Luke 7:45

Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(45) Thou gavest me no kiss.—This also, as we see in the case of Judas (see Note on Matthew 26:49), was a customary mark of respect to one who claimed the character of a Rabbi. So the disciples of Ephesus kissed St. Paul on parting (Acts 20:37). So the “holy kiss,” the “kiss of peace,” became part of the ritual of most of the ancient Liturgies (Romans 16:16; 1Corinthians 16:20).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:36-50 None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character. But without free forgiveness none of us can escape the wrath to come; this our gracious Saviour has purchased with his blood, that he may freely bestow it on every one that believes in him. Christ, by a parable, forced Simon to acknowledge that the greater sinner this woman had been, the greater love she ought to show to Him when her sins were pardoned. Learn here, that sin is a debt; and all are sinners, are debtors to Almighty God. Some sinners are greater debtors; but whether our debt be more or less, it is more than we are able to pay. God is ready to forgive; and his Son having purchased pardon for those who believe in him, his gospel promises it to them, and his Spirit seals it to repenting sinners, and gives them the comfort. Let us keep far from the proud spirit of the Pharisee, simply depending upon and rejoicing in Christ alone, and so be prepared to obey him more zealously, and more strongly to recommend him unto all around us. The more we express our sorrow for sin, and our love to Christ, the clearer evidence we have of the forgiveness of our sins. What a wonderful change does grace make upon a sinner's heart and life, as well as upon his state before God, by the full remission of all his sins through faith in the Lord Jesus!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou gavest me no kiss - The kiss was a token of affection or a common mode of salutation, and Simon had even neglected this mark of welcoming him to his house. It was often used among "men" as a sign of salutation. Compare Genesis 33:4; Exodus 18:7; Matthew 26:49.

Hath not ceased to kiss my feet - How striking the difference between the conduct of Simon and this woman! He, with all the richness of a splendid preparation, had omitted the common marks of regard and affection. She, in humility, had bowed at his feet, had watered them with tears, and had not ceased to kiss them. The most splendid entertainments do not always express the greatest welcome. There may be in such entertainments much insincerity - much seeking of popularity or some other motive; but no such motive could have operated in inducing a broken-hearted sinner to wash the Saviour's "feet" with tears.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

45. no kiss—of salutation. How much love was here? Any at all?

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 7:40"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thou gavest me no kiss,.... A token of civility among friends, when they met together on any occasion. The Jews have a saying (b), that

"all kisses are foolish, excepting three; the kiss of grandeur or dignity, as in 1 Samuel 10:1 and the kiss at parting, as in Ruth 1:14 and the kiss at meeting, as in Exodus 4:27 (of which sort this kiss may be thought to be), to which some add the kiss of consanguinity (or that used by relations to one another), as in Genesis 29:11'

but this woman, since the time I came in. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "since she came in"; and so two of Stephens's copies; which seems to be the more agreeable reading, seeing Christ was in Simon's house before this woman came; for she knowing that he was there, came thither after him:

hath not ceased to kiss my feet; which shows, that this action was repeated by her times without number, even ever since she came into the house.

(b) Shemot Rabba, sect. 6. fol. 91. 3, 4.

Geneva Study Bible

Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

45. no kiss] The ordinary salutation of respect in the East, where the first thing when two friends meet and wish to do each other honour is to try to kiss each other’s hands. The kiss on the cheek is between equals and also to superiors. Absalom, to gain favour, kissed every man who came near him to do him obeisance; 2 Samuel 15:5. “The king kissed Barzillai,” 2 Samuel 19:39. Hence this was a natural signal of recognition for the traitor to give; Matthew 26:49. See Acts 20:37. Hence the osculum pacis, Romans 16:16, &c.

I came in] There is another reading, εἰσῆλθεν, ‘she came in’ (L and some versions), which is probable, for the woman only ascertained that Jesus was at the house after He had entered it.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 7:45. Φίλημα, a kiss) This Simon had omitted, owing to the smallness (the little degree) of his love: otherwise we do not read of even any of His disciples or friends having kissed the face of Jesus, which had something remarkable about it, ch. Luke 9:29; but the highest degree of love, such as here in Luke 7:38, and the utmost familiarity of intimacy, as in John 13:25, stopped considerably short of that liberty. We do not read of His having kissed even the little children. The traitor alone (for the unprecedented familiarity of a kiss was not a thing alien to his treachery) with impure mouth profaned the face of the Lord: except in this instance, it remained intact and unviolated by sinful flesh.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 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 of respect on entering, to which as a Rabbi I was surely entitled; she hath repeatedly kissed my feet." Luke 7:45

Vincent's Word Studies

Ceased (διέλιπεν)

Only here in New Testament. Common in medical language, meaning to be intermittent, and to discontinue giving remedies for a time.

To kiss (καταφιλοῦσα)

The compound verb has the force of kissing tenderly, caressing.