Margaret starbird s 1992 book the woman with the alabaster jar was the first of her several books on mary magdalene, and it was inspired by her reading of the 1981 bestseller holy blood, holy grail hbhg. No bible scholar has come up with a good answer as to how she was able to acquire such an expensive possessionvery unusual for a woman of her position to have an alabaster box of costly perfume. This angry exchange erupted at a dinner in the home of a man called simon the. Marys story challenges us to look at scripture with fresh, unbiased eyes and reexamine traditional christian teaching about women. Margaret starbird is the author of the goddess in the gospels, magdalenes lost legacy, and mary magdalene. This was no ordinary jar where some ointment was kept. By breaking out our alabaster boxes, we fill gods temple with a fragrance that rises up as a sweet smelling offering unto the lord. As such, to get a fuller picture of what really happened, all.
We would like to thank tearfund for providing this plan. This was inspired by the story in the bible found in luke 7. Mary magdalene and the holy grail is a book written by margaret starbird in 1993, claiming jesus christ and mary magdalene were married, and that mary magdalene was the holy grail. Jan 10, 2017 the unnamed woman in luke did not randomly wander into that dinner, carrying oil to spontaneously pour on the teacher who would be the messiah. Jun 28, 2016 alabaster boxes are vessels of fragrance. Mary magdalen and the holy grail kindle edition by starbird, margaret. The alabaster girl is zan perrions multilayered book of ideas. The unnamed woman with the alabaster jar cbe international. I am never overtly sexual with a woman which might come across as rude or crass, but i am always sexual. Whether you believe the jesus story was a historical event or is a myth, if you have an interest in the grail andor symbolism, you will want to read this book. Margaret starbird holds a masters degree from the university of maryland and has studied at the christian albrechts universitat in kiel, germany, and at vanderbilt divinity school. The alabaster jar devotional reading plan youversion bible. The inspiring story of the alabaster jar the wordplayers.
Lessons learned from the woman with the alabaster box. She is the author of the woman with the alabaster jar. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Posts about lady margaret russell written by juliah. Try to picture the woman who had the alabaster box. Mary magdalene saint, jesus christ, maria magdalena santa, jesucristo. Jul 16, 2012 this is the summary of the woman with the alabaster jar. This is the summary of the woman with the alabaster jar. Two of margaret starbirds reallife books are specifically mentioned in the da vinci code when they attract sophie neveus interest on leigh teabings library shelves in chateau villette. Each gospel writer saw it from separate angles and included minute details left out by the other writer. This story touches me each time i read and reflect on it as it is a reminder of our saviours.
The original story of the anointing of jesus at bethany by the woman with the alabaster jar may have been misinterpreted by the author of lukes gospel writing nearly fifty years after the event. In biblical days, when a young woman reached the age of availability for marriage, her family would purchase an alabaster box and fill it up with precious oil. The woman with the alabaster jar is a quest for the forgotten femininein the hope that its return will help restore a healthy balance to planet earth. The book starts with a fictional account of the initial meeting between jesus and mary the magdalene. The woman with the alabaster jar begins with a prologue, a fictionalized account of mary magdalens flight to egypt with joseph of arimathea, the subsequent birth of a daughter, sarah, and finally a voyage across the mediterranean into southern france. Mary magdalen and the holy grail and the goddess in the gospels. The breaking of the alabaster box anointed jesus with perfume, but its fragrance also filled the entire house.
Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. In fact, that is one of the most powerful aspects of the word in that it will take something that may be negative and turn and oppose it with something positive and powerful. A spokenword piece i had the opportunity to perform at a christian society showcase at the university of kent. The woman with the alabaster jar by starbird, margaret. The anointing by the woman with the alabaster jar was familiar to the citizens of the empire because of the cultic ritual of their love goddess. The alabaster jar with its amazing cast takes us on a journey as it fictionalizes what would have happened to the woman caught in adultery after she was saved by jesus.
May 23, 2011 the structure of this parable, recorded only by thomas, is similar to that of the parable of the leaven thom 96. Shocked by such heresy, this roman catholic scholar set out to refute it, but. The woman with the alabaster jar by margaret starbird. Antoinette walker is the owner of the alabaster box, a custom jewelry design company. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the woman with the alabaster jar. Overflowing gratitude the woman with the alabaster jar. See more ideas about mary magdalene, alabaster jar and art.
