Matthew 26:6

In the house of Simon the leper (en oikiai Simwno tou leprou). Evidently a man who had been healed of his leprosy by Jesus who gave the feast in honour of Jesus. All sorts of fantastic theories have arisen about it. Some even identify this Simon with the one in Luke 7:36 ff., but Simon was a very common name and the details are very different. Some hold that it was Martha's house because she served ( John 12:2 ) and that Simon was either the father or husband of Martha, but Martha loved to serve and that proves nothing. Some identify Mary of Bethany with the sinful woman in Luke 7:1 ff. and even with Mary Magdalene, both gratuitous and groundless propositions. For the proof that Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene, and the sinful woman of Luke 7:1 ff. are all distinct see my Some Minor Characters in the New Testament. John ( John 12:1 ) apparently locates the feast six days before the passover, while Mark ( Mark 14:3 ) and Matthew ( Matthew 26:6 ) seem to place it on the Tuesday evening (Jewish Wednesday) just two days before the passover meal. It is possible that John anticipates the date and notes the feast at Bethany at this time because he does not refer to Bethany again. If not, the order of Mark must be followed. According to the order of Mark and Matthew, this feast took place at the very time that the Sanhedrin was plotting about the death of Jesus ( Mark 14:1 f.).