Bible Study Lessons from the Woman with the Alabaster Flask

Bible Study Lessons from the Woman with the Alabaster Flask is a book excerpt from How to Serve the Body of Christ.

The story of the Woman with the Alabaster Flask is chronicled in Luke  7:36-50, Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9 and we can learn the following Bible study lessons from her on how to minister to the Body of Christ:

Fill A Need

The Woman with the Alabaster Flask saw that Simon the Pharisee who had invited Jesus into his home had neglected the customary duty of washing His feet. She, therefore, went straight ahead and filled that need by washing, wiping, kissing and anointing the feet of Jesus. 

Jesus approved of her action for He told His host, “I came into your house and you did not give Me water to wash my feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss,  but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.” (Luke 7:44-46) 

Therefore if you are looking for a way to serve the Body of Christ today, look for something that the Christians around you need and fill that need regardless of whether it is visiting the sick in hospital, feeding the hungry or cleaning your Church after service.  

Use What You Have

The Woman with the Alabaster Jar did not hold back from filling that need of washing the feet of Jesus because she did not have water or towels. She improvised and used her tears as the cleansing water and her hair as the drying towel to fill the need.

Therefore, do not step back from filling the need you have identified because you do not have the money to buy the “right tools” to get the job done. Begin using the knowledge, skills, and resources you have however unconventional they may be, as long as you are not breaking any laws.

For example you can begin by hosting a Bible study even if your home is small and cramped. You can also offer to host and manage your Church's website.

There Will Be Critics

When the disciples saw the Woman with the Alabaster Jar was offering her services to the Lord Jesus, They were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?” (Matthew 26:8)

They also said, “This perfume Might have been sold for more than 300 denarii and the money donated to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. (Mark 14:5)

Therefore, understand that there will always be critics who will condemn your actions. Their criticism may be motivated by greed, as it may have been in this woman’s situation since the price of her perfume was emphasized.

Your critics may also want to tarnish your ministry’s reputation like in this case for they decribed her acts of service as wasteful and inconsiderate to the poor.

So, if your pure motives are misinterpreted, do not be discouraged and stop serving your local Body of Christ. Continue ministering as you look to the Lord Jesus Christ for your justification the way He vindicated her by asking them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for Me.” (Matthew 26:10) 

Jesus also said, Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the world, what this woman has done will be told as a memorial to her. (Mark 14:9)

This blog post has been shared at some of these Christian Link Up Parties.

To learn all the lessons read How to Serve the Body of Christ.