A Kiss on the Feet

The Gospel for Pentecost 4, June 16, is Luke 7:36-50. In this reading, a sinful woman wets Jesus’ feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses them, and pours perfume on them.

Who was this woman? Each of the four Gospels includes an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman. It is this author’s contention that each of these accounts is a different version of the same story, told with a different purpose in view. Since John 12:1-8 identifies the woman as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary is therefore the “woman who had lived a sinful life” (lit. Greek: “a woman…a sinner”) in Luke’s account. For more on the apparent discrepancies between the Gospels on the chronological location of this event, you may refer to this color chart and commentary.

There are a number of details in the story itself that capture our interest. But this article will pursue the answer to this question: What is the significance of Mary kissing Jesus’ feet?

First, practically speaking, Jesus’ feet would have been the most accessible part of him to anyone not reclining with him at the table (rf. Lk 7:36; see also illustration).

But also from the perspective of Jewish culture, it is not surprising that Mary chose to kiss Jesus’ feet.

In a rabbinic commentary on Genesis 29:11, it says, “All kissing is indecent, save in three cases: the kiss of high office [or kiss of homage; lit. “kiss of highness or greatness”], the kiss of reunion, and the kiss of parting.” As an example of the first kind, 1 Samuel 10:1 is cited. There are also examples in rabbinical literature of rabbis kissing each other or their students out of respect.

As far as the location of the kiss, the head was the most common and considered the most generally appropriate. The rabbis’ kissing just mentioned took place on the head. The kiss on the head was a kiss among equals, or by a superior to an inferior as a token of honor.
The logic behind using dirty pick lines is to quickly build up sexual chemistry between you and an attractive woman. cialis india Edema or swelling of body parts is one of the symptoms occur in yourself or anybody you know, you can get the examination done and begin the correct therapy in time. discount cialis canada These hormones circulate with blood and result in increased ejaculation time so bulk buy cialis that you can enjoy the act little longer. The problem of impotence wholesale viagra online occurs because of penetration of blood vessels that leads to improper erections.
The hand, lips, knee, and foot were also appropriate places to kiss a person, depending on the situation. Rabbi Akiba (died c. 135 AD) apparently had a personal aversion to kissing on the head, and so he spoke well of the Medes, who only kissed others on the hand in public. Kissing on the hand(s) was practiced more regularly among family and relatives. Kissing on the knee was also done among relatives, especially if one was greeting a relative older than or in authority over oneself, such as a parent or grandparent. Kissing on the lips was usually a more intimate gesture (rf. Song of Songs 1:2), but was also done in moments of high emotion and excitement.

But two rabbinical examples show us that kissing on the feet was different from all of these. In one example, a man named Bar Hama was on trial for murder. When Rabbi Papi (lived c. 360 AD) got him acquitted on a legal technicality, Bar Hama “arose and kissed his feet, and undertook to pay his poll-tax for him for the rest of his life.”

In another example, Rabbi Yannai and Rabbi Jonathan (lived c. 220 AD) were sitting together, when suddenly a man came up and kissed Rabbi Jonathan’s feet. When Yannai asked him about it, Jonathan explained that the man was having trouble with his son disrespecting him, so Jonathan told him to go to the synagogue and get some men to rebuke his son and tell him to respect and support his father. The matter had apparently turned out well, and so the man had returned to thank Jonathan for his counsel and support.

In both of these cases, the kissing of the feet is clearly not a kiss among equals or a kiss of familiarity, relation, or intimacy. It is a kiss of profound thankfulness and indebtedness. It is a kiss used to express that one’s life is much improved because of the one being kissed, or even that one owes his/her life itself to the one being kissed. It is a kiss reserved for a savior.

Just as a picture can be worth a thousand words, so also Mary’s actions speak volumes. She doesn’t just kiss Jesus’ feet once. She wets his feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses them repeatedly (Greek imperfect tense), and pours perfume on them.

Mary’s sinful life most likely consisted of adultery or prostitution. Her reputation may have also ruined the reputations and lives of her sister and brother, which might account for the three of them living apparently single lives in the same house. But with her kisses, she confesses that Jesus has rescued her from the spiritual death in which she was stuck and the eternal death to which her conduct was leading her. Hers are not tears of sorrow, but tears of profound joy for the free salvation Christ would win on the cross even for her.

Jesus’ later rebuke to Simon the Pharisee could be summarized, “Simon, if you knew what you owed me, you would be kissing my feet too.” This text compels us to reflect on the fact that each one of us owes Jesus a kiss on the feet. We all owe our very lives to him. Our natural sinful condition would have landed us eternally in a place where the only smells to hit our nostrils would be those of burning hair and flesh, not of perfume. But he has freely redeemed us for eternal life with his blood. And since we do not have his feet to kiss or pour perfume on this side of heaven, let us instead spread the fragrance of his gospel by word and deed (cf. 2 Co 2:15-16). Let us, like Mary, love much, for we have been forgiven much.

For further reading: Matthew 26:6-13; John 12:1-8; Luke 10:38-42; Matthew 26:48-50; Commentary on Luke 7:36-50