Who Are All The Marys Of The Bible
The name Mary is mentioned in the Bible over 50 times, varying by translation. However, the name Mary is only found in the New Testament. The name Mary comes from the Latin and Greek names Maria and Mariam.
- Danielle BernockCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- 202028 Feb
When we think about all the women named Mary in the Bible, the most prominent one is the young virgin who gave birth to Jesus. We hear her story, in detail, every Christmas. Shes the Mary who was visited by the angel Gabriel, who told her she was going to have a son and to name him Jesus. This is the Mary who traveled to Bethlehem on a donkey and gave birth in a stable because it was tax season and the lodging places were booked.
False Stereotypes About Mary Magdalene
Western Christianity has assigned roles to Mary Magdalene which the historical person did not seem to fulfill. Western art and modern media have falsely depicted Mary Magdalene as a prostitute and even as the wife of Jesus. Lets look deeper into theses false stereotypes.
1. Mary Magdalene was Jesuss wife.
For instance, some have said Mary and Jesus were either lovers and husband and wife. Some have point to a heretical document the size of a business card known as The Gospel of Jesus Wife as evidence for this.
Mary Magdalene did not marry Jesus. Not only wouldve this have been impossible considering He remained single throughout His public ministry, but He ascended into Heaven after His resurrection.
Furthermore, God would not marry humans. Not to mention if the Nephilim spoken of back in Genesis 6:1-4 were in fact fallen angels who had children with humans, then God saw the wickedness that came about from these unions. This article suggests one of the reasons the Great Flood happened was to wipe out the unnatural result of supernatural being and humans having children.
2. Mary Magdalene was a former prostitute.
Some have also suggested Mary Magdalene is the women caught in adultery, but again, Scripture does not give that woman a name .
What Happened To Mary Magdalene After The Resurrection
Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles.Luke 24:10 NIV
Mary was the first to tell the full gospel story. When the angels told her to go in , she became the first to feel the call and pull of Christ on her life to tell of His resurrection. Women were not called to testify in that age, and their word didnt lend credibility to any historically recorded event. Why would Christians place these women at the center of the Gospel account in a society where women were not held in equal regard to men? Some early documents give credit to Simon Peter for seeing Jesus first and suggest it aggravated him that Mary was so close to Jesus.
Many of the disciples and Apostles lived lives of evangelism, many becoming martyrs for the early establishment of Christianity. What about Mary Magdalene? Her powerful witness of Jesus Christ was undoubtedly put in place to strengthen the faith of others. There are some that claim she married the apostle John, others that she accompanied him to Ephesus. Still more say that she evangelized southeastern France and spent her last 30 years in an Alpine cavern. There are still more stories and legends, including one legend that tells a story of she and other disciples being stranded on a rudderless boat in the middle of the sea and miraculously coming ashore.
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Was Mary Magdalene Really A Prostitute
As already explained in the previous question, an identification of Mary Magdalene as a former prostitute has no biblical basis. Luke 7:36-50, the main text that supports this erroneous portrayal of Mary Magdalene, does not mention the name of the woman who came to Jesus to repent of her sins. Even that womans association with prostitution is far from being certain. Likewise, Lukes account of this woman should be not be confused with a completely unrelated account narrated in John 12:8. The only common elements are the ointment that is poured on Jesus feet and each womans long hair. The differences, however, outnumber the similarities. In Luke, the main character is an unnamed woman in John, the main character is Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. In neither case can these women be equated with Mary Magdalene, who is always identified by her full name. Further, in Luke, the woman came to express her repentance in John, Mary anointed Jesus body in anticipation of his impending death. In Luke, the entire event takes place in the house of one of the Pharisees, whom Jesus eventually reproaches for not being a good host in John, the event takes place in the house of Jesus friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus who offered him a supper and affable company.
How Did St Mary Magdalene Die
Little is known about St. Mary Magdalenes life after the Gospel accounts. According to Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried. French tradition spuriously claims that she evangelized Provence and spent her last 30 years in an Alpine cavern.
St. Mary Magdalene, also called , , one of Jesus most celebrated disciples, famous, according to Mark 16:910 and John 20:1417, for being the first person to see the resurrected Christ.
The unchallenged facts about her life establish that Jesus cleansed her of seven demons , probably implying that he cured her of a physical disorder rather than the popular notion that he freed her of evil spirits. She was one of the women who accompanied and aided Jesus in Galilee , and all four canonicalGospels attest that she witnessed Jesus crucifixion and burial John 19:2526 further notes that she stood by the cross, near the Virgin Mary and the unidentified Apostle whom Jesus loved. Having seen where Jesus was buried , she went with two other women on Easter morning to the tomb to anoint the corpse. Finding the tomb empty, Mary ran to the disciples. She returned with St. Peter, who, astonished, left her. Christ then appeared to Mary and, according to John 20:17, instructed her to tell the Apostles that he was ascending to God.
