PESACH AND THE ALABASTER BOX

Matt.26:13 "Truly I tell you, wherever this Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Along with my Pesach plate of bitter herbs and salt water, unleavened bread, and a tiny bit of fire-roasted lamb, I set my Pesach table for another annual appointment. I chose to include an Alabaster Box on my Pesach | Passover table last year, and will include it in the years ahead. The nuances of the "anointing of Yeshua" are incredibly meaningful, and worthy of honoring especially in the Pesach season.

The woman, the broken vessel, and the effects of the specifically chosen Spikenard Oil are profound once we learn the attributes of the oil itself and the gravity of what this precious woman's gift to Yeshua accomplished.

Here are some beautiful nuggets from the "Anointing of Yeshua" found in the book of Mark

💎 USE WHAT WE HAVE

• The 14th chap. of Mark should be read in its entirety for this account. In Mark 14:8-9, Yeshua stated that "What she had, she used." That statement ALONE could be gleaned extensively! This woman gave her treasure to honor Yeshua, and in turn, He honored her! He also chastised her critics, and told them to "leave her alone!" But the lesson is to honor the King with what we have.

💎 TO HER REMEMBRANCE-

• In Vs.9, Yeshua says that "WHEREVER HIS 'Good News' is proclaimed IN ALL THE WORLD, WHAT THIS WOMAN DID SHALL ALSO BE SPOKEN OF TO HER REMEMBRANCE. Wow, what an honor!

💎 YESHUA CALLED THEM OUT!!

• Vs.3, "the oil was "PURE NARD," as in Spikenard (extensive notes on this below). This very costly oil was poured upon Yeshua's HEAD by this woman. She was scolded by on-lookers for "wasting" her expensive oil! Yeshua told her critics "leave her alone!" She's done a good work for Me!" I LOVED THAT! He shooed the scoffers away like gnats in her defense. There was no reservation in her heart to honor Yeshua as lavishly as she could. She took the most costly, extravagant thing she had, and lovingly, humbly, proceeded to bless Yeshua with it. Freely, she spared nothing to give Him the best she had.

💎 THE PROFOUND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BROKEN VESSEL-

• When containers were used with oil or wine in ancient "ceremonial" context, like Marriage, or a Crowning Ceremony of 👑Kings, it was CUSTOMARY to "break the vessel (pottery)." Consequently, no one else could use it; it's a sign of utmost respect. Verse 3 states that she "broke" open her oil container, so it could never be resealed or used elsewhere! She could have simply opened the box by removing the lid, or pulled the cork out of the vessel, as some translations indicate it may have been a flask, but she chose to "break" the container for the KING of kings!

This action alone in the culture of her day shows that she understood she was administering a CEREMONIAL OIL. I believe she knew in her heart she was anointing a King. And not just another "King," but a Melchi (Righteous), Zedek (King). Did she sense this was indeed the promised Mashiach, the ONE Son of YeHoVaH, the Ancient of Days that was promised; the prophecy fulfilled? I believe she did. And even though she reverenced and honored Yeshua as the Mashiach, she couldn't have known that soon He would be going to His death by crucifixion, and that her anointing oil was FAR more significant than she could ever imagine.

The fact that Yeshua declared that this woman was to be honored WHEREVER His good news (Gospel) was told, and that her story of "giving all she had" for Him, proves (to me) Yeshua knew perfectly what her gift actually meant.

Furthermore, the "body" (believers) of Yeshua is often referred to as a woman- a Bride, to be exact. Interesting that a woman ANOITED Yeshua at this crucial moment just prior to the events that led to His crucifixion. She too was destined to be part of His Bride, but His New Covenant, which would include her, had not yet been completed.

Yeshua's Baptism (or Mikvah) by His cousin, John the Baptist, began His world-shaking, paradigm-altering ministry. But here in this account, His anointing prepared Him to be KING in EVERY sense of the word. Also, His anointing was a customary official detail that preceded entering into a ..

💎 Marriage Covenant. Yeshua became the Bridegroom of Israel by His death, burial, and triumphant resurrection, and was "anointed" to do so.

TIMELINE CONTEXT- The following verses say that Judas then departed to close the deal with the Pharisees (betrayal), and Yeshua sent two disciples to find the man bearing a jug of water, who would show them a place prepared for their Pesach meal Vs. 12-18. In the evening, Yeshua had His meal with His disciples.

Mk.14:32 tells of Yeshua departing for the Garden of Gethsemane. Thereafter He was apprehended, passed around various jurisdictions for sentencing, and the events of the crucifixion played out.

💎 THE FRAGRANCE- The fragrant Spikenard oil she poured onto Yeshua's head was bound to have run down His face and into His beard. The AROMA of "her gift" surely was WITH Him on the cross, a constant fragrance, a reminding presence of the love and devotion of His dedicated followers- past, present, and future.

