Knowing The Word in Luke 7:36-40, A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus' Feet

Each Gospel has a story of a woman anointing Jesus. The other three Gospels refer to an incident—likely the same one—in the last week of Jesus’ life. Luke’s is much earlier. In Luke the incident is concerned with love and forgiveness where the other gospel writers focus on giving to the poor. The early Church, however, has examples of tying this Lucan account to Mary Magdalene and to Mary the sister of Martha. In the other gospels, this anointing happens in Bethany. Matthew and Mark put the incident in the home of Simon the leper. John seems to put it in Lazarus’ home but simply records that “they gave a dinner party for him (Jesus) there.” That does not mean it is in Lazarus’ house, even though he and his sisters could have been the instigators of the dinner party. It is Martha’s sister Mary who anoints Jesus, according to John’s account. One wonders if this interrupted anointing by this unnamed woman is later fully carried out in Bethany by the same woman, meaning this is a story about Mary of Bethany. We just do not know.

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

Prayer:

Visit we pray you, O Lord, this place, and drive from it all the snares of the enemy; let your holy angels dwell here to preserve us in peace; and may your blessing be upon us evermore; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Norman Goodacre