a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.
Parallel translations
- WEB a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.
- KJV There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
- NKJV a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.
- NASB a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.
- NLT While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A woman pours very expensive ointment on Jesus's head as He reclines at table. Her lavish act expresses wholehearted devotion to Him.
Overview
Anointing the head was a gesture of honor, and the costly perfume signified an extravagant offering. John's Gospel identifies her as Mary of Bethany. Her sacrificial gift, given to Jesus alone, stands as a model of worship that holds nothing back, and Jesus will interpret it as a preparation for His burial.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- John 12:2–3So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him.
- Luke 7:46You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.
- Luke 7:37–38When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.
- Eccl 9:8Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.
- Song 1:3The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.
- Isa 57:9You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.
- Ps 133:2It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard over the collar of his robes.
- Exod 30:23–33“Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,
- Eccl 10:1As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 26:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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