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Within the pages of the four gospels, Mary Magdalene is the most frequently mentioned woman, other than Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene’s presence is mentioned at Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Only the gospel of Luke provides us with a glimpse of Mary’s life prior to encountering Christ and the manner in which Jesus transformed her. A study of the Scriptures detailing this woman proves her prominence among Jesus’ followers and offers a rather surprising biography of one whom most first century Palestinian writers would have dismissed.
Though our current culture proudly celebrates gender equality, there are still situations in which men or women are marginalized upon the basis of discrimination. However, in the context of first century Palestine, women were grossly discriminated against by a male dominated culture. Women garnered little rights and were often viewed as the property of their fathers, brothers, or husbands. At best, women were regarded as second-class citizens. The religious teachings of Judaism at that time did little to alleviate this attitude. Rabbinical rulings from that era reveal that women were not considered as equals to their male counterparts and were therefore not highly valued in the eyes of God.
However, as with every other realm of teaching on theology and life, Jesus radically upended people’s understanding of the role and value of women. Without upsetting the patriarchal culture in which they lived, Jesus’ attitude and actions toward women assured their value and place in the Kingdom of God. In fact, it has been rightly stated that Jesus and the faith which He authored has done more for the equality of genders and all peoples than any other leader, movement, or book in history. We certainly read of a primary example of this in the Bible’s portrayal of Mary Magdalene. Her story with Jesus provides us with timeless truths regarding our intrinsic value to God and the eternal impact which Jesus makes upon every person who believes on Him.
No life is unsalvageable.
Luke provides important background information regarding Mary’s life prior to encountering Jesus. The gospels always tag her with the name “Magdalene” which denotes her as being from the town of Magdala. We discover from Luke 8:2 that Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven demons. Jesus had cast these demons out of her so that she was completely healed. Luke offers little commentary on this miraculous event in Mary’s life, so we can only presume the mess of her life upon encountering Christ. She could have been physically tormented with some type of severe illness. Perhaps Mary suffered from tremendous mental sickness, leading to emotional distress. Undoubtedly, the possession of seven demons would negatively impact every relationship in her life and probably ostracize her from family, friends, and any hope for redemption. What types of moral compromises did Mary make in order to invite such a total possession of evil? Whatever the particulars, Mary was certainly one of those individuals which we have all come across which we believe to be beyond any hope. She was undoubtedly shunned by the religious elite. Was anyone praying for Mary’s life to be saved? Did anyone actually believe that she could be redeemed? Amazingly we discover that Jesus was not intimidated by her reputation or overwhelmed by her sin. In Jesus’ estimation, Mary was not only capable of being saved, but also worth the effort. She stands as a shining reminder to us all that NO ONE is beyond the reach of Christ.
No gift is unusable.
In Luke 8:3 the reader is informed of another encouraging fact about Mary’s life. In this passage, Luke is describing the ministry of Jesus, detailing various miracles and lessons that He taught the people. Mary is listed among other women who were disciples of Jesus. While the apostles (all of whom were men) hold a prominent place in the gospels, Luke tells us that several women were also a part of Jesus’ “ministry team.” In fact, these women were charged with the important task of funding the ministry of Jesus. It was not uncommon for men or women to provide resources for the teaching ministry of a Rabbi in that culture. However, it would be considered scandalous for women to be considered disciples and given equal access to Jesus’ teaching ministry. These female disciples provided resources for the traveling needs of the entire group. While Jesus could miraculously feed the multitudes by blessing a few pieces of fish and bread, this was not the normal process for meeting the needs of His closest followers. Instead, He used the monetary offerings of second-class citizens. Sharing the hope of Jesus’ salvation was made possible by the faithful giving of a few. Not much has changed in two thousand years.
No witness is immaterial.
In John 20:11-18, the apostle records an incredible encounter between Jesus and Mary following His crucifixion. Mary and some other women had gone to the tomb in order to complete the normal burial customs for the body of Jesus. Upon their shocking discovery that the body of Jesus was not in the tomb, Mary rushed to inform the disciples of the news. Undoubtedly bewildered by the discovery, Mary returned to the tomb in order to process the events. It is on this second visit that Mary becomes the first disciple to encounter the risen Lord. In the powerfully reassuring dialogue, Jesus commissions Mary to declare to the other disciples that He is risen. The graciousness of this appointment is magnified when we consider that a female’s testimony in that culture would be considered questionable. However, Jesus was no respecter of persons when mercifully employing the use of faithful followers. In order to effectively use any person for His glory, Jesus looks for availability rather than ability.
The overarching theme of Mary Magdalene’s life was undivided loyalty to Jesus Christ. When Jesus found Mary, her life was hopelessly wrecked by sin. But when He forgave and saved her, she was profoundly transformed. Even in today’s church culture, this kind of devotion to Jesus is considered rare. However, the gospels do not present Mary’s Christianity as abnormal. Perhaps Mary’s radical love for Jesus should cause us to consider our standard for normal Christianity.
Jason