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Was Mary Magdalene An Apostle To The Apostles
No. The Catholic Church calls Mary St. Mary Magdalene as well as the apostle to the apostles because she was among the first to bring news of Jesus resurrection to the apostles. But this does not make her an apostle. And nowhere in the Scriptures is she called such.Luke 6:12-16.
The Bible was completed near the end of the first century C.E. Yet, it was not until the sixth century that church authorities took it upon themselves to elevate Mary Magdalene to a higher status. In writings from the second and third centurieswhich are not part of the Bible canonsome of Jesus apostles are described as being jealous of Mary. Such fabricated stories have no basis in the Scriptures.
Late Middle Ages And Renaissance
Penitent MagdaleneDonatelloLeonardo da VinciGiampietrino
The thirteenth-century Cistercian monk and chronicler Peter of Vaux de Cernay said it was part of Catharist belief that the earthly Jesus Christ had a relationship with Mary Magdalene, described as his concubine: “Further, in their secret meetings they said that the Christ who was born in the earthly and visible Bethlehem and crucified at Jerusalem was “evil”, and that Mary Magdalene was his concubine and that she was the woman taken in adultery who is referred to in the Scriptures.” A document, possibly written by Ermengaud of Béziers, undated and anonymous and attached to his Treatise against Heretics, makes a similar statement:
Also they teach in their secret meetings that Mary Magdalene was the wife of Christ. She was the Samaritan woman to whom He said, “Call thy husband”. She was the woman taken into adultery, whom Christ set free lest the Jews stone her, and she was with Him in three places, in the temple, at the well, and in the garden. After the Resurrection, He appeared first to her.
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The Other Marys Or Mary
In , we find a Mary, the mother of Joses along with Mary Magdalene going to see where Jesus body was laid. In , we find a Mary the mother of James who went with Mary Magdalene to anoint Jesus body with spices after his crucifixion.
Some say these are two different Marys, which is how they come to the conclusion of nine Marys. However, in , it says how this Mary is the mother of both James and Joseph which lowers the number to eight.
Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome.
Then in Matthew 27:61, we find the other Mary, who is with Mary Magdalene at the sepulcher. Looking at the context, this would seem to be the same Mary as the mother of Joseph and James. This lowers the count of Marys to seven.
And finally, in John 9:25, we find a Mar,y the wife of Cleophas , along with the two other Marys at the cross. This appears to be a separate Mary. But according to some, her husband, Cleophas, is also known as Alphaeus the father of James, which would make her the same Mary as the mother of Joseph and James lowering the count to six.
What The Bible Says About Mary Magdalene
All four canonical gospels of the New Testament noted Mary Magdalenes presence at Jesuss Crucifixion, but only the Gospel of Luke discussed her role in Jesuss life and ministry, listing her among some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities .
According to Luke, after Jesus cast out seven demons from her, Mary became part of a group of women who traveled with him and his 12 disciples/apostles, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Magdalene is not a surname, but identified the place Mary came from: Magdala, a city in Galilee, located in the northernmost region of ancient Palestine .
The crucifixion of Jesus with the Virgin Mary, Saint John and Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene is among Jesuss early followers, says Robert Cargill, assistant professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Iowa and editor of Biblical Archaeology Review. She was named in the Gospels, so she obviously was important. There were apparently hundreds, if not thousands, of followers of Jesus, but we don’t know most of their names. So the fact that she’s named is a big deal.
After Jesuss crucifixionwhich she witnessed along with several other women from the foot of the crossand after all his male disciples had fled, Mary Magdalene also played a key role in the story of the Resurrection. According to the gospels, she visited Jesuss tomb on Easter Sunday, either alone or with other women, and found the tomb empty.
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Does The Bible Ever Mention Mary Magdalenes Death
- Post author
2.Does The Bible Ever Mention Mary Magdalenes Death?
4.Does The Bible Ever Mention Mary Magdalenes Death?
Six women named Mary are mentioned in the Bible. * 1. The mother of Jesus.Matthew 1:18. 2. The sister of Martha and Lazarus.John 11:1, 2. 3. Mary Magdalene.Luke 8:2. 4. The mother of James and Joses.Matthew 27:56. 5. The mother of John Mark.Acts 12:12. 6. A Christian in Rome who labored in behalf of the congregation there.Romans 16:6.
