Opening a jar can be a hassle. First, there’s a plastic seal, then an air-tight lid. After a few frustrating twists, I usually have to resort to a couple of strategic taps with a kitchen knife to get the lid to pop. Sometimes, I quit and put the jar back on the shelf because the lid just won’t budge. It takes elbow grease, but if we want to enjoy what’s inside the jar, we have to exert the energy.
Reading the Bible is similar. We may hear the first few words of the Gospel and be tempted to put the Bible away because it is either too difficult to understand or we’ve heard the words so many times they seem boring. The story about the woman with the alabaster jar is one of these stories that can be overly familiar, but if we open it carefully, there’s much more to consider.
There are four references in the New Testament (Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, John 12:1-9, Luke 7:36-50) about women who use expensive perfumed oil to anoint Jesus’ feet, His head or both. The “jar” I want to open is Luke 7:36-50, as this story is a bit different than the others.
“A Pharisee invited him (Jesus) to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.” The Pharisee was a religious leader who strictly followed Jewish law and tradition. He had a scrutinizing eye and a judgmental spirit, but he was held in high regard by the Jewish community as being holy. The Pharisee must have heard about Jesus’ popularity and was jealous.
“There was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he (Jesus) was at table in the house of the Pharisee.” Evidently, Jesus’ dining with the Pharisee was the talk of the town. The “sinful” woman heard about this dinner party and she had to go see Jesus. Why was she called a “sinful woman”? We don’t know, but her reputation eclipses her name. No matter what her sins were, she sought out Jesus, humbling herself by going uninvited to the house of a self-righteous Pharisee. She must have expected to be criticized or chastised at the door when she arrived, yet she went anyway. When was the last time we actually humbled ourselves and fervently sought out Jesus in confession, Adoration, prayer, Mass, or service to others? And when we do take the time, do we go with the attitude of “I must see Jesus”?
Why did the woman want to see Jesus anyway?
“Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.” Alabaster is precious stone resembling marble and it was used in Solomon’s Temple. The alabaster flask would preserve and keep the contents pure. The ointment had to be expensive to warrant such a container. Perfumed oil was used for special occasions. This woman deemed her visit with Jesus as such an occasion. Notice that she didn’t dip her finger in the oil and touch His head or feet, saving the oil for another day. Instead, she emptied the flask – giving all that she had. She stood not in front of Jesus, but behind Him. We have 24 hours in a day. Are we dipping our finger into the jar and giving Jesus 30 minutes? What are our priorities? Have we even opened our jar? After giving Jesus all that she had, she adored Him, prostrating herself on the ground – how else could she wipe His feet with her hair? When the priest raises the Host, do we have a similar lump in our throats, holding back our tears of love knowing the human sacrifice that was given to us on the cross, or are we focused on getting out of the parking lot when Mass ends?
“When the Pharisee who had invited him (Jesus) saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.’” The Pharisee’s piety was marred by self-righteousness and egotism. He did not applaud the woman for adoring Jesus; instead, he found fault with her. The three words to focus on are “he said to himself.” Inwardly, the Pharisee mocked Jesus, thinking he would prove Him to be a fraud. Why did the Pharisee let this sinful woman into his home anyway? Her arrival was perfect timing, because the Pharisee wanted to discredit Jesus. A Pharisee would never associate or dine with a known sinful woman. No, he was using her to show his guests that Jesus was not worthy of honor.
“Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said.” Why did Luke use the word “reply,” when the Pharisee had not said anything aloud? Jesus read his mind. Then the Pharisee called Jesus “teacher,” setting the stage, or so he thought, for catching Jesus at fault for something.
Jesus continued, “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Isn’t it odd that Jesus uses the word “love”? Love is so intimate. Do we have this kind of relationship with Jesus? When was the last time we shed a tear for our sins? How big is our debt? How much do we love Jesus?
“Simon said in reply, ‘The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.’ He said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment.’” Jesus turned toward the woman, but directed His words to the Pharisee to rebuke him: “Simon, you invited me to dine but it wasn’t really to dine. I read your heart, and you had another motive.” This must have infuriated the Pharisee!
“‘So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ He said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” What Jesus said was exactly what the Pharisee had hoped for: this man was claiming to be God, forgiving sins, but He was not discredited. Rather, word of Him spread even wider.
“The others at table said to themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ But he (Jesus) said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” The woman came in as a sinner and left as a saint.
Isn’t it time we open our spiritual jars and give all our love to Jesus?
Bobby Speers is an author who lives in Hickory.