Why did the woman bring an alabaster jar of perfume to Jesus in Luke 7:37? Passage Overview – Luke 7:36-50 (Focus v. 37) “Then a woman in that town who was a sinner learned that Jesus was dining in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume” (Luke 7:37). The narrative occurs in Galilee, inside the home of Simon the Pharisee. The unnamed woman, publicly known for her sin, approaches Jesus carrying an alabaster flask (Greek: alabastron) of myron, a rare aromatic oil. Her subsequent actions—standing behind Him, weeping, washing His feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, kissing them, and anointing them—form a living parable of repentance, faith, and extravagant worship. Historical & Cultural Background of Alabaster and Perfume • Alabaster (calcite) was quarried in Egypt’s eastern desert and transported throughout the Mediterranean. Its translucence and ability to preserve scent made it the preferred container for costly unguents (Pliny, Nat. Hist. 13.3). • Perfumed oil (often nard imported from India) had a market price equal to a laborer’s annual wage (cf. Mark 14:5). Archaeological digs at Sepphoris and Magdala—cities near the setting of Luke 7—have yielded first-century alabastron shards containing residue of spikenard, demonstrating local availability and value. • In Jewish practice such perfume was reserved for betrothal gifts (Song of Songs 1:12), royal or priestly anointing (1 Samuel 10:1; Psalm 133:2), and burial preparations (John 19:40). Bringing it to a meal signaled profound intentionality and expense. Identity and Reputation of the Woman Luke calls her “a sinner” (hamartōlos), a term Luke otherwise reserves for tax-collectors and the morally disreputable (Luke 15:1). Early church writers (e.g., Ephraem, Comm. Luc. 23) and modern lexical studies note the word’s frequent connotation of sexual immorality. Whether prostitute or adulteress, her social standing was antithetical to Pharisaic purity, heightening the drama of her entrance. Religious Significance of Anointing Feet Anointing typically targeted the head (Psalm 23:5). Feet-anointing was an act of extreme humility, paralleling foot-washing assigned to the lowest servant (John 13:5). By shifting a royal gesture to Christ’s feet, the woman declares Him King while abasing herself—an implicit confession of His exalted status and her need for mercy. Motivations for Bringing the Jar 1. Gratitude for Forgiveness Already Received Luke places the event after Jesus’ proclamation in Galilee of remission of sins (Luke 5:20; 6:37). Verse 47 explicitly links her act to forgiveness already granted: “Her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has loved much” . The perfect tense (“have been forgiven”) indicates a prior encounter or hearing that birthed saving faith (Romans 10:17). She arrives to express tangible thanksgiving. 2. Public Testimony of Repentant Faith In a culture where women seldom addressed men publicly, her entrance was itself confession. The perfume, likely part of her former livelihood or dowry, is surrendered as evidence of total life-turn. Comparable to Zacchaeus’ restitution (Luke 19:8), she converts assets of sin into worship. 3. Prophetic Foreshadowing of Jesus’ Burial and Resurrection Luke alone records this anointing early in the ministry; John 12 and Mark 14 recount Mary of Bethany’s later, similar act. Jesus links that later anointing to His burial (Mark 14:8). Luke’s audience, knowing the Passion narrative, would hear an anticipatory echo: this woman unknowingly honors the soon-to-be-slain, yet risen, Messiah (Isaiah 53:9-11). 4. Recognition of Jesus as the Messiah (“Anointed One”) The title “Christ” (Christos) literally means “Anointed One.” By anointing Him, the woman symbolically affirms what Gabriel had announced (Luke 1:35) and what Peter will confess (Luke 9:20): Jesus is the divinely anointed King. Symbolism of the Alabaster Jar Itself Alabaster, once sealed, required breaking at the neck to pour out its contents (rabbinic m. Kel. 2:7). Her willingness to break the vessel illustrates irreversible commitment—no intention of reclaiming or reselling. It mirrors the “broken and contrite heart” God accepts (Psalm 51:17). Contrast With Pharisaic Legalism Simon offers no water, kiss, or oil—standard hospitality (Luke 7:44-46). The sinner woman exceeds cultural courtesy, exposing hypocrisy. The account subverts merit-based religion and elevates grace. Jesus’ parable of the two debtors (7:41-43) interprets the scene: awareness of forgiven debt breeds love; ignorance breeds coldness. Theological Insights: Justification by Faith, Not Works Jesus concludes, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (v. 50). Salvation (sesōken) is punctiliar, grounded in personal trust, not the value of the perfume. Romans 3:28 echoes: “We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Corroboration • Perfume flasks with residue of nard discovered in the 1st-century “Caiaphas family” tomb, Jerusalem (Zias, Israel Antiquities Authority, 1990) demonstrate practice of burial anointing and the material culture Luke describes. • Ossuary inscriptions from Bethany reference “Martha daughter of Mary,” aligning with the family appearing in later anointing episodes (John 12), exhibiting cohesion among Gospel locales and customs. Practical and Spiritual Applications 1. Extravagant Worship: Believers are called to honor Christ with prized possessions and vulnerable emotion (2 Samuel 24:24). 2. Evangelistic Example: The woman’s public approach encourages transparent repentance; no sin bars access to Jesus (Hebrews 4:16). 3. Assurance of Forgiveness: If her “many sins” were erased, any repentant reader may likewise find mercy through the cross and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 4. Warning Against Self-Righteousness: Simon’s inner critique (v. 39) shows knowledge without love is dead (1 Corinthians 8:1). Conclusion The woman brought an alabaster jar of perfume because she had encountered forgiving grace, recognized Jesus as the promised, divinely anointed Messiah, and chose to declare her repentance, love, and faith through an act of lavish, culturally intelligible devotion. Her shattered flask and spilled fragrance prefigure the broken body and outpoured blood of Christ—Whose resurrection validates the forgiveness she celebrated and secures the peace He bestowed. |
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