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"And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, 'Why this waste?'" — Matthew 26:6–8 (NKJV)
In this powerful and tender moment captured in the Gospel of Matthew, we witness an act of deep devotion, lavish worship, and misunderstood love. The unnamed woman who anointed Jesus with costly oil offers us a glimpse into the kind of worship that pleases the heart of God. Her story, nestled in the narrative of Jesus’ journey to the cross, is a model of sacrificial love and faith. Let us explore five powerful truths from this passage.
1. The Sacred Setting: A Table of Grace in Bethany
"And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper…" — Matthew 26:6 (NKJV)
At first glance, this verse seems like a simple scene-setter—a location, a host, a gathering. But there's so much more beneath the surface. Every detail of this setting speaks of redemption, restoration, and radical grace.
🏡 Bethany: A Place of Refuge and Relationship
Bethany wasn’t just a stop along the way—it was one of Jesus’ most beloved places. Nestled on the Mount of Olives just a few miles outside of Jerusalem, Bethany served as a kind of spiritual oasis for Jesus during His final days. It was the hometown of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus—dear friends who had offered Him hospitality, shared meals with Him, and believed in His mission.
In John 11, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in this very town. That miracle stirred the hearts of many, but it also intensified the plots against His life. Bethany, therefore, becomes a place of both divine intimacy and mounting tension—a fitting backdrop for the profound act of love about to unfold.
🧑🦲 Simon the Leper: A Story in the Shadows
We know little about Simon beyond this reference, but the title “the leper” is revealing. Lepers were outcasts in Jewish society, cut off from their families, communities, and religious life. That Simon was now hosting a dinner implies that Jesus had healed him—restoring not only his body but his dignity and place in society.
Jesus didn’t just cleanse Simon of disease. He restored his humanity, giving him a new identity as a host, a man of welcome, and a participant in one of the most intimate moments of Jesus’ earthly life.
📖 “Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” —Matthew 8:3
Simon’s home, once a place marked by isolation and disease, was now the stage for extravagant worship and eternal memorial. That’s what Jesus does—He transforms our brokenness into places of beauty and purpose.
✝️ A Table That Foreshadows the Cross
This meal in Bethany occurs just days before the Last Supper and the crucifixion. Jesus is reclining at the table, fully aware of the suffering that lies ahead. And yet He chooses to spend this moment not with crowds or rulers, but in the home of a once-untouchable man, surrounded by humble hearts.
This table is more than a meal. It’s a foreshadowing of Calvary, a picture of what the cross is all about—Jesus entering into the homes, the hurts, the histories of those the world rejected.
🕊️ Personal Application: He Makes Our Homes Holy
What does it mean that Jesus chose to dine in the home of a man once labeled a leper? What does it say about the heart of our Savior that He made space for sacred encounters in places the world had long dismissed?
This verse—Matthew 26:6—whispers a powerful truth: Jesus meets us where we are, not where we think we should be.
We don’t need to wait until we have it all together to invite Him in. Simon's home wasn’t impressive by earthly standards. It was a place that once carried the stigma of disease and social exile. And yet, that very home became a sanctuary for the presence of God.
That means your home—your life—can be sacred ground too.
Maybe you feel like Simon. Maybe your past still echoes with labels and judgments. Maybe shame tries to dictate your worth. Maybe your “house” has felt empty or unworthy of hosting something holy. But Jesus isn’t waiting for your perfection—He’s waiting for your permission.
He longs to come into the places we hide, the rooms we’ve closed off, and the wounds we’ve left untreated. He doesn’t recoil from your pain or your history. He walks in and redeems it.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3 (NKJV)
🌿 A Place of Fellowship, Not Performance
Simon didn’t have to perform for Jesus. He simply opened his home. And you don’t have to impress Jesus with your prayers, your accomplishments, or your ability to appear “put together.” He’s not looking for a perfect host—He’s looking for a willing one.
Let your heart be like Simon’s home—a space where Jesus is welcomed in, not just for a moment, but to dwell.
🪔 Turning Ordinary into Eternal
Your kitchen table, your quiet morning, your late-night prayers—these can all become altars when you invite Jesus in. The sacred is not limited to church walls. His presence can fill your ordinary with purpose, just as it did for Simon.
“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” — Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
When we welcome Jesus into our lives, our homes become places of healing, worship, restoration, and revelation. Like Simon, we go from being known for our past to being remembered for our participation in His presence.
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