“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.” (Matthew 26:6 NIV)
Wait, we know this story. It’s the woman with the broken jar of pure nard. She poured her perfume out over Jesus. We love this picture of extravagant worship, don’t we? But have we ever noted where it took place? “…in the home of Simon the Leper…”
What we don’t get about leprosy today is the social stigma that accompanied the diagnosis. Leprosy was a relational death sentence: the leper were expected to live outside the city gates and announce their contagion to approaching strangers. Lepers lost all physical contact with their family and community alike.
Which leads us to our next question: who was Simon the Leper? The answer is vague, we really don’t know. He was important enough to be mentioned in both gospel accounts of the woman with the expensive perfume (Mark 13:3 & Matthew 26:6), but no supporting information is given. We don’t have access to Simon’s back story but we can make a few assumptions.
We can assume that Simon was a leper for a long time, long enough that his infirmity had become his identity. We can assume that some encounter with Jesus had changed his physical condition and thus his social status because he was at home again and entertaining. We can assume that Simon was grateful enough to invite Jesus and His friends into his home and into his heart.
We read Simon’s name amidst the details of the alabaster anointing and we realize that our own healing is merely a footnote in the far-grander story of who Jesus is. Jesus is the main character in the continuing saga of mankind. Simon the Leper puts our suffering into perspective; it’s an inconvenience, not the main event.
And so, back to our woman with the perfume. This unnamed worshiper had willingly entered the home of a leper to get close to Jesus. We learn from her that our love for the Lord will drive us to unlikely places. It is better to be in a leper’s house with Jesus than any place ‘safe’ apart from Him. When we love God most, we’ll go anywhere to be near to Him.
“But as for me, it is good to be near God.” (Psalm 73:28a NIV)
Lord, let us pursue You even into seemingly unsafe places. Thank You for dealing with all our infirmities; disease and deformity and even death. You speak to our darkness and it flees from Your presence. May we respond in worship as we realize who You truly are. Amen.