the import of the parable itself.

A Pharisee invited Jesus to a feast: he accepted the invitation and
joined the company at the appointed place and time. A woman who had been
of bad character in the town, as soon as she learned that he was there,
entered the apartment where the guests reclined at meat, and stood at
his feet behind him weeping. Her tears rained down on his feet; she
wiped them off with her hair, and then anointed them with precious
ointment.

Let us endeavour to determine precisely the character of the several
actors and the meaning of their acts.

The Pharisee, having formed, on the whole, a favourable opinion of Jesus
as a prophet in Israel, and being, as he supposed, in a position to act
the patron, with benevolent intent, but with a high estimate of his own
character and position, invited to his house and table the remarkable
Nazarene, whose miracles and doctrines were in every one's mouth.
Doubtless he expected, also, that by closer contact, and by means of his
own shrewd observation, he should be able definitely to make up his mind
on the character of the new prophet, and so to favour or frown on him
according to the result.

While her actions only are recorded in the narrative, we may, by the
light of the Lord's subsequent declarations, also read without danger of
mistake the emotions that were working in this woman's heart. She had
fallen into a course of vice, and consequently lost caste in the
community. Knowing that she had lost the respect of her neighbours, she
had lost respect for herself. From a sinful act she had glided into
sinful habits. Perhaps remorse from time to time made her inwardly
sorrowful; but she put on a bold countenance, and tried to laugh down
rebuke.

This woman, while in this state, crept one day to the outer edge of a
crowd in the neighbourhood of the city, to satisfy her curiosity as to
the cause of the concourse. In the centre stood Jesus of Nazareth
preaching; and all the people in solemn silence hung upon his lips. She
listened too, and heard some wonderful words; God loved the world; God
pardons sin--pardons freely, pardons it all; pardons chief sinners;
loves to pardon; has given his Son to seek and save; this is the Son,
revealing the Father, and inviting the prodigal to return to the
Father's bosom. Hark; he says, "Come unto me all that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Peeping through openings in the
crowd, she might see the love th