SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:3
Y estando l en Betania, en casa de Simn el leproso, y sentado a la mesa, vino una mujer teniendo un alabastro de ungento de nardo espique de mucho precio; y quebrando el alabastro, se lo derram sobre su cabeza.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 14:3
Verse 3. Alabaster box] Among critics and learned men there are various conjectures concerning the alabaster mentioned by the evangelists: some think it means a glass phial; others, that it signifies a small vessel without a handle, from a negative and labh, a handle; and others imagine that it merely signifies a perfume or essence bottle. There are several species of the soft calcareous stone called alabaster, which are enumerated and described in different chemical works. Spikenard] Or nard. An Indian plant, whose root is very small and slender. It puts forth a long and small stalk, and has several ears or spikes even with the ground, which has given it the name of spikenard: the taste is bitter, acrid, and aromatic, and the smell agreeable. CALMET.
Very precious] Or rather, unadulterated: this I think is the proper meaning of pistikhv. Theophylact gives this interpretation of the passage: "Unadulterated hard, and prepared with fidelity." Some think that pistikh is a contraction of the Latin spicatae, and that it signifies the spicated nard, or what we commonly call the spikenard. But Dr. Lightfoot gives a different interpretation. pistikh he supposes to come from the Syriac aqtoyp pistike, which signifies the acorn: he would therefore have it to signify an aromatic confection of nard, maste, or myrobalane. See his Hebrew and Talmudical Exercitations; and see Scheuchzer's Physica Sacra.
She brake the box] Rather, she broke the seal. This is the best translation I can give of the place; and I give it for these reasons: 1. That it is not likely that a box exceedingly precious in itself should be broken to get out its contents. 2. That the broken pieces would be very inconvenient if not injurious to the head of our Lord, and to the hands of the woman. 3. That it would not be easy effectually to separate the oil from the broken pieces.
And, 4. That it was a custom in the eastern countries to seal the bottles with wax that held the perfumes; so that to come at their contents no more was necessary than to break the seal, which this woman appears to have done; and when the seal was thus broken, she had no more to do than to pour out the liquid ointment, which she could not have done had she broken the bottle. The bottles which contain the gul i attyr, or attyr of roses, which come from the east, are sealed in this manner. See a number of proofs relative to this point in HARMER'S Observations, vol. iv. 469.
Pouring sweet-scented oil on the head is common in Bengal. At the close of the festival of the goddess Doorga, the Hindoos worship the unmarried daughters of Brahmins: and, among other ceremonies, pour sweet-scented oil on their heads. WARD'S Customs.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And being in Bethany , etc..] A place about two miles from Jerusalem, whither he retired after he had took his leave of the temple, and had predicted its destruction; a place he often went to, and from, the last week of his life; having some dear friends, and familiar acquaintance there, as Lazarus, and his two sisters, Martha and Mary, and the person next mentioned: in the house of Simon the leper ; so called because he had been one, and to distinguish him from Simon the Pharisee, and Simon Peter the apostle, and others; (see Gill on Matthew 26:6); as he sat at meat there came a woman ; generally thought to be Mary Magdalene, or Mary the sister of Lazarus: having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard ; or pure nard, unmixed and genuine; or liquid nard, which was drinkable, and so easy to be poured out; or Pistic nard, called so, either from Pista, the name of a place from whence it was brought, or from Pistaca, which, with the Rabbins, signifies maste; of which, among other things, this ointment was made. Moreover, ointment of nard was made both of the leaves of nard, and called foliate nard, and of the spikes of it, and called, as here, spikenard. Now ointment made of nard was, as Pliny says f239 , the principal among ointments. The Syriac is, by him, said to be the best; this here is said to be very precious , costly, and valuable: and she brake the box . The Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it, she opened it; and the Persic version, she opened the head, or top of the bottle, or vial: and poured it on his head ; on the head of Christ, as the same version presses it; (see Gill on Matthew 26:7).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Did Christ pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think an thing too precious for him? Do we give him the precious ointment of ou best affections? Let us love him with all the heart, though it is common for zeal and affection to be misunderstood and blamed; an remember that charity to the poor will not excuse any from particula acts of piety to the Lord Jesus. Christ commended this woman's piou attention to the notice of believers in all ages. Those who honou Christ he will honour. Covetousness was Judas' master lust, and tha betrayed him to the sin of betraying his Master; the devil suited his temptation to that, and so conquered him. And see what wicke contrivances many have in their sinful pursuits; but what appears to forward their plans, will prove curses in the end.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ οντος 5607 5752 V-PXP-GSM αυτου 846 P-GSM εν 1722 PREP βηθανια 963 N-DSF εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF οικια 3614 N-DSF σιμωνος 4613 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM λεπρου 3015 A-GSM κατακειμενου 2621 5740 V-PNP-GSM αυτου 846 P-GSM ηλθεν 2064 5627 V-2AAI-3S γυνη 1135 N-NSF εχουσα 2192 5723 V-PAP-NSF αλαβαστρον 211 N-ASN μυρου 3464 N-GSN ναρδου 3487 N-GSF πιστικης 4101 A-GSF πολυτελους 4185 A-GSF και 2532 CONJ συντριψασα 4937 5660 V-AAP-NSF το 3588 T-ASN αλαβαστρον 211 N-ASN κατεχεεν 2708 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτου 846 P-GSN κατα 2596 PREP της 3588 T-GSF κεφαλης 2776 N-GSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Alabaster box. See on Matt. xxvi. 7.Spikenard (nardou pistikhv). The meaning of pistikhv is greatly disputed. The best authorities define it genuine or unadulterated: pure nard.
Brake. Possibly by striking the brittle neck of the flask. This detail is peculiar to Mark.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
14:3 {As he sat at meat} (katakeimenou autou). #Mt 26:7 uses anakeimenou, both words meaning reclining (leaning down or up or back) and in the genitive absolute. See on Mt 26:6 in proof that this is a different incident from that recorded in #Lu 7:36-50. See on Mt 26:6-13 for discussion of details. {Spikenard} (nardou pistikes). this use of pistikos with nardos occurs only here and in #Joh 12:3. The adjective is common enough in the older Greek and appears in the papyri also in the sense of genuine, unadulterated, and that is probably the idea here. The word spikenard is from the Vulgate _nardi spicati_, probably from the Old Latin _nardi pistici_. {Brake} (suntriyousa). Only in Mark. She probably broke the narrow neck of the vase holding the ointment.
