Mary Magdalene and the Alabaster Jar

By Crystal Lutton

In the account of Lazarus’ death and resurrection, Mary confronted Jesus for not being there to save her brother. She then returned to her mourning. She didn’t understand who Jesus really was and he was so deeply troubled by it that he wept. He asked to be taken to Lazarus and then raised him from the dead. 

Mary, who sat at the feet of the Master, and was commended for choosing the better thing, missed it. 

But then, she witnessed the miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. 

Mary responded by coming once again to kneel at the feet of Jesus, this time with understanding of who he truly was. In a beautiful act of faith, she broke a costly jar of perfume and anointed Jesus. In a beautiful expression of humility, she cried at his feet. In a beautiful moment of repentance, she dried his feet with her own hair. 

Crowds who had heard what Jesus did for Lazarus gathered. Simon, the Pharisee, was embarrassed that Jesus would allow such a “sinful woman” to touch him. Again, we are not told why Mary is called “sinful” in Luke’s account. 

But Jesus confronted Simon about his judgmental assumptions about Mary. He encouraged Mary to keep the rest of the oil for the day of his burial—a promise that she would be there to anoint him once again on that day. 

When Jesus was taken from the cross and laid in a tomb, “Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave” (Matthew 27:61). 

Mary was no doubt holding that same alabaster jar she used to anoint Jesus in the home of Simon. She stood ready to anoint her savior again. What a privilege to be among the women who first learned that he had risen! 

The believer who anointed Jesus before his crucifixion wasn’t a nameless woman with a history of sexual sin. She was Mary, a dedicated follower of Jesus. Casting another woman in that role because we struggle to reconcile two accounts of the same woman is not honest. The unnamed woman in Luke did not randomly wander into that dinner, carrying oil to spontaneously pour on the Teacher who would be the Messiah. No, she came with a purpose—to anoint her savior. 

Mary’s story challenges us to look at Scripture with fresh, unbiased eyes and reexamine traditional Christian teaching about women. Women can learn at the feet of the Messiah like Mary did. We can serve in his ministry like Mary did. And when we fall short and miss Jesus’ true character, we can go to him without shame. And just like Mary, we will find acceptance and hope.