Olive oil and scented preparations were used in personal care and festive settings. Offering oil or perfume could function as an act of welcome or honor, while costly perfume could express extraordinary devotion.
Customs & Culture
Anointing Guests with Oil
Oil and perfume could be used for grooming, refreshment, honor, and hospitality. Jesus' contrast between Simon's reception and the woman's actions in Luke 7 draws on these expectations.
Primary Scripture
Historical and Cultural Background
Biblical Examples
Psalm 23 speaks of the head being anointed with oil. Jesus tells Simon that he gave Him no oil for His head, while the woman anointed His feet with perfume. Jesus is also anointed at Bethany shortly before His death.
Biblical Significance
Luke 7 contrasts minimal hospitality with extravagant devotion. The woman's actions are not random gestures; they exceed the courtesies Simon failed to provide and become an enacted expression of love and gratitude.
Related Images
Common Misconceptions
Not every anointing scene has the same purpose. Royal or priestly consecration, ordinary grooming, hospitality, healing, burial preparation, and acts of devotion must be distinguished by context.
Historical Setting and Evidence
Culture: Ancient Near Eastern, Israelite, Judean/Jewish
Period: Patriarchal Period, Exodus and Wilderness, Conquest and Judges, United Monarchy, Divided Monarchy, Kingdom of Judah, Persian Period, Hellenistic Period, Hasmonean Period, Roman / Second Temple Period
Evidence: Well Attested
Interpretive Importance: Major
Use of oil for grooming and hospitality is widely attested in biblical and ancient Mediterranean sources.
Scripture References
Related Information
Sources
Psalm 23:5; Luke 7:36-50; John 12:1-8; ancient Mediterranean evidence for oils and perfumes.