This account is based on theory only, and starbird concedes throughout this book that her. But in more ancient times, the anointing of the sacred king was the unique privilege of a royal bride. This angry exchange erupted at a dinner in the home of a man called simon the leper, a friend of jesus and a pharisee. So, when a young man and sometimes an old man came to ask her hand in marriage, she would respond by taking the alabaster box and breaking it at his. If you could imagine with me for a minute what it must have been like when jesus entered a room. Simon saw the gift of god as something earned by being good, and therefore he stood like a gatekeeper to protect and defend a faith for the worthy. This box was the most valuable thing that she had and she gave it all away. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. In these next 5 days, let us do as mary did and smash the alabaster jar, so we may be overcome by the fragrance of jesus. Margaret starbird s theological beliefs were profoundly shaken when she read holy blood, holy grail, a book that dared to suggest that jesus christ was married to mary magdalen and that their descendants carried on his holy bloodline in western europe. Matthew 26, mark 14 and john 12 detail the breaking of an alabaster box, which many of us are familiar with.
Everything i say to her is a subtle reminder to both of us that, hey, you are a woman and i am a man. The alabaster box opened its doors in 2004 with the goal to design beautiful fashion jewelry for men and women. Starbird provides historical descriptions based on other readings of the likelihood of jesus christs wife mary magdalen and societies, especially of provence, france, that emerged in connection with the sacred feminine culture surrounding the merovingian kings and queens e. Jan 19, 2014 a spokenword piece i had the opportunity to perform at a christian society showcase at the university of kent. Although antoinette enjoyed designing jewelry to exemplify the essence of her customers through precious stones, her. The structure of this parable, recorded only by thomas, is similar to that of the parable of the leaven thom 96. The alabaster jar chapter fifteen in the alabaster jar by theresia saers. Mary magdalene and the holy grail is a book written by margaret starbird in 1993, claiming jesus christ and mary magdalene were married, and that mary magdalene was the holy grail margaret starbird developed the hypothesis that saint sarah was the daughter of jesus and mary magdalene and that this was the source of the legend associated with the cult at. Margaret starbird is the author of the woman with the alabaster jar 3. Woman with the alabaster jar by margaret starbird, terrance. Mary magdalen and the holy grail by margaret starbird. Mary magdalen and the holy grail, margaret starbird developed the hypothesis that saint sarah was the daughter of jesus and mary magdalen and that this was the source of the legend associated with the cult at saintesmariesdelamer.
It would be a meaningful reminder of one of my favorite stories in scripturethe woman with the alabaster jar. The unnamed woman in luke did not randomly wander into that dinner, carrying oil to spontaneously pour on the teacher who would be the messiah. Margaret starbird author of the woman with the alabaster jar. Woman with alabaster jar by margaret starbird abebooks. Shocked by such heresy, this roman catholic scholar set out to refute it, but instead found new and compelling evidence for the existence of the. That time would bring a moment for them to need oil in order to anoint jesus in the presence of the people. My hope is that this story will challenge us to be wise in our judgments and generous in our mercy. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Margaret starbird is the author of the goddess in the gospels, magdalenes lost legacy, and the bestselling the woman with the alabaster jar. The woman with the alabaster jar speaks of the life of the man called jesus and his followers, of the politics of his time, and the reason for the sacred marriage with mary the magdalene. Simon the pharisee and the woman with the alabaster jar both took their religion very seriously. Jul 21, 2008 lessons learned from the woman with the alabaster box.
She also claimed that the name sarah meant princess in hebrew, thus making her the. George clifford was born on august 8, 1558 in brougham castle. Mary magdalene, bride in exile by margaret starbird pdf. The anointing performed by the woman at bethany was similar to the familiar ritual practice of a sacred priestess or temple prostitute in the goddes. A full jar would be the expected metaphor for gods imperial rule, so this ending is startling. And indeed this is so, just like in the account of the anointing of jesus in luke 7, where this was also an unnamed woman. We see an example of this in mary who anointed jesus john 12. Margaret starbird, the bestselling author of the woman with the alabaster jar, talks to bruce about how her catholic faith was challenged when she first read holy blood, holy grail and how her. Jul 18, 20 in biblical days, when a young woman reached the age of availability for marriage, her family would purchase an alabaster box and fill it up with precious oil. Some were angry and wanted to throw the woman out, but jesus said let her alone. Woman with the alabaster jar from dymocks online bookstore.