DID YOU KNOW...NARD?

In last Sunday's worship service, Kristal read a story from scripture where the woman Mary anointed Jesus' feet with costly oil of nard and then wiped his feet with her hair.  Judas chastised Mary for the waste of money on the perfumed oil and Jesus defended her actions.

So, what's the big deal with nard?

Wikipedia informs us that "nard", also known as nardin and muskroot, is the short-form for spikenard.  Nard is an aromatic, amber-coloured essential oil extracted from a flowering plant of the valerian family (a relative of lavender).  It grows in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, China and India.  The oil has been used over centuries as a perfume, as a traditional medicine and in religious ceremonies from India to Europe.  For the well-to-do, nard was frequently used to perfume bodies prior to burial or cremation.

From this brief background, we can begin to understand its rarity and expensiveness in Mary's time.  The flowering plant that produces spikenard is found in a remote region of the world and grows only in altitudes between 9,800 - 16,400 feet.  The rhizomes (underground stems) of the pant are crushed and distilled to make the intensely aromatic oil, which would then be used to make perfume. 

In ancient times, nard was used as incense the Jerusalem Temple.  Mary's use of the nard to anoint Jesus' feet was truly a sacrificial gift of love and devotion.  It would have been difficult for her obtain, let alone afford, if our understanding of Mary's social situation is accurate.

Interestingly, nard was a favourite of King Henry VIII, who was known to use it to flavour his food and drink, and who wore it as a body perfume.  He gave it as a gift to his queens.

Now you know.