What does Luke 7:45 mean?
"Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet." - Luke 7:45

Luke 7:45 (KJV) says, "Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet." This verse is part of a larger passage where Jesus is having dinner at the home of a Pharisee named Simon. During the meal, a sinful woman comes in and anoints Jesus' feet with oil and weeps, then wipes his feet with her hair. Simon is shocked and questions Jesus' credibility as a prophet, assuming that Jesus must not know what kind of woman is touching him. In response, Jesus tells Simon a parable and concludes with the verse in question.
The key themes in this passage include forgiveness, love, and grace. The sinful woman demonstrates extraordinary love and humility by pouring expensive oil on Jesus' feet and wiping them with her hair. In contrast, Simon the Pharisee appears judgmental and self-righteous, failing to show even the customary hospitality of a greeting kiss. Jesus uses this encounter to teach an important lesson about the nature of forgiveness and the response of love and gratitude that it inspires.
The context of this verse is essential for understanding its significance. In the social and religious context of the time, a woman of the sinful reputation of the woman in the story would have been considered an outcast. She would not have been welcomed into the home of a religious leader like Simon, and her actions in washing Jesus' feet with her tears and anointing them with oil were radical and scandalous. Meanwhile, Simon, as a Pharisee, would have been perceived as a pious and righteous man of the community. The stark contrast between the actions and attitudes of the two characters adds depth and complexity to the message Jesus is delivering.
The symbolism in this verse is profound. The act of kissing was a common form of greeting and welcome in the ancient Middle Eastern culture. By pointing out that Simon did not offer this customary sign of hospitality to Jesus, the verse highlights Simon's lack of genuine love and respect for his guest. In contrast, the woman's continual kissing of Jesus' feet shows her deep reverence and gratitude. Her actions symbolize her recognition of Jesus' authority and her willingness to humble herself before him.
Additionally, the act of anointing was a significant and symbolic gesture in ancient Jewish culture. Anointing someone with oil was a sign of honor and respect, often reserved for kings and religious figures. In anointing Jesus' feet, the woman demonstrates her reverence for him as the Messiah and her desire to express love and devotion to him.
Furthermore, the woman's use of her tears and hair to wash Jesus' feet adds another layer of symbolism. The act of using her tears and hair to cleanse Jesus' feet demonstrates her deep sense of unworthiness and her willingness to humble herself before him. It symbolizes her repentance and her desire for forgiveness and restoration.
In conclusion, Luke 7:45 in the King James Version of the Bible is a powerful and moving verse that illustrates the themes of forgiveness, love, and grace. The contrast between the actions and attitudes of the sinful woman and the self-righteous Pharisee serves as a profound lesson about the nature of true love and humility. The symbolism of the woman's actions adds depth and richness to the story, emphasizing her profound reverence and devotion to Jesus. This passage continues to inspire and challenge readers to examine their own attitudes and actions towards others, encouraging them to seek forgiveness and demonstrate love and gratitude in response to the boundless grace of God.
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Luke 7:45 Artwork
Luke 7:45 - "Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet."
"Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet." - Luke 7:45
Luke 9:28-45
Luke 1:39 - 45
Luke 24:45 - "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,"
Luke 23:45 - "And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst."
Luke 20:45 - "¶ Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,"
Luke 2:45 - "And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him."
Luke 9:45 - "But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying."
Luke 19:45 - "And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;"
"And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst." - Luke 23:45
Luke 11:45 - "¶ Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also."
Luke 1:45 - "And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."
"Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures," - Luke 24:45
Luke 22:45 - "And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,"
Luke 23:44-45 - "And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst."
Luke 12:45 - "But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;"
Numbers 7:45 - "One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:"
"¶ Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples," - Luke 20:45
John 7:45 - "¶ Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?"
"And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord." - Luke 1:45
"And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him." - Luke 2:45
Isaiah 45:7 - "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."
Genesis 45:7 - "And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance."
"But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying." - Luke 9:45
Nehemiah 7:45 - "¶ The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight."
1 Kings 7:45 - "And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass."
Luke 8:45 - "And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?"
"And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;" - Luke 19:45
Psalms 45:7 - "Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."