“Sinned Much, Forgiven Much . . . Loves Much”

Luke 7:36-50

Key Thought: God is ready and willing to forgive the sinful debts of people - an infinite debt we could never pay for ourselves - and to act graciously beyond expectation!

Parable Interpretation

Rule # 1 To avoid interpreting parables incorrectly by hyper-allegorizing, readers must assign meanings to the details of parables which Jesus’ original audience would have been able to discern.

Rule # 2 The main characters of a parable will probably be the most common candidates for allegorical interpretation, and the main points of the parable will most likely be associated with these main characters.

The Parable of the Two Debtors (vs. 41-42)

Point # 1 Like the man owing fifty denarii, those who take their spiritual condition for granted, and are not aware of having been forgiven of numerous gross sins, should not despise those who have been redeemed from a more wretched state.

Point # 2 Like the debtor owing five hundred denarri, those who recognize they have much for which to be thankful will naturally respond in generous expressions of love for Jesus.

Point # 3 Like the moneylender, God forgives both categories of sinners and allows them to begin again with a clean slate.