And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
which.
Luke 7:34,39 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! …
Luke 5:30,32 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? …
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
an.
Matthew 26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
John 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
learned that Jesus was dining there
The woman’s knowledge of Jesus’ presence indicates His growing reputation as a teacher and miracle worker. Dining in this context refers to a formal meal, likely in the home of a Pharisee named Simon. Meals were significant social events, often involving discussions of theology and law. Her decision to approach Jesus at such a gathering underscores her desperation and faith, as well as the boldness required to enter a Pharisee's home uninvited.
she brought an alabaster jar of perfume
Alabaster jars were expensive and used to store precious ointments or perfumes, indicating the value of the contents. The perfume could symbolize her repentance and the costly nature of her sacrifice. In biblical times, perfume was often used for anointing, which has messianic implications, as anointing was associated with kingship and divine appointment. This act prefigures Jesus' anointing as the Messiah and foreshadows His burial, as perfumes were used in burial preparations. The woman's actions parallel the anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany in John 12:3, highlighting themes of devotion and worship.
• Luke describes her simply as “a sinful woman,” signaling a known reputation (Luke 7:39). Scripture never glamorizes sin; it states reality while holding out grace (Romans 3:23–24).
• Her location—“from that town”—connects her to the community Jesus is currently blessing. Just as the paralytic’s friends brought him to Jesus in the same area (Luke 5:18–19), this woman steps out of her past and into His presence.
• God consistently seeks those the world pushes away: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Christ’s invitation is open, whether to tax collectors (Luke 15:1–2) or a woman at a well in Samaria (John 4:7–26).
• News of Jesus’ location spreads quickly; people hungry for mercy track Him down (Mark 2:1–2).
• Her response shows faith in action. Hearing is followed by doing, echoing James 1:22.
• The setting—a meal in a Pharisee’s house—highlights contrast: a respected host at the table, a shamed outsider at the doorway. Yet Jesus will honor genuine repentance over social standing (Luke 18:9–14).
• Scripture consistently reveals Jesus reclining with sinners (Matthew 9:10–13). His presence at the table signals the heart of God: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
• Alabaster was costly; the jar’s contents represented significant value, perhaps her savings or a tool of her former lifestyle (Mark 14:3).
• True repentance often moves us to extravagant worship: “Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet” (John 12:3).
• Her gift foreshadows burial spices, hinting at Jesus’ sacrificial mission (John 19:40). Even before Calvary, the repentant honor His upcoming atonement.
• Her action embodies Psalm 34:18—“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted.” She pours out perfume and, in effect, pours out her heart.
Luke 7:37 shows a woman with a sinful past responding to the grace of Christ she has heard about. She overcomes social barriers, seeks Jesus where He is, and offers a costly, tangible expression of repentance and worship. The verse reminds believers that no history is beyond redemption and that genuine faith moves from hearing to humble, wholehearted action.
(37) A woman in the city, which was a sinner.--The word is clearly used as pointing to the special sin of unchastity. The woman was known in the city as plying there her sinful and hateful calling. The question who she was must be left unanswered. Two answers have, however, been given. (1) The widespread belief that she was Mary Magdalene--shown in the popular application of the term "Magdalen" to a penitent of this class--has absolutely not a single jot or tittle of evidence in Scripture. Nor can there be said to be anything like even a tradition in its favour. The earliest Fathers of the Church are silent. Origen discusses and rejects it. Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine are doubtful. It first gained general acceptance through the authority of Gregory the Great. The choice of this narrative in the Gospel for the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene stamped it as with the sanction of the Western Church. The omission of that feast from the calendar of the Prayer Book of 1552 shows that the English Reformers at least hesitated, if they did not decide against it. We may note further (a) that if the popular belief were true we should have expected some hint of it on the occurrence of the name of Mary Magdalene in Luke 8:3; (b) that the description given of that Mary, as one out of whom had been cast "seven devils," though not incompatible with a life of impurity, does not naturally suggest it; (c) that, on the assumption of identity, it is difficult to say when the "devils" had been cast out. Was it before she came with the ointment, or when our Lord spake the words, "Thy sins are forgiven thee?" It is obvious that the conduct of the woman in the Pharisee's house was very different from the wild frenzy of a demoniac. (2) The belief adopted by some interpreters, and more or less generally received in the Church of Rome, that the woman was none other than Mary the sister of Lazarus, who, on this hypothesis, is identified also with Mary Magdalene, is even more baseless. The inference that when St. John speaks of Mary of Bethany as "that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment," must refer to the previous anointing which St. Luke narrates, and not to that which St. John himself records (John 12:3), is almost fantastic in its arbitrariness; and it will seem to most minds inconceivable that such a one as the sister of Lazarus, who appears in Luke 10:42 as "having chosen the good part," could so shortly before have been leading the life of a harlot of the streets. Occurring as the narrative does in St. Luke only, it is probable enough that the "woman which was a sinner" became known to the company of devout women named in Luke 8:1-3, and that the Evangelist derived his knowledge of the facts from them. His reticence--possibly their reticence--as to the name was, under the circumstances, at once natural and considerate.When she knew that Jesus . . .--The words imply that she had heard of Him--perhaps had listened to Him. She may have heard of His compassion for the widow of Nain in her sorrow. She might have been drawn by the ineffable pity and tenderness of His words and looks. She would show her reverence as she could.
Brought an alabaster box of ointment.--See Note on Matthew 26:7. There is not the same stress laid here, as in the anointing by Mary of Bethany, on the preciousness of the ointment; but we may believe that it was relatively as costly. Passages like Proverbs 7:17, Isaiah 3:24, suggest the thought that then, as perhaps in all ages, the lavish and luxurious use of perfumes characterised the unhappy class to which the woman belonged. The ointment may have been purchased for far other uses than that to which it was now applied. . . .
Verse 37. - And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house. The text in the older authorities is more forcible: "a woman which was a sinner in that city." Her miserable way of life would thus be well known to Simon and other of the guests. This sad detail would serve to bring out the contrast in more vivid colours. In these Oriental feasts the houses were often left open, and uninvited strangers frequently passed in through the open courtyard into the guest-chamber, and looked on. She had heard Jesus already, perhaps often, and had drunk in his pleading words, begging sinners to turn and to come to him for peace. Perhaps what had decided her to take this step of boldly seeking out the Master were words apparently spoken about this time (in St. Matthew's Gospel they follow directly after the discourse respecting the Baptist just related), "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," etc. (Matthew 11:28-30). It was a bold step for one like her to press uninvited, in broad daylight, into the house of a rigid purist like Simon; but the knowledge that Jesus (though personally, as she thought, she was unknown to him) was there, gave her courage; she felt no one would dare to thrust her out of the presence of the strange loving Master, who so earnestly had bidden the sin-weary come to him, and he would give them rest! Brought an alabaster box of ointment. Pliny mentions alabaster as the best material for pots or vessels intended for these precious ointments. It was softer than marble, and easily scooped into pots or bottles. These costly unguents and cosmetics were much used by the wealthy Roman ladies. The precious ointment poured over the Redeemer's feet had probably been originally procured for a very different purpose. The word μύρον, translated "ointment," was used for any kind of sweet-smelling vegetable essence, especially that of the myrtle.