Matthew 26:6,7 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Now when Jesus was in Bethany— Or, Now Jesus being in Bethany. It is not to be thought that Simon was now a leper; for in this case he would not have been suffered to live in a town, nor would the Jews have come to an entertainment at his house; but either he was once a leper, and had been cured by Jesus, or else the name was given to the family, as some considerable person in it had formerly been a leper. The boxes here spoken of were called only alabasters, not because they were all made of alabaster, for there was some glass; but the greatest part of them were of a kind of alabaster called onyx, and made in the shape of a pyramid. It was customary among the ancients to regale their guests at entertainments with perfumes, odours, and chaplets of flowers, in token of respect; odoriferous balsams, gums, &c. were likewise used by the Jews and Egyptians to embalm their dead. Instead of, very precious ointment, some would render the Greek, odoriferous balsam of great price. See Mark 14:3.