Luke's account of the anointing of Jesus (Luke 7. 36–50) seems to be one of the gospel stories which critics have examined somewhat in isolation from the context of the surrounding material. One reason for this may be that Luke has told his story almost too well, if that is possible, so that the account of the woman's act of overflowing love and its contrast with the Pharisee's lack of care for his invited guest can easily be read as a self-contained unit. It has certainly provided useful ammunition for those who have sought to denigrate the Pharisaic outlook by comparing it with Christian love; moreover, as Dibelius recognised, the woman's action and Luke's six-fold repetition which emphasises forgiveness would have made the story very valuable for illustrating sermons.