Mary Magdalene, a visionary, came from the family of Naphtali and was, according to the testimony of the Holy Evangelists, the first person to see the risen Christ. She also received from Him the mission to proclaim the Resurrection to the other Apostles.
Mary Magdalene is a model of accurate apostolic service, loving and faithful sacrifice for the Savior Christ. She was one of the Lord’s most beloved disciples. Some even claim that Mary was the illegitimate wife of Jesus. She was always at the side of the Saviour and His Blessed Mother. The Evangelists place Mary Magdalene at the head of the other women who followed Christ. According to biblical writings, Mary Magdalene anointed the body of Jesus Christ when He was already dead. She anointed Jesus when Joseph and Nicodemus had taken Him down from the Cross.
She was a woman criticized and looked down upon. But He gave her a purpose in life and His forgiveness as a gift. Seven devils He had cast out of her and filled her with much grace. She wanted Jesus to help her with everything she could. Someone once stated that, like Martha, practical things did. She had no fear standing at the Cross of Christ, Whereas many then ran away in a rather shameful way. Because of her devotion, she became an apostle, being among the few with pious respect when she stood at the Cross beside the body of Christ.
How did Mary Magdalene meet Jesus?
There was once a woman, Mary of Magdala. She was bound with seven chains, trapped in hell by Satan. But one day, in a house, she found the Lord Jesus and had heard of him for a while, what great miracles he had done. Among men and lepers, the poor and sinners, many blessings, healings, and bringing people out of graves. Wounded and possessed, children without homes, and mothers alone and in distress. And she asked Him to give her recovery, and she would serve Him.
According to the Evangelists, Mary of Magdala met the Saviour Christ on Jesus’ way to Jerusalem after the miracle of the healing of the multitudes. Mary was possessed with the spirit of fornication, and Jesus healed her and offered her deliverance, and in return…Mary wanted to dedicate her whole life to Him.
The fact that Mary Magdalene was likened to the other women described in the Gospels is not confirmed anywhere in the Church Tradition, church hymns, or writings of the Holy Evangelists. They only state that the Lord delivered her from the seven demons that tormented her, without any reference to her life before her encounter with the Savior. From the moment of her healing, she began a new life, leaving her parents, relatives, and all earthly things, and joining those who followed Christ in his preaching.
Why isn’t Mary Magdalene an apostle?
The Gospels record how the miraculous women, in groups, return several times to the tomb, where they receive the news of the Resurrection. Of them all, St. Mary Magdalene is the only one to return to the grave four times. According to the account of St Matthew the Evangelist, St. Mary Magdalene was also present at the Lord’s burial. After the tomb was sealed, the Myrrh-bearing women returned to the city, but only Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary remained there until late evening.
Mary Magdalene did not conform to being an apostle, even if she understood the central message of Jesus, because she was a woman, but she was Jesus’ disciple and follower.
Beyond the pleasant moments, when together with the crowds, she enjoyed Christ’s teachings and participated in His miracles performed among the people. She was present at Christ’s trial, on the way to the Cross, during the Savior’s crucifixion or the Cross’s descent. Mary Magdalene also showed her love and devotion in the moments of terrible suffering to which the Son of God was subjected.
Key Verse related to Mary Magdalene
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the grave. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.
What did Mary Magdalene do after Jesus died?
The disciples returned home, never to meet Mary Magdalene again. They left rejoicing in the Resurrection of the Saviour, and Mary remained at the tomb not only to console herself by seeing the place where Jesus’ body had been but to find out what had happened, who had taken him away, and where his body was, taking care not to be mistreated by anyone. She was in the vestibule and bowed into the tomb through its narrow door. Here, she saw two angels dressed in white, seated one where Jesus had been.
After Jesus died, Mary Magdalene anointed his body and went to her Savior’s tomb. Reclining in the garden, she waits at the grave. And she weeps with tears because she does not see the body of Jesus. After Jesus’ death, she was the first human witness to the Resurrection.
At last, the Lord arises and calls her by name to reward her for his loving zeal. The Lord knew her heart’s hidden motive. Therefore to her search, He answered. Magdalene bears the news first to the disciples. The episode of the revelation of the Lord to Mary Magdalene is first reported very briefly by the Evangelist Mark. And in more detail by the Evangelist John. The first shows us that Mary Magdalene was the woman from Magdala, a town near Capernaum, whom the Saviour had healed by casting seven demons.
Why is the Gospel of Mary Magdalene not in the Bible?
From various historical sources and the Bible, we know that several women named Mary were among those who accompanied Jesus, apart from his mother. But the best known was Mary Magdalene, considered a true disciple, perhaps even his wife. Of course, there is no evidence that Jesus was married or in a close relationship with a woman.
The Bible and the writings of Mary Magdalene are not mentioned in the Bible because they are not considered to be the real thing. Her gospels refer to women and women’s lives in ancient times from the Ano Domini.
She accompanied Jesus and the apostles wherever he went to preach and help. She is mentioned in the New Testament at crucial moments and on the last day of his life when he is crucified on the Cross. Mary Magdalene was the first witness to Jesus’ Resurrection.
Did Mary Magdalene anoint the Lord with perfume?
The Saviour forbids the Apostles to rebuke the woman, saying to them, Leave her. She has done a good thing… you always have the poor with you, and you can do good to them whenever you want, but you do not always have me. She did what she had to do: first, she anointed my body for burial in the Old Testament. Anointing with holy oil was the rite of consecration for priests and kings. Christ’s anointing occurred at Baptism when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. Christ is not anointed by the high priest but by a sinful woman.
According to the apostles’ writings, Mary Magdalene anointed the body of Jesus Christ with scented oils after His death on the Cross.
Of the burial preparations, only the anointing with myrrh was missing because the myrrh-bearers did not have time to prepare the blessing. According to the custom, as the time of the Jewish Passover was approaching. They were planning to complete the embalming of the Saviour as soon as the first day of Passover had passed when they had to rest, according to the prescriptions of the Mosaic Law.
Primary Takeaways
- The Gospel of Philip, discovered in 1945 in Egypt, mentions that Mary Magdalene was “Koinonos” for Jesus. A Greek term for close companion or friend. Mary Magdalene is described as one of three women named Mary who always went with him. The paper mentions that Jesus gave her extra attention and kissed her.
- We learn about Mary Magdalene’s healing from demons from the Gospels of Luke and Mark. And also from the fact that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene twice.
- Mary Magdalene was the first witness to Jesus’ Resurrection. But the first six pages of this document are missing. So it is impossible to say precisely which Mary it was and what her role was.
Conclusion
The Gospel records that Christ appeared for the first time to Mary Magdalene. And from this arose a theory that she would have been very close to our Lord. Further, the idea that she would have been his wife it being normal to be shown to her alive. But I repeat what I mentioned in another article.
Those who make this claim have not read the Gospels carefully or are interpreting the words at their own will. For it is brought to our attention that Mary Magdalene comes at least twice to the tomb of His Holiness.
