feet, deserved the pardon of her sins. The argument Christ employs was taken, not from the cause, but from the effect; for, until a favor has been received, it cannot awaken gratitude,²⁴³ and the cause of reciprocal love is here declared to be a free forgiveness. In a word, Christ argues from the fruits or effects that follow it that this woman has been reconciled to God.

²⁴³ “Veu que le remerciment presuppose tousiours qu’on ait avant receuquelque bien;” — “since gratitude always presupposes that some favor has been received.”;” — “since gratitude always presupposes that some favor has been received.”