Matthew 26:6-13 Meaning: Why 'Simon the Leper'?
6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.
8But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
9For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me.
11For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.
12For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
13Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.”
6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
8But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
12For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
13Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7there came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat.
8But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10But Jesus perceiving it said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
12For in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
13Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
6And Jesus having been in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7there came to him a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, very precious, and she poured on his head as he is reclining (at meat).
8And having seen it , his disciples were much displeased, saying, `To what purpose is this waste?
9for this ointment could have been sold for much, and given to the poor.'
10And Jesus having known, said to them, `Why do ye give trouble to the woman? for a good work she wrought for me;
11for the poor always ye have with you, and me ye have not always;
12for she having put this ointment on my body--for my burial she did it .
13Verily I say to you, Wherever this good news may be proclaimed in the whole world, what this one did shall also be spoken of--for a memorial of her.'
6But Jesus being in Bethany, in Simon the leper's house,
7a woman, having an alabaster flask of very precious ointment, came to him and poured it out upon his head as he lay at table.
8But the disciples seeing it became indignant, saying, To what end [was] this waste?
9for this might have been sold for much and been given to the poor.
10But Jesus knowing [it] said to them, Why do ye trouble the woman? for she has wrought a good work toward me.
11For ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always.
12For in pouring out this ointment on my body, she has done it for my burying.
13Verily I say to you, Wheresoever these glad tidings may be preached in the whole world, that also which this [woman] has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus defends a woman's extravagant gift in Bethany. What does Simon the leper teach us about past labels and present love?
Context
Two days before the Passover, Jesus is in Bethany eating supper at the home of a man called Simon the Leper. The name is jarring, lepers were outcasts, unclean, forbidden from normal life. Simon must have been healed by Jesus; otherwise he could not host a meal. Yet Matthew still calls him “the leper,” a label that stuck even after his cleansing. This detail reminds us how past reputation clings to people, but also that Jesus enters the homes of the formerly broken.
During the meal, a woman comes with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ head. The disciples are furious, they call it waste. But Jesus stops them. He calls her act a beautiful work done for his burial, and promises that wherever the gospel is preached, what she did will be told as her memorial.
Key Words
The Greek word for the jar is alabastron. It was a stone container carved to hold precious oil, often sealed so the fragrance stayed inside. To open it meant breaking it; the gift could not be undone. The word for the perfume is muron, and it is described as barutimos, literally “heavy-priced.” This was not pocket change; it was a year’s wages poured out in one act.
When Jesus defends her, he uses the phrase kalon ergon, a beautiful work, something morally lovely and fitting. The Greek word kalos carries both goodness and beauty. This was not just a good deed; it was a thing of beauty in Jesus’ eyes.
Finally, Jesus says her story will be told as a mnēmosunon, a memorial, something that keeps her name alive. The very word recalls Old Testament memorials where God commanded certain acts not be forgotten. Jesus himself ensures this woman’s quiet, costly love will echo through every generation.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions see this story as a model of extravagant devotion. Many identify the woman as Mary of Bethany (based on John 12:3), Lazarus’s sister. In Catholic tradition, this anointing is seen as a prophetic act prefiguring Jesus’ burial and is often linked to the sacrament of the sick. Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry emphasize that the woman’s love was the motive that made her act good, not the amount spent. Both traditions agree that Jesus’ defense of her silences the complaint about waste. Yet the story also challenges every reader: when love for Christ costs us dearly and others call it foolish, Jesus sees and accepts the gift.
A common misunderstanding
Sometimes people read Jesus’ words “you always have the poor with you” as a dismissal of poverty relief. In fact, Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 15:11, which says the poor will never cease in the land, and then commands generosity. He is not saying “don’t help the poor.” He is saying that this moment is unique: he is about to die, and this woman’s gift was an act of preparation for his burial. The disciples were right to care for the poor, but they missed the crisis of the hour.
Living This Out
You may face a moment this week where loving Jesus well looks like waste to others. Maybe it is spending an hour in prayer when you could be working. Maybe it is giving money you cannot spare, or serving someone who cannot repay you. The disciples saw only the price tag. Jesus saw the heart. You do not need to defend your gift to anyone else. He knows its cost, and he names it beautiful. Let that free you to be generous even when it does not make sense.
Main takeaway: Jesus sees and honors costly love poured out for him, even when others call it waste.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
A woman brought a very expensive jar of perfume and poured it all on Jesus’ head. Some people said it was a waste. But Jesus said it was a beautiful thing. Jesus loves when we give him our very best, even if other people don’t understand.
For ages 9, 12
Imagine saving up your allowance for a whole year, then spending it all on one gift for a friend, and having other people say you wasted it. That is what this woman did for Jesus. She didn’t care what others thought. Jesus saw her love and promised that her story would be told everywhere. He still notices when you do something kind for him that costs you something. It is never wasted.
Questions People Ask
Who was Simon the leper?
Simon was the host of the meal where this anointing happened. He is called 'the leper' even though he was likely healed by Jesus, lepers could not host dinner parties. The label probably stuck because of his past condition. It shows that Jesus dined with people society still defined by their old brokenness.
Why did the disciples call the perfume a waste?
The perfume was worth about a year’s wages. The disciples, especially Judas (John 12:4-6), saw it as money that could have fed the poor. They considered the expense wasteful because they did not grasp the unique significance of Jesus’ coming death and burial.
Did Jesus mean we shouldn’t help the poor?
No. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 15:11, which says the poor will always be present and commands generosity. He was not canceling care for the poor. He was saying that his physical presence on earth was about to end, and this woman’s act of anointing him for burial was a timely, prophetic act that the disciples missed.
Who was the woman who anointed Jesus?
Matthew and Mark do not name her. John 12:3 identifies her as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus of Bethany. Some early commentators also connect her to the 'sinful woman' in Luke 7, but most scholars see them as two different events. The woman’s identity is less important than Jesus’ strong defense of her love.
Why did Jesus say her story would be told everywhere?
Jesus, knowing he would rise and that the gospel would spread to all nations, promised that this woman’s act of sacrificial love would never be forgotten. It was a prophecy that has come true: every time the gospel is preached, her deed is recounted. Jesus ensured that her quiet, costly gift would have global and eternal significance.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study