Mary Magdalene

Biblical Record

The name "Magdalene" is understood to indicate her place of origin. It distinguishes her from other women named Mary, such as Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary of Bethany (Martha and Mary).

• Galilean ministry: According to Luke 8:2-3, she was the one "out of whom went seven devils." Together with Joanna, Susanna, and many other women, she supported the work of Jesus and his disciples out of her own means.
• Crucifixion: She was present when Jesus was crucified on the cross (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25).
• Burial: She watched as the body of Jesus was laid in the tomb (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47).
• Empty tomb: She went to the tomb on the first day of the week. All four Gospels record that she was among the women who went to the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1).
• Encounter with the risen Jesus: According to John 20:11-18, she met the risen Jesus while weeping outside the tomb. At first she supposed him to be the gardener, but when Jesus called her by name, she answered, "Rabboni; which is to say, Master." She then went and told the disciples that she had "seen the Lord." Mark 16:9 also states that Jesus appeared first to her. This verse, however, belongs to the so-called "longer ending," which is absent from some manuscripts.

Significance Within Scripture

She witnessed the death, burial, and empty tomb of Jesus. She is also portrayed as the first person to bring the news of the resurrection to the disciples. It is often noted that the Gospels present a woman as the first witness at a time when women's testimony carried little weight in court.

Interpretations and Issues

• The "repentant prostitute" image: Scripture never calls her a prostitute or a sinful woman. In the Western church, following a sermon by Pope Gregory I in the late sixth century, an interpretation identifying her with the "sinful woman" of Luke 7 and with Mary of Bethany became widespread. As a result, she came to be regarded as a symbol of the repentant sinner. Today these three figures are generally regarded as distinct.
• Catholic Church: The Catholic Church has moved away from its earlier tradition of identifying the three figures. In 2016 it raised her memorial (July 22) to the rank of a feast and emphasized her traditional title, "Apostle of the Apostles."
• Eastern Orthodox Church: The Orthodox Church has distinguished the three figures from the beginning. It honors her as one of the "Myrrh-bearing Women" and as "Equal to the Apostles."
• Protestantism: Protestants generally regard her as the first witness of the resurrection, keeping within what the text records. In discussions of women's ordination, some cite her as a basis for women's ministry, while others hold that she cannot serve as such a basis.
• Apocrypha and popular culture: Gnostic writings from the second century onward, such as the Gospel of Mary, portray her as a disciple who received special revelation. The story that she was married to Jesus spread through such writings and through novels such as The Da Vinci Code. It has no basis in the canonical Scriptures, however, and the major church traditions do not accept it.

In the Korean Church

In Korean churches, John 20 is frequently used as a sermon text at Easter, and she is presented as the first witness whose sorrow was turned to joy. Sunday school Easter lessons also treat her as the central figure in the account of the empty tomb.