{So they made him a supper there} (epoi(8873)an oun aut(9369)
deipnon ekei). Here again oun is not inferential, but merely
transitional. This supper is given by Mark ( Mr 14:3-9 ) and
Matthew ( Mt 26:6-13 ) just two days ( Mr 14:1 ) before the
passover, that is on our Tuesday evening (beginning of Jewish
Wednesday), while John mentions ( 12:2-9 ) it immediately after
the arrival of Jesus in Bethany ( 12:1 ). One must decide which
date to follow. Mark and Matthew and Luke follow it with the
visit of Judas to the Sanhedrin with an offer to betray Jesus as
if exasperated by the rebuke by Jesus at the feast. Bernard
considers that John "is here more probably accurate." It all
turns on John's purpose in putting it here. This is the last
mention of Jesus in Bethany and he may have mentioned it
proleptically for that reason as seems to me quite reasonable.
Westcott notes that in chapter 12 John closes his record of the
public ministry of the Lord relative to the disciples at this
feast ( 1-11 ), to the multitude in the triumphal entry
( 12-19 ), to the world outside in the visit of the Greeks
( 20-36a ), and with two summary judgements ( 36b-50 ). There is
no further reason to refer to the feast in the house of another
Simon when a sinful woman anointed Jesus ( Lu 7:36-50 ). It is no
credit to Luke or to John with Mark and Matthew to have them all
making a jumble like that. There were two anointings by two
absolutely different women for wholly different purposes. See the
discussion on Luke for further details. {And Martha served} (kai
h(8820)Martha di(886b)onei). Imperfect active of diakone(935c), picturing
Martha true to the account of her in  Lu 10:40  (poll(886e)
diakonian, diakonein as here). But this fact does not show
that Martha was the wife of this Simon at all. They were friends
and neighbours and Martha was following her bent. It is Mark ( Mr
14:3 ) and Matthew ( Mt 26:6 ) who mention the name of the host.
It is not Simon the Pharisee ( Lu 7:36 ), but Simon the leper
( Mr 14:3  Mt 26:6 ) in whose house they meet. The name is common
enough. The Simon in Luke was sharply critical of Jesus; this one
is full of gratitude for what Jesus has done for him. {That sat
at meat} (	(936e) anakeimen(936e)). "That lay back," reclined as they
did, articular participle (ablative case after ek) of the
common verb anakeimai. Perhaps Simon gave the feast partly in
honour of Lazarus as well as of Jesus since all were now talking
of both ( Joh 12:9 ). It was a gracious occasion. The guests were
Jesus, the twelve apostles, and Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.