Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered
into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath
washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her
head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came
in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not
anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven;
for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth
little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that
sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this
that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath
saved thee; go in peace."--LUKE vii. 36-50.

An interesting and difficult question regarding the harmony of the
Gospels generally attaches itself to the exposition of this parable.
Each of the four Evangelists narrates that a woman anointed Jesus while
he sat at table; and it becomes difficult to determine with certainty
whether they refer all to the same event, or some to one event, and some
to another. In the narratives features of similarity occur; leading to
the one conclusion, and features of dissimilarity leading to the other.
The prevailing opinion now is that Matthew, Mark, and John, speak all of
the same fact, and that Luke speaks of another. I have thought it right
to mention, that this question has been often discussed in connection
with our parable; but I shall do no more. The decision of it here and
now is by no means necessary: the interpretation of the parable does not
in any measure depend upon it. It is an inquiry belonging to a different
branch of Scripture exposition, and to discuss it here would tend to
distract attention from the subject in hand.

Assuming then without argument that Luke here records an event which is
not mentioned by any of the other Evangelists, I shall proceed at once
to examine its substance as the ground from which the parable directly
springs. The husbandman at one time operates directly on the tree, and
at another time directly on the ground in the neighbourhood; in both
cases however, and in both alike, his aim is to increase the
fruitfulness of the tree; it is thus that an expositor must in some
instances turn his attention in the first place to the surrounding
context which suggests and sustains the parable, as the best means of
ascertaining