Before the prayer meeting Wednesday night (6/15/2011), we were discussing the incident where the woman anointed Jesus. The author of a book my friends had been reading identified this woman—described as “a sinner” in Luke's account—as the woman caught in adultery from John 7:53–8:11, even though the gospels themselves never make that connection.
I mentioned that the accounts vary among themselves at points, which can be a cause of confusion for some. So here for my friends’—and your—reading and comparison are the gospels’ accounts of that incident, partly color-coded to help point out similarities and differences.
| Matthew 26:6–13 (NRSVue/Nestle-Aland 28) | Mark 14:3–9 (NRSVue/Nestle-Aland 28) |
| 6 Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8 But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? 9 For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum and the money given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has performed a good service for me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” 6 Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γενομένου ἐν Βηθανίᾳ ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος τοῦ λεπροῦ, 7 προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ γυνὴ ⸉ἔχουσα ἀλάβαστρον μύρου⸊ ⸀βαρυτίμου καὶ κατέχεεν ἐπὶ ⸂τῆς κεφαλῆς⸃ αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένου. 8 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ ⸆ ἠγανάκτησαν λέγοντες· εἰς τί ἡ ἀπώλεια αὕτη; 9 ἐδύνατο γὰρ τοῦτο ⸆ πραθῆναι πολλοῦ καὶ δοθῆναι ⸇ πτωχοῖς. 10 Γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τί κόπους παρέχετε τῇ γυναικί; ἔργον γὰρ καλὸν ἠργάσατο εἰς ἐμέ· 11 πάντοτε γὰρ τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἔχετε μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε· 12 βαλοῦσα γὰρ αὕτη τὸ μύρον τοῦτο ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματός μου πρὸς τὸ ἐνταφιάσαι με ἐποίησεν. 13 ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅπου ἐὰν κηρυχθῇ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦτο ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, λαληθήσεται καὶ ὃ ἐποίησεν αὕτη εἰς μνημόσυνον αὐτῆς. | 3 While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. 4 But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish, but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” 3 Καὶ ὄντος αὐτοῦ ἐν Βηθανίᾳ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος τοῦ λεπροῦ, κατακειμένου αὐτοῦ ἦλθεν γυνὴ ἔχουσα ἀλάβαστρον μύρου ⸋νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτελοῦς⸌, ⸀συντρίψασα ⸁τὴν ἀλάβαστρον κατέχεεν ⸂αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς⸃. 4 ⸂ἦσαν δέ τινες ἀγανακτοῦντες πρὸς ἑαυτούς⸃· εἰς τί ἡ ἀπώλεια αὕτη ⸋τοῦ μύρου⸌ γέγονεν; 5 ἠδύνατο γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ μύρον πραθῆναι ἐπάνω ⸉δηναρίων τριακοσίων⸊ καὶ δοθῆναι τοῖς πτωχοῖς· καὶ ⸀ἐνεβριμῶντο αὐτῇ. 6 Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· ἄφετε αὐτήν· τί αὐτῇ κόπους παρέχετε; καλὸν ἔργον ἠργάσατο ἐν ἐμοί. 7 πάντοτε γὰρ τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἔχετε μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν καὶ ὅταν θέλητε δύνασθε ⸀αὐτοῖς εὖ ποιῆσαι, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε. 8 ὃ ἔσχεν ⸆ ἐποίησεν· προέλαβεν μυρίσαι ⸉τὸ σῶμά μου⸊ εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν. 9 ἀμὴν δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅπου ἐὰν κηρυχθῇ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ⸆ εἰς ὅλον τὸν κόσμον, καὶ ὃ ἐποίησεν αὕτη λαληθήσεται εἰς μνημόσυνον αὐτῆς. |
| Luke 7:36–50 (NRSVue/Nestle-Aland 28) | John 12:1–8 (NRSVue/Nestle-Aland 28) |
| 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and when he went into the Pharisee’s house he reclined to dine. 37 And a woman in the city who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair, kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 36 Ἠρώτα δέ τις αὐτὸν τῶν Φαρισαίων ἵνα φάγῃ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Φαρισαίου ⸀κατεκλίθη. 37 καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ⸂ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει⸃ ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ ἐπιγνοῦσα ὅτι κατάκειται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου, κομίσασα ἀλάβαστρον μύρου 38 καὶ στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ κλαίουσα τοῖς δάκρυσιν ⸂ἤρξατο βρέχειν⸃ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ⸀ἐξέμασσεν καὶ κατεφίλει τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤλειφεν τῷ μύρῳ. 39 ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Φαρισαῖος ⸂ὁ καλέσας αὐτὸν⸃ εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων· οὗτος εἰ ἦν ⸆ προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. 40 Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Σίμων, ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν. ὁ δέ· διδάσκαλε, εἰπέ, φησίν. 41 δύο χρεοφειλέται ἦσαν δανιστῇ τινι· ὁ εἷς ὤφειλεν δηνάρια πεντακόσια, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος πεντήκοντα. 42 μὴ ἐχόντων ⸆ αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. τίς οὖν αὐτῶν ⸇ πλεῖον ἀγαπήσει ⸈αὐτόν; 43 ⸀ἀποκριθεὶς Σίμων εἶπεν· ὑπολαμβάνω ὅτι ᾧ τὸ πλεῖον ἐχαρίσατο. