in luke (10:38–42), mary, sister of lazarus is contrasted with her sister martha, who was "cumbered about many things" while jesus was their guest, while mary had chosen "the better part," that of listening to the master's discourse. john names her as the "one who had anointed the lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair" (11:2). in luke, an unidentified "sinner" in the house of a pharisee anoints jesus' feet. any pre-existing relationship between jesus and lazarus himself, prior to the miracle, is unspecified by john. in catholic folklore, mary, the sister of lazarus, is seen as the same as mary madgalene.