Bethany

Jesus was “in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,” when a woman came with a jar of precious ointment and poured it on his head. The disciples called it waste and said it could have been sold for the poor. Jesus answered that she had “wrought a good work upon me”, and that what she did would be told “for a memorial of her” wherever the gospel was preached. Bethany also appears as a place to rest: after entering Jerusalem Jesus went out to lodge there. Read Matthew 26:6-13, then Mark 11:11-12.

12 verses

Matthew

Matthew 21:17

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Matthew 26:6

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

Matthew 26:7

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

Matthew 26:8

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

Matthew 26:9

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

Matthew 26:10

When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

Matthew 26:11

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

Matthew 26:12

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Matthew 26:13

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Mark

Mark 11:11

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

Mark 11:12

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

Mark 11:19

And when even was come, he went out of the city.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

House of dates. (1.) The Revised Version in John 1:28 has this word instead of Bethabara, on the authority of the oldest manuscripts. It appears to have been the name of a place on the east of Jordan.

(2.) A village on the south-eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (Mark 11:1), about 2 miles east of Jerusalem, on the road to Jericho. It derived its name from the number of palm-trees which grew there. It was the residence of Lazarus and his sisters. It is frequently mentioned in connection with memorable incidents in the life of our Lord (Matt. 21:17; 26:6; Mark 11:11, 12; 14:3; Luke 24:50; John 11:1; 12:1). It is now known by the name of el-Azariyeh, i.e., “place of Lazarus,” or simply Lazariyeh. Seen from a distance, the village has been described as “remarkably beautiful, the perfection of retirement and repose, of seclusion and lovely peace.” Now a mean village, containing about twenty families.

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

Bethany

In the Revised Version for BETHABARA, (John 1:28) where Jesus was baptized by John. It was probably an obscure village near Bethabara, and in time its name faded out and was replaced by the larger and more important Bethabara.

Bethany

(house of dates, or house of misery), a village which, scanty as are the notices of it contained in Scripture, is more intimately associated in our minds than perhaps any other place with the most familiar acts and scenes of the last days of the life of Christ. It was situated "at" the Mount of Olives, (Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29) about fifteen stadia (furlongs, i.e. 1 1/2 or 2 miles) from Jerusalem (John 11:18) on or near the usual road From Jericho to the city, (Luke 19:29) comp. Mark 11:1 comp. Mark 10:46 And close by the west(?) of another village called Bethphage, the two being several times mentioned together. Bethany was the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus, and is now known by a name derived from Lazarus--el-Azariyeh or Lazarieh . It lies on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, fully a mile beyond the summit, and not very far from the point at which the road to Jericho begins its more sudden descent towards the Jordan valley. El-Azariyeh is a ruinous and wretched village, a wild mountain hamlet of some twenty families. Bethany has been commonly explained "house of dates," but it more probably signifies "house of misery." H. Dixon, "Holy Land," ii. 214, foll.