the oil was 'expensive', but something is only worth money if another person is willing to give away their cash in exchange - who would she have been able to sell it to?
I don't think this lady cared about the monetary worth and I can't imagine that she bought it - maybe it was a gift or an heirloom or an inheritance or maybe she was supposed to use it as part of her dowry.
To this lady, this perfume was her best thing, her treasure, her 'keep it for a rainy day', her 'what would you rescue in a fire'.
She wanted Jesus to have it because of what it meant to her not because of how valuable it was. She wanted him to have it in a way that meant no-one else could have it. She didn't just present him with the bottle, she poured the whole lot over his head - the smell would have been on him when he died.
I don't know what 'thing' I'd rescue in a fire - my iPad, old photos - I'm not sure what Jesus would do with my 'red' and 'blue' Beatles albums (I don't think he's even got a turntable) - maybe our 'best' is out time and our energy - can I give those to Jesus in the same reckless way that Mary gave him her perfume?
https://youtu.be/gnIlfrV_Yks
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