💎 When I think of Yeshua's suffering body on that cross, I visualize Him saturated in His sacrificial blood, sweat, and this expensive, fragrant oil of Kings, and those being publicly bound to a Marriage Covenant, filling His nostrils with the intoxicating aroma of this woman's lavish worship. This special ceremonial oil ran off Yeshua's sovereign head and into the beard that would be pulled out during the crucifixion. Surely, the oil and its fragrance were a significant detail that those around Him didn't grasp.

Spikenard oil induces a calming effect and reduces heat and inflammation. For Yeshua, who endured horrific head and face trauma, this oil of Covenant Marriage and of Kings was divinely inspired to be there.

SPIKENARD OIL-

Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi, Valerianaceae), also known as "Nard" or jatamansi (Nepalese meaning 💎Spirit *incarnate*), is a small, tender herb with an aromatic rhizome, native to the mountain areas of north India. It's been used in Anointing Oils for millennia in the Ancient Near East and was mentioned in Egyptian perfume texts and Biblical texts, such as the Song of Solomon. Roman perfumers used it in a preparation called “nardinum.” 1 Nur Jehan, a Mughal empress (1577-1645), employed spikenard in her rejuvenating skin regimes. Dioscorides identified the herb as "warming and drying" and considered it beneficial for nausea, indigestion, conjunctivitis, menstrual issues, and inflammation. Spikenard was often used as incense, and in the Himalayas to *drive away" evil spirits.

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TEN INCREDIBLE ATTRIBUTES OF SPIKENARD- [The references are at the bottom. According to Holmes Ref.2]

➡️ 1. “Strong, systemic relaxant, cooling” abilities to treat intense and hot conditions.

➡️ 2. The herb affects the three major nerve plexuses – cardiac, solar, and sacral.

➡️ 3. Spikenard can relax the brain and cardiovascular system, acting as a “strong hypnotic cerebral sedative” and a cardiovascular relaxant.

➡️ 4. Used for inflammatory conditions, pulling excess heat out of the head and upper body. Spikenard has also been used as a hair restorative, both to prevent graying and for alopecia. In Ayurveda medicine, the sun-dried roots were soaked in ghee (clarified butter) and then smoked to relieve asthma.

➡️ 5. Psychological benefits: olfaction (sense of smell/odor), rather than internal (herb) or topical (oil) use, may be the best way to experience the oil.

➡️ 6. The sweet, woody, root aroma can help create a grounding, centering effect on the body and mind. Spikenard can aid in “cognitive flexibility.”

➡️ 7. Spikenard helps re-pattern constant thoughts of worry, anxiety, and repetitive depressive thinking; the fragrance assists in the release of old wounds.

➡️ 8. The oil can draw a person's attention inward, providing contemplative reflection and connection to Spirit, as its Indian name suggests. During times of both inward and outward.

 ➡️ 9. TRANSFORMATION: Spikenard can be a stabilizing agent because of spikenard's dual abilities for grounding and releasing.

➡️ 10. The oil can provide a sense of support through life’s various transitions.

After looking into Spikenard oil much deeper, it's FAR more meaningful than I could have imagined! Spikenard is an amazing oil and perfectly suited to anoint our Righteous King and Messiah. This anointing helped prepare Yeshua in every way for the crucible He had before Him.

CONCLUSIONS-

The Anointing of Yeshua fulfilled 4 equally important functions-

• 1. Yeshua was the Anointed King of Israel before enduring the crucifixion. [His Crowning Ceremony will take place when he returns.]

• 2. Yeshua was anointed as Israel's legitimate and legal betrothed Bridegroom, preparing Him to enter into His eternal Marriage Covenant, which was soon to be completed in three days upon His resurrection.

• 3. Yeshua's Anointing inundated His mind and body with all the attributes and fragrance the oil possessed. The oil that dripped from Yeshua's head into His beard was a continual companion during His cruel, tortured transition from life to death.

• 4. This unnamed woman will be remembered wherever His Good News is shared. In Yeshua's eyes, her selfless offering of all she had was worthy of eternal honor. The Father guided both her actions and Judas's, each revealing the true state of their hearts. It's striking that Yeshua experienced both the deep betrayal of Judas and the extravagant love of this woman—a vivid contrast between devotion and the cruel, treacherous kiss of death.

💎SONG FOR PESACH- "THE ALABASTER BOX”- by CeCe Winans https://youtu.be/FpoaZ0pA16I

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Ref.- Lori Glenn, HerbClip™ Managing Editor

References:

1- Lawless J. The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. San Francisco, CA: Conari Press; 2013.

2- Holmes P. Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics Vol. 2: Applications and Profiles. London, UK: Singing Dragon; 2019.

3- Rhind JP. Fragrance and Wellbeing – Plant Aromatics and Their Influence on Anointing. London, UK: Singing Dragon; 2014.