SIMONE. - Two Gospel figures who invited Jesus to a meal, wrongly identified with one another by some.
1. S. “the Pharisee” invited Jesus to a meal (Lk. 7, 36-50) when the anonymous “sinful woman,” Maddalena (v.), entered the banquet hall and poured a vase of perfumes over 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 replied with the parable of the creditor and the two debtors, and caused S. himself to draw its conclusion (vv. 39-43). By analogy with the episode at Bethania (Mt. 26, 6 sgg.; Mk. 14, 3 sgg.; cf. Jn. 12, 2 sgg.), S. the Pharisee has sometimes been confused (also in the antiphon of the First Vespers of s. Maria Maddalena, 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 sgg.; Mk. 14, 3 sgg.); on that occasion Maria, sister of Lazzaro (cf. Jn. 12, 2 sgg.), poured over Jesus’ feet a pound of very pure nard,
thus provoking the resentment of Giuda Iscariota. As may be inferred from his surname, S. had been afflicted with leprosy and was then healed (probably by Jesus)