The story of Jesus’s anointing by a woman in Bethany (14:3–9) introduces the events that follow. Luke’s account (Luke 7:36–50) is quite different and may describe another event. This incident took place in Bethany, a village about 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) east of Jerusalem on the lower eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Jesus apparently stayed there when he was in Judea (Mark 11:1, 11–12).
The house belonged to Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy (a disease that often caused people to be separated from society). He may have been healed by Jesus (see 1:40–45).
reclining ("sitting back"): The meal was a banquet because the guests were reclining while they ate. A woman (see John 12:3) broke the neck of a sealed alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume (pure nard) and poured all of it on the head of Jesus (see Exodus 29:4–7; 2 Kings 9:1–6).