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Mary Magdelene, "See, He Is Risen" Jesus
casts seven demons out of the woman of
Magdala. She becomes one of His most
faithful followers, going with Him all the
way to cross. She is first to know He has
arisen and to report this to His disciples
Peter and John. |
Christ's empty tomb was first seen by Mary Magdalene, and she was the first to report to the disciples the miracle of the Resurrection, the greatest event the Christian world has ever known.
One of the most stirring narratives in literature is John's description of Maty Magdalene's visit to the sepulcher. He depicts her as being alone. Other Gospel writers say that other women were with her.
Evidently going on ahead, Mary Magdalene saw that the big circular stone had been rolled back along the groove and had left the entrance clear. Hastening to Peter and "the other disciple, whom Jesus loved'' who is thought to be John, she told them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him'' John 20:2
These disciples followed Mary Magdalene to the sepulcher. John went in first and gazed in silent wonder at the open grave, and then Peter came and saw that the grave was empty and that the linen cerements were lying neatly folded in the empty sepulcher.
One, at least, of the disciples and possibly both of them "saw and believed'' and then went back to their homes. Mary Magdalene, possessing a woman's sensitivity and able to believe even what eyes cannot behold, returned once more to the tomb and looked inside. This time she saw two angels in white sitting there, the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
Strange it was that the first word spoken inside the empty tomb should be "Woman.'' And then there followed the angels' question; ''Why weepest thou?'' Mary Magdalene answered, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him" John 20:13. Then she turned, and Jesus stood before her. Not until He spoke her name, "Mary" did she recognize that He was Jesus.
Though she had not found Crist, He had found her and had called her by name. Then she turned to Him with her cry of recognition of her Master; "Rabboni" John 20:16.
As Mary Magdalene stood there in the softly breaking dawn, Jesus had spoken in a voice so tender that it must have penetrated to her heart. "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."John 20:17. Mary, awe-stricken, hastened to tell the others that she had seen the Lord and that He had spoken these things to her.
In Christ's resurrection Mary Magdalene had witnessed not a mere resuscitation but a changing to another form, a form not subject to the ordinary laws of the flesh but ready now for a new mode of existence and a new set of relationships, a form not temporal but eternal. Yet He was still alive, active, able to reach out and to speak.
Mary Magdalene went forth to prepare others for this change in their Master. Her long watch by the grave in the early morning had been an evidence of her faith. Because of her faith she became the first witness to the Resurrection.
In a little while followers would see and feel where the nail holes had been in His hands and the spear wound in His side, but they would learn that this body could not be pierced again, for it had taken on an indestructible form.
Who was this Mary Magdalene to whom Jesus appeared after His triumph over death? John gives her the leading part in his narrative. Matthew, however, writes that with her were "'Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.'' Matthew 27:56. In 28:1 he writes, ''As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week," Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary,'' who could have been Mary of Cleophas, came "to see the sepulcher.'' Mark tells that "Mary, the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome'' accompanied Mary Magdalene (Mark 15:40). Luke gives the prominent place to Mary Magdalene and adds the names of "Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women'' Luke 24:10.
All of this has confused scholars, but evidently Mary Magdalene had a more significant role at the time of the Resurrection than any other woman. Also in several places in the narrative she stands beside the mother of Jesus.
Fourteen times Mary Magdalene is mentioned by name. In eight of these passages her name heads the list. In one her name follows the name of the Mother of Jesus and the other Mary. In five it appears alone. These concern the appearance of Christ to her, as narrated by John.
Where did the name of Mary Magdalene originate? It is derived from Magdala, the Greek form of Migdol or Watchtower. The town of Magdala, from which she came, is identified today as Mejdei, at the south of the Plain of Gennesaret, where the hills reach forth to the lake of Galilee.
We can be confident she was a woman who walked erectly, even to the tomb, one who was young and pretty, well-favored and warmhearted. The master painters have depicted her with auburn hair; probably in her late twenties, she possessed beauty of face and form.
From the Scriptures it is easy to infer that she was one of the influential women of the town of Magdala, who gave of her substance as well as herself to Jesus' ministry, for she had profound gratitude in her heart for His healing of the seven demons with which she had been afflicted (Mark 16:9).
What were these "seven devils?" Some commentators have suggested that they indicate a nervous disorder that had recurred seven times. Others describe them as evil spirits from a superhuman cause.
There is a very strong body of contemporary evidence from highly trained and competent missionaries in the Orient and elsewhere showing that demon possession exists in the areas known to them and exhibits the same phenomenon as that described in the four Gospels. The Chinese, both educated and uneducated, have distinctive terms for the various patterns of mental disorder, but they distinguish the phenomenon of demon possession from other types of mental disorder.
Whatever it was that afflicted Mary Magdalene, Jesus had healed her, and she had become His faithful and devoted follower. Into her living death He had come with the power of life, and had taught her victory over her so-called demons. And after His healing, she had become a fully poised woman, one who could watch at the tomb quietly and unafraid.
Since medieval times Mary Magdalene has been one of the most maligned women in the New Testament, largely because some scholars of an earlier period chose to identify her with the unnamed sinful woman of Luke 7:36-50. The first mention of her in Luke 8:2 follows closely upon this account of the sinful woman. But there is positively no way to identify her as Mary Magdalene. These unfair aspersions have become popular, but they are not at all accurate.
Frank S. Mead in his Who's Who in the Bible says, "We have had Mary Magdalene in the pillory for 1900 years, flinging mud: we should have been pilloried. This Mary was never a harlot; there is no evidence anywhere for that. At most she was neurotic. And Jesus healed her.'' The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia expresses the opinion that "The identification of this Mary with the sinful woman is, of course, impossible for one who follows closely the course of the narrative with an eye to the transition.''
Because of the misinterpretation that Mary Magdalene has suffered at the hands of the few, the Concise Oxford Dictionary gives "reformed prostitute'' as the meaning of "Magdalene.'' Painters, since medieval times, have also made the mistake of depicting Mary Magdalene on canvas as the penitent sinner. Some skeptical writers have descibed her as a paranoic in the habit of "seeing things'' and have declared that what she saw at the tomb was not real.
But if we follow the Scriptures fully, we see a Mary Magdalene who displayed the highest qualities of fortitude in moments of anxiety, courage under trying circumstances, love that could not fail, and humility and unselfish devotion to the Savior who had been crucified. Her faith is a monument to the healing power of Jesus. Her action in serving Him in life and ministering to Him when the mob had turned against Him and had finally left Him in the grave alone is characteristic of woman in Bible history at her best.
The last glimpse of Mary Magdalene as she hastened to the disciples to say "I have seen the Lord." has all the dramatic power of victorious faith. What a magnificent commission hers was, to be a witness to Christ's conquest over death and to be the first to go forth to tell others that she had seen the Lord! No woman ever ran to deliver a more triumphant message.
John makes us realize that Mary Magdalene did not hesitate to do as she had been commanded. She left the grave and forgot her useless spices. A great transformation had taken place in her own being, for she had witnessed a change from the material conception of life to the spiritual, a transformation whereby man was ruled not by the flesh but by the spirit. It is no wonder she could report with firm conviction His words, "I ascend unto my Father'' for she knew the true meaning of His deity and divine exaltation.
