26:6-13 Who is this woman who anointed Jesus here and when did this anointing take place?

There is some confusion in the contemporary church over who the women were who anointed Jesus, and how many times He was anointed. There are three distinct and separate anointings of Jesus by women in scripture, and this is the third. The first took place in Simon the Pharisee’s house in Nain early in Christ’s earthly ministry (cp Lk 7:11, 36-39).

This woman anointed Jesus’ feet. Many in the church believe that this was Mary Magdalene, and/or that she was a prostitute, but there is nothing in scripture whatever to identify her. Luke simply describes her as a sinner, which can mean literally anything, but it is no proof that she was a prostitute. There is no proof either that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute – scriptures merely teach that Christ cast seven demons out of her (cp Mk 16:9; Lk 8:1-2).

Generally scriptures teach that demons affected people they possessed physically, not morally (cp Mt 8:16-17, 28-34; 9:32-33; 15:21-28; Mk 9:17-27; Lk 4:33-36; 11:14). Mary Magdalene is mentioned in Lu 8 but this is no proof either that she was the one who anointed Jesus’ feet in Lk 7. The second anointing took place in Lazarus’ house in Bethany, six days before Jesus was betrayed (cp Jn 11:1-2, 12:1-3). This Mary is Lazarus’ and Martha’s sister. She also anointed Jesus’ feet, the same as the woman did in Lk 7.

The third anointing in Mt 26:6-13 also took place in Bethany, in Simon the leper’s house, two days before Jesus was betrayed. Mark’s gospel also records this anointing (cp Mk 14:1-9). This woman anointed Jesus’ head, not His feet, like Mary, Lazarus’ and Martha’s sister in Jn 12, or the first woman in Lk 7. And there is also nothing in scripture to identify her either. Like the woman in Lk 7, she too is not named.

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