Editing Pope Gregory I (section)

===Identification of three figures in the Gospels===
Gregory was among those who identified [[Mary Magdalene]] with [[Mary of Bethany]], whom John 12:1-8 recounts as having [[anointing of Jesus|anointed Jesus]] with precious ointment,<ref>{{bibleverse||John|12:1–8|ESV}}</ref> an event that some interpret as being the same as the [[Parable of the Two Debtors|anointing of Jesus]] performed by a woman that Luke (alone among the [[synoptic Gospels]]) recounts as a sinner.<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|7:36–50|ESV}}; {{bibleverse|Matthew|26:6–13|ESV}}; {{bibleverse|Mark|14:3–9}}</ref> Preaching on the passage in the [[Gospel of Luke]], Gregory remarked: "This woman, whom Luke calls a sinner<ref>{{bibleverse||Luke|7:37|ESV}}</ref> and John calls Mary,<ref>{{bibleverse||John|12:3}}</ref> I think is the Mary from whom Mark reports<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|16:9|ESV}}</ref> that seven demons were cast out."{{efn|name=HancVero}} Modern biblical scholars{{who|date=February 2021}} distinguish these as three separate figures/persons.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schenk |first=Christine |title=Crispina and her sisters: women and authority in early Christianity |date=2017 |publisher=Fortress press |isbn=978-1-5064-1188-0 |location=Minneapolis (Minn.) |pages=11}}</ref> However, within the general populace they are still believed to refer to the same person.{{sfn|Maisch|1998|p=156|loc=Ch.10}}