Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 7:38

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

What hath made any Interpreters imagine this was the same Story which is mentioned, Matth. 26. Mark 14. and Iohn 12.2, 3. I cannot tell. The Histories agree scarce in any thing, unless in the bringing the Alabaster-Box of Oyntment, and the Anointing our Saviour's Feet, whereas there was nothing in those Countries more ordinary. That Anointing was done in Bethany, within two Miles of Ierusalem, this in Galilee. That in the House of one Simon the Leper, this in the House of one Simon a Pharisee. That, a little, this a great while, before our Saviours Passion. At that Iudas was offended, at this Simon the Pharisee was offended. There Christ Vindicates the Woman from one head of Argument, here from another. Questionless this is another quite different piece of History. And behold a Woman in the City which was a Sinner. That is, a remarkable Sinner, it is a Word generally so used, and applyed to Women, signifies a Prostitute, or at least one of an ill Report as to Chastity; was, referreth here to the time past, tho lately past, she had lately been infamous and notorious, but it appeareth by what followeth, that she was not so now, otherwise than in the Opinion, and Vogue of the People; according to whose opinion, tho uncharitable enough, Quae semel fuit mala, semper praesumitur esse mala in eodem genere mali, a Person who hath once been bad is always presumed so to be, through their ignorance of the Power of Divine Grace in changing the Heart, or their Malice against and Envy towards, those whose Hearts they see so changed. But whatever this Woman had been, it seems God had affected her Heart with the Word which Christ had Preached, and filled it with the pure Love of God and Christ, instead of its former fulness of impure Love, and made her Sins as bitter, as they had been formerly pleasant to her. She hearing Christ was Eating Meat at the House of Simon the Pharisee, makes no noise, but cometh behind him, bringing an Alabaster-Box of Ointment, And stood at his Feet behind him, Weeping, and Washing his Feet with her Tears, and wiped them with the Hairs of her Head, Kissed his Feet, and Anointed them with Oyntment. Weeping in the Sense of her Sins, and so plentifully, as she washed the Feet of Christ with her Tears, spoke a broken and a Contrite Heart. Wiping them with her Hair, her Hair with which she had offended through Wantonness, Plaiting it, and Adorning her self by the dress of it to allure her Lovers; she now useth to testify her Abhorrence of her former Courses, and Kissed his Feet and Anointed them with the Ointment. The Kiss is a Symbol of Love, and not of Love only, but of Subjection and Worship; by this she both shewed her Love to Christ, and also her Subjection to him, she Kissed Christ in the Psalmists Sence, Psal. 2.11. It was not a Kiss of Love only, but of Reverence and Subjection, like Iosephs Kiss to Iacob, Gen. 50.2. Moses his Kiss to Iethro, Exod. 18.7. nay of the Highest Reverence, for such was the Kiss of the Feet. And to testify her Adoration of him. Thus the Idolaters Kissed the Calves, Hos. 13.2. and Baal, 1 Kings 19.28. washing and anointing with Oyl, was a common Complement they used in those Countries, for Cleansing, and Cooling thefeet; she had been a great Sinner, she now shews the profoundest Sorrow, greatest Love, Humility, Subjection, &c. But some may say, How could she come behind him, sitting at Meat and do this, while we sit at Meat our Feet are before us? This confirmeth the Notion I mentioned before, in my Notes on Matth. 26.20. concerning the Jewish manner of sitting at Meat, which was Kneeling and resting thei[illegible: 1 letter] Bodies upon their Legs leaning backwards; admitting that all that we here read of this Woman, was very easie; for his Legs being thrust out backward, the Soles of his Feet were turned up, and she might with convenience enough, come at them, behind him to wash, and to wipe and to ano[illegible: 1 letter]nt them, which it is hard to conceive how she could do, adm[illegible: 1 letter]tting him to have sate, as we do, puting our feet forward under the Table.