SIMON. - Two Gospel figures who invited Jesus to dine, wrongly identified with each other by some.
1. St. "the Pharisee" invited Jesus to dine (Lk. 7:36-50) when the anonymous "sinful woman," identified by many with Mary Magdalene (v.), entered the banquet hall and poured out a jar of perfume on the Lord's feet. The welcome he had given Jesus had not been very courteous (vv. 44-46). To the scandal that S. felt at the woman's gesture, Jesus responded with the parable of the creditor and the two debtors and had S. himself draw the conclusion from it (vv. 39-43). Because of the analogy with the episode at Bethany (Mt. 26:6 ff.; Mk. 14:3 ff.; cf. Jn. 12:2 ff.), S. the Pharisee has sometimes been confused (even in the antiphon of First Vespers of St. Mary Magdalene, Brev. Rom., 22 July) with S. the leper.
2. S. "the leper" received Jesus into his house and offered him a banquet on the day before the solemn entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 26:6 ff.; Mk. 14:3 ff.); on that occasion Mary, the sister of Lazarus (cf. Jn. 12:2 ff.), poured a pound of purest nard on Jesus' feet, provoking the resentment of Judas Iscariot. As can be deduced from the surname, S. had been afflicted with leprosy and then healed (probably by Jesus)