In brief
Simon the Leper is a resident of Bethany at whose house Jesus has a meal shortly before the Passover. While Jesus is at the table in his home, a woman breaks an alabaster jar and pours very costly pure nard ointment on his head. Matthew and Mark report no word from Simon. We remember the hospitality offered to Jesus and the scene of worship that took place under his roof, on the eve of the cross.
What does the name Simon the Leper mean?
Simon is the Greek form of Simeon, a Hebrew name generally linked to the verb “to hear.” The nickname “the leper” distinguishes him from other Simons. The Bible does not say whether he was healed, although many assume so since he receives guests at home.
The story of Simon the Leper
A meal at Bethany
Mark 14:1-3Shortly before the Passover, while the religious leaders seek to put Jesus to death by stealth, Jesus is at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper. He is at the table when a woman comes in. She holds an alabaster jar of very costly pure nard ointment, breaks the jar and pours it over his head.
The guests’ indignation
Matthew 26:8-9; Mark 14:4-5Some of those present are indignant: “Why has this ointment been wasted?” They say it could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor, and they grumble against the woman. In Matthew, it is the disciples who react this way. The account does not report the reaction of Simon, the host.
Jesus’s defense
Mark 14:6-9Jesus defends the woman: “Leave her alone.” She has done a good work for him. The poor will always be there, but he will not always be. She has anointed his body beforehand for the burying. Wherever the Good News is preached, what she has done will be told as a memorial of her.
Between plot and betrayal
Mark 14:10-11Right after this account, Mark reports that Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, goes to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. The meal at Simon’s house is thus set between the leaders’ plot and Judas’s betrayal. In the house at Bethany, the woman’s worship contrasts with these plans of death.
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What Simon the Leper teaches us
- Opening your home to Jesus and his people is a simple, real way to serve him.
- What we give to Jesus out of love is never lost, even when others speak of waste.
- God can turn an ordinary house into the setting of an act of worship told around the world.
- Receiving Jesus at home is not enough: he also looks for hearts that worship him without holding back.
Key verses
Matthew places the anointing of Jesus in the house of Simon the leper. A man known by this nickname becomes the Lord’s host on the eve of his Passion.
Jesus receives the woman’s gesture as a preparation for his burial. What happened at Simon’s house was to be told everywhere along with the gospel.
Sermons about Simon the Leper
- John 12: A Faith That Offers Nothing Is Good for NothingThe preacher recalls that Mark sets the scene at Simon the leper’s house, probably healed since lepers could not live in society, and distinguishes between knowing Jesus and worshiping him.
- Mark 14: All or Nothing, Breaking the Alabaster Jar for JesusThe message starts from the scene at Bethany, at Simon the leper’s house, where a woman breaks an alabaster jar and pours a costly ointment on Jesus’s head.
Frequently asked questions
Was Simon the leper still sick?
The Gospels do not say. The nickname “the leper” recalls his illness, but he receives guests in his home, which has led many readers to think he had been healed, perhaps by Jesus. The text does not specify, and we should remain cautious.
What does the name Simon mean?
Simon is the Greek form of Simeon, a Hebrew name generally linked to the verb “to hear.” It was a very common name, hence nicknames like Simon Peter, Simon the Zealot or Simon the leper to tell each one apart.
Where is the story of Simon the leper found in the Bible?
He is named in Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3, in the account of the anointing at Bethany. John 12:1-8 tells of a meal at Bethany where Mary anoints Jesus’s feet, without naming Simon. Many see the same event.