Spikenard

The perfume mentioned in Mark 14:3-9, the well-known story of a sinner anointing Jesus, is derived from a short plant, Nardostachys jatamansi, that grows in the hills of northern India. It is still used in a variety of traditional Indian medicines. The value of the nard ("spikenard") was more than 300 denarii. Since a denarius was the wage for a day's labor, the value of Mary's perfume was a year's wages. Assuming the median income in the United States, this worshiping woman poured $12, 000 worth of perfume on her Lord. It is not clear if Mary bought this perfume for the sole purpose of anointing Jesus or if she had it in her possession for some other use but expended it on her Lord.