What is the signifiances of using alabaster? I tried to find information but have come up empty in my search. Was alabaster used for the anointing before his death?
2007-09-12 12:20:55 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
alabastar was what the jar was made from - it's similar to a marble and rather rare.
2007-09-12 12:24:27 · answer #1 · answered by Marysia 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wikipedia tells us...."This alabaster [from the far east] was highly esteemed for making small perfume-bottles or ointment vases called alabastra, and this has been conjectured to be a possible source of the name. Alabaster was also employed in Egypt for canopic jars and various other sacred and sepulchral objects. A splendid sarcophagus, sculptured in a single block of translucent calcite alabaster from Alabastron, is in the Soane Museum, London."
Interesting that it was used to "prepare him for burial." Imagine, this was right before His crucifixion so he would have had that beautiful fragrance on his body, and little else, to comfort Him in that dark hour - not only comforting Him because of how wonderful it smelled, but because it would have been such a wonderful reminder of the love that woman poured out toward him...
2007-09-12 12:30:44 · answer #2 · answered by whitehorse456 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Alabaster is a hard, non-porous stone which is ideal for containing liquids. It would have been a common material to find made into jars & cups, pitchers, cosmetic pots, etc. The significance is it was a practical way of making storage containers at the time.
2007-09-12 12:27:42 · answer #3 · answered by shadowgirl777 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Alabaster was what the fragance was stored in. It was a shell like 'box'. The fragrance I believe was 'Nard'. A very costly perfumed ointment. The amount Mary had was worth more than a years wages for that time. Before Jesus set her free from prostitution, she used this perfume to lure men into 'loving her'. Once she recieved His loving forgiveness for her sins, she chose to demonstrate her deeply received love by pouring out upon Him her greatest earthly treasure. This fragance meant more to her than 'potential income'. It was the one thing she had, that could get her what she really needed most; Genuine Love. Which is exactly what Jesus gave her that day. Like so many details in scripture, this frangrance has far greater significance than is revealed on the surface. To me, it represents the very essence of her soul, poured out from a heart filled with abiding appreciation, totally abandoned to love this man, who's God given wisdom, prevented her from being stoned to death. And in who's eyes she saw 'real love'. Perhaps for the first time in her life. To her, this 'love' was of greater value than anything she owned. Yes, it was indirectly considered an annointing. Usually, I believe a combination of other ointments were used, just before 'burial,' after 'death'. not before.
2007-09-12 12:55:04 · answer #4 · answered by God's Fountain Pen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The jar was MADE out of alabaster, a translucent rock that can be carved into the right shape. The jar CONTAINED myrrh, which was used as a burial spice. It was VERY expensive.
2007-09-12 12:27:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The box she held her oils in was made of alabaster. Which is a fine material used for carving.
2007-09-12 12:28:52 · answer #6 · answered by Lov'n IT! 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there was any significance in using alabaster other that that was what was available at the time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabaster
2007-09-12 12:27:27 · answer #7 · answered by DrMichael 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It was costly. The jar + the perfume were a treasure to her, and when she poured it out (the entire jar), it filled the entire house with it's fragrance.
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2007-09-12 12:30:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