The honor of anointing the Son of God when He walked the earth wasn’t given to a king, priest, minister, or even a man, but a woman. At a time when the ancient world regarded women as objects and possessions, this was radical. While the greatest minds debated and doubted, she acted. This nameless woman has been famous for thousands of years and will be until the end of the age. Jesus said, “Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Mark 14:9)
We don’t know her name because who she was wasn’t the point — it was what she did that contained the message.
“While He was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.” —Mark 14:3
The Alabaster Jar
This unknown woman discreetly knelt, broke the container, and anointed our Lord with perfume worth a year’s wages. Jesus made her famous because He wanted us to see something deeper.
The alabaster jar itself was costly. It would have been a social flex — displayed prominently in the home and carried openly to show importance and wealth. It was likely a family heirloom passed down through generations, possibly even part of her dowry.
I believe Jesus wants us to notice that the container is a lot like our outward appearance. The world places value on what is external. By breaking this box before anointing Jesus, she was making a statement:
“I’m not trusting what the outer container — my body, beauty, reputation, or dowry — can do for me. My future is in Your hands. I trust You with my treasures, my time, my finances, my name, and my path, and You are worthy of it all”
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7
The Contents
The most costly thing she gave Jesus wasn’t the jar — it was the perfume inside. It represented the inner contents of her heart. While everyone else talked, she worshiped. She anointed Him, preparing Him for His burial.
The greatest act of worship is giving God our inner contents — our hearts, hopes, plans, disappointments, dreams, time, and even our sins. Once the perfume was poured out, it couldn’t be replaced or reused. It was final. Complete. Lavish.
She could have done many other things with it — even sold it and given the money to the poor, as her critics pointed out. But she knew He was God, worthy of everything she had, and she gave it freely. I’m sure those around could have given something even more expensive. No matter what we lack, when we give it all to Him, it’s always enough.
“Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. Mark 14: 4-5
The Critics
Isn’t it something how critics appear most loudly when we’re doing the right thing? Those who fixate on outward things rarely understand our worship — the time we give God in the early morning hours, the love, the resources, the sacrifices we make for Him when we could be doing something else.
Jesus came to her defense making this unknown, unnamed woman famous as a gracious reminder that the greatest gift we can give Him is ourselves — no matter how lacking or broken we feel. It is always enough.
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:6-9
