Antonio Mcgowan
The alabaster vial of perfume was worth a year's wages, which is the equivalent of $25,000 or $54,509 in U.S. dollars. Alabaster was an expensive material, forming slowly in dark caves at a rate of 0.25-3mm per year. The perfume inside was made of pure nard, a costly ointment imported from India or elsewhere in the East. Nard was made from a plant that grew in the Himalayas and was often stored in long-necked alabaster jars to prevent evaporation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Alabaster |
| Container Type | Vial, jar, flask, box |
| Contents | Perfume, ointment, fragrant spices, nard |
| Cost | A year's wages, 300 denarii, $54,509, $25,000, tens of thousands of dollars |
| Volume | 12 ounces |
| Container Description | Handleless, long and thin neck |
| Colour | Varied hues, not all white |
| Sealed | Yes |
| Breakable | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
The perfume was worth a year's wages
The vial of perfume was worth a year's wages, an exorbitant amount. In John 12:5, the Bible states that the perfume was worth a year's wages, with John Piper estimating this to be the equivalent of a $25,000 perfume. Another source places the value at $54,509.
The high cost of the perfume is also mentioned in Mark 14:4-5, where the woman who anointed Jesus with the perfume is criticised for her use of such an expensive substance. The perfume was made of pure nard, a costly ointment imported from India or elsewhere in the East. Nard was made from a plant that grew in the Himalayas.
The perfume was kept in an alabaster jar, a stone that was often imported from Egypt and made into handleless perfume flasks with long, thin necks. Alabaster was believed to be the best material for storing perfumes. The jar was sealed to prevent the perfume from evaporating, and when the woman anointed Jesus, she broke the jar, pouring out all of her precious ointment.
The woman's act of anointing Jesus with the expensive perfume was a beautiful expression of her devotion and worship. It was a costly sacrifice, as she gave up everything she had, literally at Jesus' feet.
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The perfume was made of pure nard
The value of perfume in ancient times was based on the ingredients used to make it. Olive oil-based perfumes containing decoctions of expensive plants, roots, or secretions were highly valued and only affordable to the wealthy.
Nard, also known as spikenard, is a class of aromatic amber-colored essential oil derived from the Nardostachys jatamansi plant, which grows in the Himalayas of Nepal, China, and India. It has been used for centuries as a perfume, traditional medicine, and in religious ceremonies. In ancient Rome, nardus was used to flavor wine and was the main ingredient in a perfume called unguentum nardinum.
The value of nard was enhanced by its expense and rarity, as it was imported from India or elsewhere in the East. Its high cost suggests that it was an heirloom passed down through generations. In fact, nard was so valuable that it was criticized for being more important than helping the poor.
The perfume made of pure nard, therefore, would have been extremely valuable. Mary's act of using a year's wages worth of perfume on Jesus was a beautiful act of devotion and honor. The gesture of anointing someone's head or feet with perfume was a sign of respect and hospitality, and Mary's sacrifice of her treasure illustrates the high cost of her sacrifice and love for Jesus.
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The woman's sacrifice
Alabaster was a valuable material in ancient times, forming very slowly in dark caves. It was often imported from Egypt and used to make handleless perfume flasks with long necks, which were ideal for sealing in the perfume to prevent evaporation. The woman's alabaster jar, therefore, would have been a costly object in itself.
The perfume was likely made of nard, a costly ointment imported from India or elsewhere in the east. Nard was made from a plant that grew in the Himalayas, and its expense suggests it was an heirloom passed down through generations. It may have been the woman's dowry, her inheritance, all that she had.
The woman's act of breaking the alabaster jar and pouring the perfume on Jesus' feet was a beautiful expression of her faith and love. It was also an act of worship, a sacrifice of something valuable and precious. This sacrifice is set in contrast to the cheap payment received by Jesus' betrayer, Judas Iscariot, who criticised the woman's action, saying that the money should have been given to the poor.
The story of the woman's sacrifice is a powerful reminder of the value of devotion and worship. It also highlights the importance of sacrifice in the Christian faith. Through her sacrifice, the woman was able to show her love and gratitude to Jesus, and her example continues to inspire and challenge believers today.
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Alabaster was imported from Egypt
Alabaster is a stone that has been used for thousands of years to create decorative objects and artefacts. It is soft and can be easily carved into elaborate forms, but it is soluble in water, so it is not suitable for outdoor use.
In ancient Egypt, alabaster was used to create household items, ritual objects, and funerary objects like sarcophagi and Canopic jars, which were used during the mummification process. The ancient pharaohs also used the stone to adorn temples and tombs. The use of alabaster in Egypt dates back to at least the 1st century, and likely much earlier, as it was referenced in use during Herod's time in the Bible.
Due to its softness, alabaster was often used to create perfume containers, as it could be easily carved into the long-necked, handleless flasks required to store the precious liquids. These containers were also referred to as alabastra or alabastron, with the Greek word specifically denoting a vase of alabaster. The stone was frequently imported from Egypt, where it was sourced from two places: a few miles behind the Valley of the Kings in Luxor (ancient Thebes) and the Malawi area.
However, recent research has challenged the notion that all ancient alabaster artefacts originated in Egypt. A multidisciplinary study revealed that the luxury alabaster bathtubs commissioned by Herod were sourced from quarries in ancient Israel, not Egypt as previously believed. This discovery suggests that Israel was a significant source of high-quality alabaster in the ancient world, dating back to at least the Middle Bronze Age.
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The perfume was sealed in the jar
Alabaster was a suitable material for storing perfume because it is a slowly forming substance that grows only in dark caves at a rate of 0.25-3mm per year. It was often imported from Egypt and made into handleless perfume flasks with long and thin necks.
The woman who anointed Jesus with the perfume is believed to be Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. She broke the seal of the alabaster jar and poured the perfume on Jesus' head or feet. This was a beautiful act of devotion and worship, as she gave up everything she had at the feet of Jesus.
The gesture of anointing someone's feet was a way to show honour and respect. It was also a taboo for a woman to touch a man she was not married to, and for a woman to have her hair down in public. Mary's act of washing Jesus' feet with her hair and anointing him with expensive perfume was a sacrifice that demonstrated her faith and love.
The breaking of the alabaster jar and the pouring out of the perfume represent Mary's complete surrender and devotion to Jesus. The perfume was worthless once the jar was broken, but the act conferred great honour on Jesus.
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Frequently asked questions
The perfume was worth a year's wages, which is the equivalent of $25,000 or $54,509 in US dollars.
The perfume was made of pure nard, a costly ointment imported from India or elsewhere in the East.
Alabaster was believed to be the best material for preserving perfumes. The stone was often imported from Egypt and made into handleless perfume flasks with long and thin necks.
Mary, the sister of Lazarus, poured the perfume on Jesus' head and feet.
Mary's action was an act of devotion to Jesus. She gave up everything she had, which was all the more significant as the perfume may have been her dowry.
