The family at Bethany, the Galilean women, and the councillors who buried Jesus.
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
FamilyStated in the textThe three siblings lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem, and were loved by Jesus. Martha hosted him, Mary sat at his feet, and Lazarus was raised after four days in the tomb.
Sources: Scripture
Simon the leper's house and the anointing
FriendsHypothesisMark and Matthew place the anointing at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, and John places it at a supper with Martha serving and Lazarus reclining. Simon may have been related to the family, but the texts do not say.
Where the text shows it: Mark 14:3 — In Bethany at the house of Simon the leperJohn 12:1-3 — Martha serving, Lazarus at table, Mary anoints Ways people read this (3)
- Simon was a healed leper who hosted a supper for which Martha served (a neighbor).
- Simon was a relative, possibly the father or husband of Martha.
- The two suppers are different events (less common).
Sources: Scripture
Are Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the sinful woman one person?
RoleDebatedIn 591 Pope Gregory the Great preached that Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the anointing woman of Luke 7 were one. The NT names three separate people and never links them. Eastern churches keep them separate.
Where the text shows it: Luke 7:36-50 — Unnamed sinful woman anoints Jesus' feetLuke 8:2 — Mary called Magdalene, seven demonsJohn 12:3 — Mary of Bethany anoints his feet Ways people read this (3)
- Western medieval tradition (Gregory): one woman.
- Eastern tradition and most modern scholars: three distinct women.
- Some see John 11:2 as the Gospel itself merging Mary of Bethany with the anointing.
Sources: Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels 33
The women who funded Jesus' travels
FriendsStated in the textLuke says Mary called Magdalene, Joanna wife of Chuza, Susanna and many others accompanied Jesus and provided for them out of their means. Mary Magdalene had been delivered from seven demons.
Where the text shows it: Luke 8:1-3 — Women who provided for them Sources: Scripture
Witnesses at the cross and tomb
RoleStated in the textMark lists Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome watching from a distance and at the tomb. Luke adds Joanna. These women became the first witnesses of the empty tomb.
Sources: Scripture
Mary Magdalene sees the risen Lord first
RoleStated in the textJohn records Mary Magdalene finding the tomb empty, running to Peter and the other disciple, then seeing the risen Jesus. Mark 16:9 also says he appeared first to her.
Sources: Scripture
Mary, mother of James the younger and Joses
FamilyWidely acceptedMark names a Mary as mother of James the younger and Joses. She is commonly identified with "Mary of Clopas" in John 19:25, but the texts do not say so directly. Mary wife of Clopas is sometimes linked with Alphaeus.
Sources: Scripture
Clopas, Alphaeus, and the family behind them
FamilyHypothesisHegesippus (via Eusebius) says Clopas was Joseph's brother and father of Symeon, second bishop of Jerusalem. Some equate Clopas with Alphaeus (father of James the younger), but the Greek names differ and the match is a hypothesis.
Ways people read this (3)
- Clopas and Alphaeus are the same man (Aramaic Halphai behind both names).
- They are different men.
- If Alphaeus is Joseph's brother, James the younger would be a cousin of Jesus.
Sources: Eusebius, Church History 3.11 and 4.22 (citing Hegesippus)
Matthew (Levi) and James son of Alphaeus
FamilyHypothesisMark says Levi the tax collector was a son of Alphaeus, and James the apostle is also called son of Alphaeus. Some think they were brothers, but the Gospels never call them brothers and Matthew's list does not pair them.
Ways people read this (2)
- Brothers: same father Alphaeus.
- Different men who share a common name, and the pair are never linked.
Sources: Scripture
Who is "his mother's sister" in John 19:25?
FamilyDebatedJohn names either three or four women at the cross: "his mother's sister, Mary of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" may be 3 or 4. If four, the sister is likely Salome, mother of Zebedee's sons, making James and John Jesus' first cousins.
Ways people read this (3)
- Four women: sister = Salome, so James and John are cousins of Jesus.
- Three women: Mary of Clopas is the sister, or sister means sister-in-law.
- Two women sharing the name Mary as sisters is unlikely, which favors the four-woman reading.
Sources: Scripture
Salome: mother of James and John
FamilyWidely acceptedMatthew's list at the cross includes "the mother of the sons of Zebedee" where Mark has Salome, so the two are generally taken as the same woman. She asked Jesus for places for her sons.
Sources: Scripture
Two Sanhedrin members bury Jesus
FriendsStated in the textJoseph of Arimathea, a member of the council and secret disciple, asked Pilate for the body. Nicodemus came with about seventy-five pounds of spices. Both belonged to the council that condemned Jesus.
Sources: Scripture
Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus in Jericho
RoleStated in the textLuke places the healing of a blind man near Jericho and then Jesus' meeting with the chief tax collector Zacchaeus there, in the same journey toward Jerusalem. Mark names the blind man Bartimaeus.
Sources: Scripture
Lazarus as the Beloved Disciple?
FriendsHypothesisJohn 11 says Jesus loved Lazarus and calls him "he whom you love". Later the Beloved Disciple appears only after John 13. Some see Lazarus there. Early tradition (Irenaeus) names John the apostle.
Ways people read this (4)
- John son of Zebedee (Irenaeus and most traditions).
- Lazarus (Filson and others), since he is the only man said to be loved.
- John Mark, or an otherwise unnamed Judean disciple.
- A literary ideal figure.
Sources: Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1 · Floyd Filson, Journal of Biblical Literature (1949)
Drafted with AI assistance from the biblical text and named historical sources, and labelled by how firmly each link is supported. Family links also draw on STEPBible’s TIPNR data (CC BY 4.0). Where tradition or hypothesis is involved, read the cited verses and judge for yourself.