Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is described, both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted disciple of Jesus. She is considered a saint by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican churches with a feast day of July 22. Her name means "Mary of Magdala", a town on the western shore of the Lake of Tiberias. The life of the historical Mary is a subject of ongoing debate.

Mary Magdalene in the New Testament

In Luke 8:3 she is mentioned as one of the women who "ministered to him of their substance". Their motive, according to the author of Luke, was that of gratitude for deliverances he had wrought for them: Luke tells that out of Mary were cast seven demons, in an exorcism. These women, who earlier "had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities," later accompanied him also on his last journey to Jerusalem (Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:41; Luke 23:55). They were witnesses to the Crucifixion. There Mary remained until all was over, and the body was taken down and laid in a tomb prepared for Joseph of Arimathea. Again, in the earliest dawn of the first day of the week she, with Salome and Mary the mother of James, (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Peter 12), came to the sepulchre, bringing with them sweet spices, that they might anoint the body of Jesus. They found the sepulchre empty but saw the "vision of angels" (Matt 28:5). As the first witness to the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene hastened to tell Peter and John, (John 20:, ), (gaining her the epithet "apostle to the apostles") and again immediately returned to the sepulchre. There she lingered thoughtfully, weeping at the door of the tomb. The risen Lord appeared to her, but at first she knew him not. His utterance of her name "Mary" recalled her to consciousness, and she uttered the joyful, reverent cry, Rabboni. She would fain have clung to him, but he forbade her: "Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God."'"

Related Topics:
Luke - Christ - Demon - Exorcism - Jerusalem - Matt. - Mark - Crucifixion - Joseph of Arimathea - Salome - James - Peter - Sepulchre - Anoint - Sepulchre empty - Resurrection - John 20 - Rabboni

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is the last entry in the canonical New Testament regarding Mary of Magdala, who now returned to Jerusalem.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~