6.Does The Bible Ever Mention Mary Magdalenes Death?
1 Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, who cured her of an unknown illness. She led a group of women who provided for Jesus and his followers from their own resources.
7.Does The Bible Ever Mention Mary Magdalenes Death?
What The Bible Really Says About Mary Magdalene
But just because the Bible never assigns Mary Magdalene the profession with which she has been so long identified doesn’t mean that it has nothing to say about her. Besides the fact that Mary Magdalene is mentioned more than any other female follower of Christ, she’s also mentioned more than most of his male followers. Whenever Jesus’ female disciples are named, Mary is always listed first, indicating her importance. The Gospel of Luke says that Mary was one of the women who supported Jesus financially, which has led some scholars to believe she must have been wealthy. “Mary,” or its Hebrew equivalent “Miriam,” was the most common name for women in Roman Judea, as will become clear to anyone trying to keep the women of the Gospels straight, and so this Mary is identified as the Magdalene, which isn’t a last name, but as King’s College explains suggests she was from the Galilean fishing village of Magdala.
All four Gospels agree that Mary Magdalene was a witness to Jesus’scrucifixion, and the Gospels of Matthew and both specifically mention Mary Magdalene as a witness to the burial of Jesus. Perhaps most importantly, all four Gospels agree that Mary Magdalene, either alone or as part of a group, was the first to discover Jesus’ empty tomb. The Gospel of John goes a step further in saying Mary was the first to see the risen Christ and the one who told all the other disciples about it, including Peter. Here, however, Mary’s biblical narrative ends.
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Did Mary Magdalene That Poured Out Perfume At Jesus Feet
She was one of many in a literal sea of Marys that followed Jesus, being that it was the most common name for a Jewish female. Thus, when writing about her, it was necessary to clarify which Mary. Some historians claim that it was not Mary Magdalene that poured out perfume onto Jesus feet, but rather Mary of Bethany. Although the account is recorded in all of the Gospels, .
“A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”Luke 7:37NIV
Its also proposed that by confusing the two, and inaccurate version of a promiscuous Mary Magdalene circulated. It certainly makes sense for Mary to pour out perfume at Jesus feet. Shes often given credit for understanding the teachings of Jesus more than anyone else. So when he explains to a haughty Judas that you will always have the poor, but you will not always have me, it may seem plausible to give light to the possibility that it was, indeed, the same Mary Magdalene who was delivered from seven demons.
Where Are The Marys
The name Mary is mentioned in the Bible over 50 times, varying by translation. However, the name Mary is only found in the New Testament. The name Mary comes from the Latin and Greek names Maria and Mariam.
In the Old Testament, we find Miriam , which is believed to be the Hebrew form of Mary.
In the New Testament, we find many Marys, and in the Old Testament, we only find two.
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Supporting Jesus In His Darkest Hour
When Jesus was arrested, chaos broke out among the disciples. Every one of them fled, and Peter famously denied even knowing the Lord. We do know that John shows up at the crucifixion, but we can’t be sure about any of the other disciples. Mary Magdalene was one of the few individuals who stuck by Jesus at His lowest point.
Matthew tells us about the women at the cross:
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons .
Other Gospel writers confirm her presence .
Jesus was being crucified as a blasphemer. The frightened disciples recognized the danger of being associated with His movement. Amid this danger, Mary Magdalene is steadfast and loyal. Although this must have been an incredibly traumatic event, Mary didn’t run. She supported Jesus with her presenceand by being there for His mother.
After the crucifixion, Mary Magdalene didn’t leave with the crowd. She stayed and watched as the stone was rolled in front of the tomb.
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb .
When Mary Magdelene Meets Jesus
When Mary Magdalene met Jesus, she was set free from seven demons. From that day forward, her life was forever changed. Mary became a devoted believer and traveled with Jesus and the disciples as they ministered throughout Galilee and Judea.
Out of her own wealth, Mary helped care for Jesus and the needs of his disciples. She was deeply devoted to Jesus and stayed with him at the foot of the cross during his crucifixion when others fled in fear. She and other women bought spices to anoint the body of Jesus and appeared at his tomb in all four Gospels.
Mary Magdalene was honored by Jesus as the first person he appeared to after his resurrection.
Because Mary Magdalene was charged in all four Gospels to be the first to share the good news of Christ’s resurrection, she is often called the first evangelist. She is mentioned more often than any other woman in the New Testament.
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