Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 7:46
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
46. My head with oil thou didst not anoint ] This would have been, an exceptional mark of honour, though not uncommon. “Let thy head lack no ointment,” Ecc 9:8; Amo 6:6; Psa 23:5. Here it is only mentioned to contrast it with the still higher honour of which the sinful woman had thought Him worthy. To anoint the feet was regarded as an extreme luxury (Pliny, H. N. xiii. 4), but the love of the sinner thought no honour too great for her Saviour.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
My head with oil – The custom of pouring oil upon the head was universal among the Jews. The oil used was sweet oil or oil of olives, prepared in such a way as to give an agreeable smell. It was also used to render the hair more smooth and elegant. See Rth 3:3; 2Sa 12:20; 2Sa 14:2; Psa 23:5.
With ointment – This ointment was a mixture of various aromatics, and was therefore far more costly and precious than the oil commonly used for anointing the head. Her conduct, compared with that of Simon, was therefore more striking. He did not give even the common oil for his head used on such occasions. She had applied to his feet a far more precious and valuable unguent. He therefore, showed comparatively little love. She showed much.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Luk 7:46
My head with off thou didst not anoint
The use of hospitality
For such is our frailty that if we were not strengthened and refreshed with baits in the way our minds would grow dull and sluggish, and our bodies be tired out.
The heathen of old could say that the life of a man without some delight was like a long way without an inn, in which all is travel and toil, but no comfort or refreshing. The soul of such an one would be like a flower that grows always in the shade, which is nothing so sweet nor lovely as that which grows in the sight of the sun. (N. Rogers.)
Perfumes
My head with oil thou didst not anoint. Perfumes were associated with almost every action and event in the life of the ancients. The free use of them was peculiarly delightful and refreshing to the Orientals. A bouquet of fragrant flowers was carried in the hand; or rooms were fumigated with the odorous vapours of burning resins; or the body was anointed with oil mixed with the aromatic qualities of some plants extracted by boiling; or scents were worn about the person in gold or silver boxes, or in alabaster vials. When entertainments were given, the rooms were fumigated: and it was customary for a servant to attend every guest as he seated himself, to anoint his head, sprinkle his person with rosewater, or apply incense to his face and beard; and so entirely was the use of perfumes on such occasions in accordance with the customs of the people that the Saviour reproached Simon for the omission of this mark of attention, leaving it to be performed by a woman. (H. Macmillan, LL. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 46. My head with oil thou didst not anoint] Anointing the head with oil was as common among the Jews as washing the face with water is among us. See Rut 3:3; 2Sa 12:20; 2Sa 14:2; 2Kg 4:2; and Ps 23:5, where the author alludes to the Jewish manner of receiving and entertaining a guest. Thou preparest a table for me; anointest my head with oil; givest me an overflowing cup. See Mt 5:17.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
46. with oil . . . not anointevencommon olive oil in contrast with the woman’s “ointment”or aromatic balsam. What evidence was thus afforded of anyfeeling which forgiveness prompts? Our Lord speaks this with delicatepoliteness, as if hurt at these inattentions of His host,which though not invariably shown to guests, were thecustomary marks of studied respect and regard. The inference isplainonly one of the debtors was really forgiven, though inthe first instance, to give room for the play of withheld feelings,the forgiveness of both is supposed in the parable.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Mine head with oil thou didst not anoint,…. No not with common oil, so usually done at feasts, see Ps 23:5
but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment; even “with ointment” , “of spices”, as the Syriac version renders it. There is, throughout the whole account, an opposition between the conduct of Simon, and this woman: he gave him no common water to wash his feet with, she shed floods of tears, and with them bathed his feet, and then wiped them clean with the hairs of her head; he gave him not the usual salutation by kissing his head or lips, but she kissed his feet, and that over and over again; he did not so much as anoint his head with common oil, when she anointed his feet with costly ointment brought in an alabaster box. These several ceremonies to guests were used by their hosts, in other nations, such as washing, anointing, and kissing c.
c Vid. Apuleii Metamorph. i. 1. prope finem.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With ointment (). Instrumental case. She used the costly ointment even for the feet of Jesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Oil [] . In vv. 37, 38, the word muron, liquid ointment, is used. This was the finer and costlier of the two. Christ means to say to Simon, ” thou didst not anoint my head, the nobler part, with ordinary oil. She hath anointed my feet with costly ointment.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “My head with oil thou didst not anoint:” (elaio ten kephalen mou ouk eleipsas) “You did not anoint my head with oil,” with common oil, Psa 23:5; Psa 92:10, or wash my feet, Gen 18:4; Jdg 19:21.
2) “But this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.” (aute de muro eleipsen tous podas mou) “Yet this woman anointed my feet with precious ointment,” a precious, valuable ointment, (Gk. muro) Luk 7:37-38, much like that of Mary, Mat 26:12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(46) My head with oil thou didst not anoint.This also, though not so common as the kiss and the washing of the feet, was yet a mark of courtesy due to an honoured guest. For one who had journeyed to a feast under the burning sun of Syria, it brought with it a sense of comfort and refreshment which made it a, fit type of spiritual realities. For the usage, see Psa. 23:5; Psa. 45:7; Ecc. 9:8. Partly because the use of oil or chrism became more directly symbolic in the ritual of the Christian Churchas in baptism, confirmation, extreme unction, the coronation of kingspartly because in other climates its necessity was not felt, the practice, as belonging to common life, has dropped into disuse. Note the contrast between the olive oil, which was commonly used, and the more costly ointment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.”
It is clear how bare had been Simon’s welcome. He had neglected all the means normally used to make a favoured guest feel welcome and to make him comfortable. But this woman had made up for Jesus’ lack of welcome by anointing not His head, but His feet. All that Simon had pointedly failed to do to God’s prophet, this woman had done, and more. It was a rebuke from God. He had failed even to offer common olive oil, yet this woman, despised by all present, had brought expensive ointment.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 7:46. Mine head with oil, &c. The reader will observe the beautiful and elegant contrast in this verse, between common oil and precious ointment, as well as between anointing the head and anointing the feet; and indeed the same kind of contrast is observed in the two preceding verses. How common this circumstance of anointing, &c. was, will appear on referring to Deu 28:40. Mic 6:15. Psa 23:5; Psa 104:15; Psa 141:5.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Ver. 46. Mine head with oil ] Which yet was ordinary at solemn feasts. But Simon was too short, as not understanding the worth of his present guest.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 7:46. , with oil) To this is opposed in antithesis , the ointment [of the woman], precious and compounded. Oil was uncompounded, and, owing to the abundance of olives among the Jews, was less costly.- , My feet) as she did not presume to anoint My head.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rth 3:3, 2Sa 14:2, Psa 23:5, Psa 104:15, Ecc 9:8, Dan 10:3, Amo 6:6, Mic 6:15, Mat 6:17
Reciprocal: Mat 26:7 – very Luk 7:38 – and anointed Joh 12:3 – anointed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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As a matter of refreshing, a guest was anointed on the head with olive oil. Jesus had been neglected in that by his host, while the woman anointed his feet.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 7:46. Mine head with oil…. my feet with ointment. The host failed to supply oil for the head, the woman not only gave the more precious ointment, but herself applied it to His feet.