The Woman With the Alabaster Jar Pt1

Every morning when I leave the house, I put the television either on The Outdoor Channel or Animal Planet so my dogs have something to watch during the day. (I know I’m not the only one who does this!). One morning in mid-February, as I was about to leave the house for work, I switched the television from the news to Animal Planet and caught the tail end of Steve Irwin speaking on his show, Crocodile Hunter. He was talking about some of his close encounters with wildlife and how he’d been bitten, stung, and otherwise attacked, but he said it was worth it. His goal was to save the lives of animals and putting himself in danger to show up close images of the animals would hopefully spark viewers to get to know the animals and want to save them. To get just some of the passion about saving these animals as he had. Steve said on the show, “when you see wildlife up close, you want to save it.” 

It’s Hard to Hate Up Close

In 2016, I heard James Comey say six words that pierced my heart, “it’s hard to hate up close”, during a speech from the pulpit of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama during an event titled “Race and Law Enforcement: It’s more than just black and white”. As you know, 16th Street Baptist Church was the location of a church bombing in 1963 that killed four little girls and injured others, targeted because of their race and the activism taking place for racial equality, really activism to be treated with basic dignity and given the same access to the rights of every American that white Americans enjoyed. The families of those little girls and the community didn’t back down. Despite the unimaginable pain and loss, they continued marching and demanding equality. That despicable act brought the attention of the world to the injustices wrought upon black Americans and made others see the humanity behind the marches and speeches. It made the country really look at them and see them. 

When Comey spoke those words in 2016, it was a reference to racial tension, but it applies to people who have different political and religious beliefs. It applies to those who support Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. It applies to Christians and Muslims. Look at the human behind the label. What both Steve Irwin and James Comey understood, is that one you look at someone – really see him or her, (or that animal in Irwin’s case) – once you get to know that person, you see them in a different light. You may not ever agree, but you shouldn’t hate the person, the human behind that viewpoint on which you disagree.

Weeping at Jesus’ Feet

Jesus said this, too, in the passages in Luke 7:37-50 about the woman with the alabaster jar. In this story, Jesus is eating in the home of a Pharisee. Of course, the room is full of only men. Jesus is reclining at the table which means he is essentially lying on his side, propped up by one arm, with his legs and feet extended away from the table. Suddenly, a woman bursts into the room, stands behind him at his feet and begins weeping.  She doesn’t say anything, she just cries. As her tears fell onto his feet, she wiped his feet with her hair, then kissed his feet, and finally, anointed them with the ointment in the alabaster jar she carried into the house with her. 

The passage doesn’t address this, but I presume her hair was already down or that she let it down when she started to clean Jesus’ nasty feet with her hair. From my research, when a woman in that time had her hair down in public, it was a sign she was available, or a prostitute. This explains why the Pharisee said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.’ (7:39). 

Do You See This Woman?

This is the part of the story that gets extraordinary. Jesus asked a question about who is more grateful for forgiveness, someone with a small debt or someone with a large debt. The answer was and still is obvious. But, here’s the best part, Jesus, “then turning toward the woman . . .”. Jesus turns toward her, looks at her, and addresses Simon, saying, “Do you see this woman?”  Jesus then goes on to speak highly of her – all while looking at her. There is no indication in Scripture that He took his eyes off her while He was speaking to Simon. 

If someone is talking and looks at someone or something while talking, what will those in the audience be looking at? Quite likely, they’ll be looking at – giving attention to – whatever, or whoever, the speaker is giving his attention to. So, here, Jesus is looking at the woman, tells the others to look at the woman, and they remain looking at her while Jesus is praising her. He is telling them and demonstrating to them, to look. Look at her. 

Look at the woman who can’t stop crying, look at the woman using her own hair to clean the dirty and nasty feet of a man she didn’t know but loved, look at the woman who never says a word, and look at the woman who pours a perfume on Jesus’ feet. What must have the men been thinking as Jesus talked? Did they wonder why this woman was “available”? What happened in her life that she had to sell her body? Did they wonder how this woman came to be so grateful for Jesus, how she became so brave as to burst into a room of religious men whom she had to know would judge her? Look at her. 

Honoring Her

Not the “prostitute”, but the woman. This physical action draws attention to her and takes the attention off Jesus. He is guiding those in the room to pay close attention to this woman, drawing attention to her faith, love, devotion, and humility. He sets her as an example for the male religious leader. Jesus elevates her position in that moment. Jesus had been the guest of honor at that banquet, but in that moment, He elevates her to the position of honor. 

Those tears meant something else, too. This is a physical depiction, a portrait, of Psalm 56:8, “Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll – are they not in your record?” God knows our tears, how many tears we’ve cried. Jesus recognized her tears with the shame, pain, and love behind each one, and He honored each of those tears as He said to her that her faith had saved her, go in peace. 

Tears

The lessons from the Woman With the Alabaster Jar continue. Part 2 will be posted in days. Sign up here to receive it when it’s released.