God's Sovereignty in the Woman with the Alabaster Jar
The story of the woman with the alabaster jar is a biblical account found in the Gospels, where a woman pours expensive ointment on Jesus' head as he sits at a meal [2]. This act is often seen as a demonstration of her devotion and faith. The alabaster jar itself was made from a stone found near Alabastron in Egypt, and such containers were used to hold precious ointments [1].
In the context of God's sovereignty, this story can be seen as an illustration of how God works through ordinary people to accomplish His purposes. The woman's actions are not portrayed as a result of her own initiative alone, but rather as an expression of her faith and devotion to Jesus. According to Matthew 26:7, the 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" [2].
The use of expensive ointment and the alabaster jar highlights the value and significance of the act. The jar was made from a soft marble that was often used for expensive containers, signifying the high value of the ointment it held [5]. This act of devotion is contrasted with the criticism from those around Jesus, who saw it as wasteful.
The imagery of the woman with the alabaster jar can be contrasted with the depiction of the "great whore" in Revelation, who is described as being "decked with gold and precious stones and pearls" [3]. While the woman with the alabaster jar is shown as a humble and devoted follower of Jesus, the "great whore" represents a corrupted and idolatrous system. According to Adam Clarke, the "great whore" represents idolatrous worship, frequently depicted in Scripture as a woman or whoredom [7].
The contrast between these two images highlights the difference between true devotion and false or corrupted worship. The woman with the alabaster jar represents a genuine expression of faith, while the "great whore" symbolizes a system that is opposed to God's sovereignty. In the view of some traditions, the "great whore" is seen as a representation of a corrupted church or religious system [4, 6].
The story of the woman with the alabaster jar thus serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty in working through ordinary people to accomplish His purposes. It highlights the importance of genuine devotion and faith, as opposed to corrupted or idolatrous systems. The imagery used in Revelation to describe the "great whore" serves as a contrast to the humble devotion of the woman with the alabaster jar, emphasizing the difference between true and false worship [3, 7].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Alabaster — Occurs only in the New Testament in connection with the box of "ointment of spikenard very precious," with the contents of which a woman anointed the head of Jesus as he sat at supper in the house of Simon the leper (Matt. 26:7; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:37). These boxes were made from a stone found near Alabastron in Egypt, and from this circumstance the Greeks gave them the name of the city where they were made. The name was then given to the stone of which they were made; and finally to all perfume vessels, of whatever material they were formed. The woman "bro”
- Matthew “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. -- Matthew 26:7”
- Revelation “The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth. -- Revelation 17:4”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 17:4: And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,.... Which may be expressive of her grandeur, authority, and power, sitting as a queen, and sovereign in the empire, ruling over kingdoms and nations in it; and also of her bloody disposition to the saints, with whose blood she is afterwards said to be drunk; and decked with gold and precious stones, and pearls; which may denote her hypocrisy, she being gilded with these things, as the word signifies, when she was inwardly rotten, corrupt, and filthy; and may point out the things by which persons have been e”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 7:37: 7:37 a certain immoral woman: The implication is that she was a prostitute. • Alabaster is a soft marble—white, yellow, or red—that was often used to make expensive containers like this beautiful . . . jar.”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 17:5: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth - This inscription being written upon her forehead is intended to show that she is not ashamed of her doctrines, but publicly professes and glories in them before the nations: she has indeed a whore's forehead, she has refused to be ashamed. The inscription upon her forehead is exactly the portraiture of the Latin Church. This Church is, as Bishop Newton well expresses it, A Mystery of iniquity. This woman is also called Babylon the Great; s”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 17:1: And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters - That idolatrous worship is frequently represented in Scripture under the character of a whore or whoredom, is evident from numerous passages which it is unnecessary to quote. See Ch1 5:25; Ezekiel 16:1-63; 23:1-49, etc. The woman mentioned here is called a great whore, to denote her excessive depravity, and the artful nature of her idolatry. She is also represented”