Radical Receiving

Luke 7:36-39 (MSG)

One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him.”

This was an act of radical receiving.

Everything about this was outrageous - scandalous, even. This woman, a known prostitute, crashes a dinner party at a religious leader’s home. And now she’s approaching Jesus. She’s already brought the night to a screeching halt, but now she’s making it unbearably awkward with an outburst of emotion. She kneels at his feet and lets down her hair. The cultural and religious norm violations are raised to another level.

Now she is kissing the Rabbi’s feet with those “sinner’s” lips, and she is emptying an entire bottle of extremely expensive perfume on them. It’s inconceivable that she could have such a valuable item in the first place. And if she actually did buy it, they can all assume how she earned the money for such an extravagant purchase.

Remember that this is a deeply religious culture that was steeped in “clean” and “unclean” tradition. They weren’t supposed to even eat, much less touch certain foods under Mosaic law. The notion of what was “unclean,” or tainted and unholy, was rooted deep in their ethos. So, for this “unclean” woman, with her “unclean” body, and her “unclean” gift, bought with “unclean” money…this was beyond repugnant.

But, the perfume is emptied, and the aroma fills the shocked silence with a thickness – the weight of desperate and extravagant worship.

It’s one thing to imagine how scandalous a scene this was for them. But in order more accurately feel the scandal of such a story, allow me to pull it into our cultural context.

Imagine that you are hosting a formal Christmas dinner. Extended family and friends are there. Everyone looks wonderful in their nice reds and greens. The food smells delicious, and Christmas carols are playing in the background. As everyone is seated for dinner, the doorbell rings. A stranger enters. Everyone goes quiet. His backpack, clothes and smell indicate that he is of a different socioeconomic status than everyone else in the room. He approaches the table, spread with the Christmas feast, and begins to weep. Despite the obvious questions and awkwardness, everyone remains silent. Suddenly you recognize this man. You have seen his face on the news. He is the man who was sent away for molesting children, and he’s just been released from prison. And now, still weeping, he begins to open his backpack and give each child a small, handmade gift.

That feeling you have right now, that uncomfortable knot in your stomach - that is getting us closer to understanding this story of the woman anointing Jesus’ feet - both the outrageous giving and radical receiving.

How easy would it have been for Jesus to stop this? For Jesus to take it outside? For him to tell her that this should have been done in private? For him to spare her the embarrassment in front of everyone? How many of us would have even seen that as merciful? How many of us would have thought it wise for him to politely refuse? How many of us would have been frustrated that any progress Jesus could have made with the religious establishment was now ruined? How many of us would have seen a decision from Jesus to not radically receive this gift as righteous?

How many of us have bought into the notion that there is nobility in our refusal to receive? That we are preserving our own dignity by politely refusing? That we are preserving the dignity of the giver by politely refusing?

What if we have moralized refusing to receive as an essential quality of a good leader, parent, spouse, employee...of a person? But this is not what Jesus displays here. Jesus recognizes this radical gift – the expensive perfume, the party crash, the religious taboo and cultural norm violations – and he receives it radically...fully. He understands that radical giving requires radical receiving. He understands that radically receiving from someone is actually giving them a gift - the gift of receiving.

Radical receiving reflects the giver’s dignity back to them. Radical receiving communicates to the giver that their love is good and worthy of receiving. Radical receiving produces humility, because it requires us to be in touch with our needs and limitations. Whether we receive into a place where we have failed or hurt someone, or into a place where we don’t feel as though we have a deep need, we learn something more about the essence of grace and mercy.

Later, at the Last Supper, Jesus wants to wash the feet of his own disciples, showing them (and us) how valid, holy, and beautiful the woman’s gift was to him. When Jesus gets to Peter’s feet, the headstrong and passionate disciple refuses. He believes that the appropriate thing, the right thing, is for Jesus to not bend so low and take on the form of a servant. Little does he know that in just a few short hours, Jesus will humble himself even unto death on a cross.

Jesus lets Peter know that if he can’t radically receive his feet being washed by God Incarnate, then he can’t possibly be a part of what Christ is doing in the world going forward. Jesus is teaching him the way his kingdom purposes are accomplished: radically receiving from him so that Peter can radically give to others.

This is how Jesus did it, so it is how we do it. Let’s learn to be radical receivers. If we can’t, we just might be missing the whole thing.

Author: Benjamin NeSmith

Benjamin NeSmith has spent his life working with people. He put his social science education degree to use teaching students of all ages, including those with special needs, for over a decade. He spent years as a recording and performing musician and is now a Certified Professional Coach and Pastor at Element Church Tampa. Benjamin enjoys family time, hiking, interior design, and creating meaningful liturgical experiences for others.