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Uncouth Barbarian's avatar

I was curious about what the Fathers of the Church had to say about these passages, so I looked them up and linked them below for you. Curiously, they're torn on how many women they are in the passages. Most seem to think two, some three, with Augustine being the only one that seems to think it's only one. They have really great spiritual commentary about it, and the reasons why it might be one, or not. If it's one, it's almost certainly Mary from the sounds of things. I would certainly recommend reading it - the Catena Aurea is a wonderful tool for scriptural study and meditation.

https://isidore.co/aquinas/CAMatthew.htm#26

https://isidore.co/aquinas/CAMark.htm#14

https://isidore.co/aquinas/CALuke.htm#7

https://isidore.co/aquinas/CAJohn.htm#11 and https://isidore.co/aquinas/CAJohn.htm#12

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L. Jagi Lamplighter Wright's avatar

Thanks!

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L. Jagi Lamplighter Wright's avatar

I will, however, give this argument for why it has to be one woman.

Jesus said that wherever His story was told, she would be remembered. ;-)

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Uncouth Barbarian's avatar

That is fair, and I'm sure that the commenters kept it in mind. If you read it though, they're good at pointing out that the events happen at multiple locations and times. So, if it's one woman, she did it multiple times and was told the same thing multiple times.

Otherwise, it's possible it's different women told that they're be remembered for doing similar things and having the same type of act remembered.

Either way, the commentary on it is beautiful that I linked between the symbolism of the pure white alabaster, that she anointed the feet the first time as being a sinner, and then the head and the feet the second being a more perfected and repentant soul, etc.

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L. Jagi Lamplighter Wright's avatar

Three of them mention Bethany, and all of them mention Simon. So it is a good chance that this took place in each gospell at Simon's house in Bethany. :-)

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