Anointing The Lord

Q

I have learned so much from your site. Thank you. I have a question about the woman that came to where Jesus was and bathed his feet/head. Matt 26:1-13 States that Jesus was dining at the home of Simon the leper when a woman came in and bathed His head with fine oils and perfume. In Mark 14:1-9 again it’s recorded that at the house of Simon the leper that a woman came in and bathed his head.

In Luke 7:36-50 while Jesus was at the home of a Pharisee named Simon that a woman of the streets (possibly Mary Magdalene) came and bathed His feet, cried and wiped her tears with her hair. In John 12:1-3 John wrote that Mary, the sister of Martha had washed the feet of Jesus and there was no mention of Simon. Is this the same story written in different ways from each other or does this happen at different times? Mary, Martha’s sister wouldn’t have been considered a woman of the streets. Also Was a leper allowed to be a Pharisee? Thanks for your answer. I always look forward to GraceThruFaith each day. Please keep up the wonderful work you are doing.

A

The woman at the home of Simon the Pharisee who washed the Lord’s feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair (Luke 7:36-50) was probably Mary Magdalene, although she was not named in Luke’s account. Luke’s is the only gospel to record this event, which was a social one (similar to a dinner party of today) and took place early in the Lord’s ministry.

Matthew, Mark, and John mention only the anointing at Bethany, which happened a few days before the crucifixion. It was done at the home of Simon the Leper, the father of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. According to John 12:3 Mary was the sister who anointed the Lord with oil during a private dinner attended only by the Lord, Simon’s family, and the disciples .

Comparing the timing, the location, and other differences, you can see that the anointing in Luke was not the same event as the one in the other gospels.