The unnamed sinful woman in Luke vs. the woman with the alabaster jar in Matthew, Mark and John

All four gospel accounts narrate the story of a woman with an alabaster jar anointing Yeshua, Jesus.

The account in the gospel of Luke (7:36-50) though is conspicuously different from the other three. In Luke’s account the scene does not take place at Bethany shortly before Yeshua’s death at the cross and burial. And, most of all, in Luke a sinful woman is described, who is wetting the Saviour’s feet with her tears, presumably of repentance, then wiping them with her hair, kissing them, and only in the end anointing His feet with perfume.

In the other three accounts (John 12:1-8; Mat 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9) the incidence is not about a sinful, crying woman, but about Mary of Bethany (John 12:3), the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anointing Yeshua shortly before His burial and Resurrection.

Therefore three distinct questions arise: Is it one and the same or rather two different scenes that are described? If the latter is true: Is the unnamed sinful woman in Luke identical with Mary of Bethany in the other three accounts? And last not least: Is Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, the same woman as Mary Magdalene?

In my personal conviction, the gospels describe two different events.

Although there are commonalities in the narrative, first of all the completely different timing is too odd. In Luke the event does not take place shortly before Yeshua’s crucifixion, as mentioned earlier.

Furthermore, in Luke the host of the banquet is a Pharisee who secretly reproaches Yeshua of seemingly being oblivious to the fact that a sinful woman is touching Him. As a consequence, Yeshua is giving the Pharisee a lesson about the forgiving of sins and about love. In the other gospel accounts however it is Judas Iscariot (John), or generally His disciples (Matthew), or guests present (Mark) who grumble about the wastefulness of the woman, arguing that the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor instead.

Finally, in Luke the story is about repentance and the forgiving of the woman’s sins, whereas in the other three accounts the woman’s anointing of Yeshua is, in His own Words, a preparation of His body for burial. The ending in these three other accounts is completely different from Luke’s. Yeshua is not addressing the woman, saying: “Your sins are forgiven” as in Luke 7:48, but rather in the other accounts of Matthew, Mark and John He is saying to the attendants of the banquet:

“Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me. The poor you will always have with you and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me. She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of Her.” (Mark 14:6-9)

This is huge, conveying a completely different message than in Luke’s narrative: It brings to mind the last supper, when the Lord is saying: “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)

As to the second question, I believe that in both occurrences it is the same woman interacting with Yeshua.

Her behaviour in both events is strikingly similar, although, admittedly, this was not enough to fully convince me.

What finally won me over is the work “Il Poema dell’Uomo-Dio“ by the Italian mystic Maria Valtorta, who had visions about the life of Yeshua she wrote down in 10 volumes. “Il Poema” had been put on the Index of forbidden books by the Roman Catholic Church, a good reason for me to read them. Unlike the roman hierarchy there are Bible experts who support the “Poem of the Man-God”, because they say there are historical details in the 10 volumes Maria Valtorta (1897-1961) could not have known at that time in her circumstances. Of course it does not mean I take at face value everything she wrote, but in this case it confirmed my feelings about it. Furthermore I had been shown and told things in visions that I saw confirmed in Valtorta’s work, a fact that enhanced the trustworthiness of the Poem for me personally.

In Roman Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene is identified with Mary of Bethany, and I agree for many reasons just reading the different gospel accounts. Valtorta’s visions also agree with that.

To my knowledge the vast majority of those who see Mary Magdalene as Yeshua’s female counterpart have difficulties with the Church tradition that has Mary Magdalene as a “fallen” or sinful woman.

Well, I don’t. As THE Bride of Christ She represents the whole Christian church, the bride of Christ, fallen humanity. And no matter if you are comfortable with it or not: Immediately after the account of the sinful woman in Luke, the next Chapter starts: “Soon afterward, Jesus traveled from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, …” (Luke 8:1,2)

What are your thoughts about the differing accounts in Luke vs the other gospels: One or two different banquets? One and the same or two different women? Do you believe Mary of Bethany, who anointed our Saviour, is identical with Mary Magdalene?