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας. 44 καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη· βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα; εἰσῆλθόν σου εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, ὕδωρ ⸂μοι ἐπὶ πόδας⸃ οὐκ ἔδωκας· αὕτη δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξέν μου τοὺς πόδας καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς ἐξέμαξεν. 45 φίλημά μοι οὐκ ἔδωκας· αὕτη δὲ ἀφʼ ἧς ⸀εἰσῆλθον οὐ ⸁διέλιπεν καταφιλοῦσά μου τοὺς πόδας. 46 ἐλαίῳ ⸂τὴν κεφαλήν⸃ μου οὐκ ἤλειψας· αὕτη δὲ μύρῳ ἤλειψεν ⸄τοὺς πόδας μου⸅. 47 οὗ χάριν˸ λέγω σοι, ἀφέωνται ⸂αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί⸃, ⸋ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ· ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται, ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ.⸌ 48 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ· ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. 49 Καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ συνανακείμενοι λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· τίς οὗτός ἐστιν ὃς καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἀφίησιν; 50 εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα· ⸆ ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε· πορεύου ⸂εἰς εἰρήνην⸃. | 1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 1 Ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς πρὸ ⸀ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα ἦλθεν εἰς Βηθανίαν, ὅπου ἦν Λάζαρος ⸆, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν ⸁Ἰησοῦς. 2 ἐποίησαν οὖν αὐτῷ δεῖπνον ἐκεῖ, καὶ °ἡ Μάρθα διηκόνει, ὁ δὲ Λάζαρος εἷς ἦν °1ἐκ τῶν ἀνακειμένων σὺν αὐτῷ. 3 Ἡ οὖν ⸀Μαριὰμ λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου °νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας °1τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξεν ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. 4 Λέγει ⸀δὲ ⸂Ἰούδας ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης εἷς [ἐκ] τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ⸃, ὁ μέλλων αὐτὸν παραδιδόναι· 5 διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη ⸀τριακοσίων δηναρίων καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς; 6 εἶπεν δὲ τοῦτο οὐχ ὅτι περὶ τῶν πτωχῶν ἔμελεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλʼ ὅτι κλέπτης ἦν καὶ τὸ γλωσσόκομον ἔχων τὰ βαλλόμενα ἐβάσταζεν. 7 εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἄφες αὐτήν, ⸀ἵνα εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἐνταφιασμοῦ μου ⸁τηρήσῃ αὐτό· 8 ⸋τοὺς πτωχοὺς γὰρ πάντοτε ἔχετε μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε.⸌ |
The painting is "St. Mary Magdalene" by Carlo (or Carlino) Dolci (May 25, 1616 – January 17, 1686). I chose it for illustrative purposes only, and because it doesn't show where the woman is or whether she is anointing Jesus' head or His feet. I am not suggesting that Mary Magdalene was the woman.
No conclusions Eric?
ReplyDeleteTraditional religious art of Mary Magdalene almost always shows her with an iconic jar of the expensive perfume. This is because one of the popes decided that the woman caught in adultery was Mary Magdalene. Not only was she declred to be an adulteress, she was also declared to be a prostitute. Poor girl. I bet there are some red faces in heaven.
The woman who annointed Jesus was more likely to have been Mary of Bethany, Martha's sister.
What conclusion(s)? That there were two or possibly three different anointings? That it's most likely that John has somehow wrongly transferred or applied details of an incident at a "Simon's" house involving an unnamed woman to one at Lazarus'/Martha's/Mary's house involving "Mary" (presumably Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus - John 11:1)?
ReplyDeleteI haven't looked at or read others' attempts at harmonizing these passages, assuming they should be harmonized. Matthew's and Mark's accounts don't need harmonization, as they're pretty much identical. It's when Luke's and John's accounts are added that difficulties from assuming these are all the same incident arise.
What are your conclusions, Margaret?
May I join in for a brief comment? Possibly...just possibly...Simon the leper and Lazarus are one and the same person. To have two names would not be unusual. That the pharisee's name is Simon does not have to be a confusion of the two stories but a common coincidence of the culture. Simon was a very familiar and popular name in Galilee and Judea at the time--much like Sasha is a very common name in Slavic countries (Alexander which is interchangeable with Sasha, as is "Sonsomich" for Alexander son of Alexander--that's three names for one person). Diminutives and nick-names are not unusual in many cultures.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if I recall previous studies--wasn't Bethany thought to be a leper colony?
Matthew, Mark, and John are so similar as to be identical. However, the differences are dramatic between Luke's account and the other three accounts. Truth can certainly be stranger than fiction.
Just food for thought.