What do we know about Mary Magdalene?

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TL;DR:

Mary Magdalene was freed from seven demons by Jesus. Mary Magdalene went from living in darkness to living in the light as she followed Jesus.

from the old testament

  • Mary Magdalene is not mentioned in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

  • Mary Magdalene was freed of seven demons when Jesus cast them out of her (Luke 8:2). She became a follower of His.
  • Mary Magdalene was there when Jesus was crucified. She would have witnessed Jesus's mock trial, Pontius Pilate sentencing Jesus to crucifixion, and the beating He took. She followed Jesus to Golgotha and witnessed His death (Matthew 27:55–56).
  • Mary Magdalene was one of the first people to meet the resurrected Jesus. He sent her to tell others (John 20:11–18).
  • Mary Magdalene was also most likely among the women who waited with the apostles for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14).

implications for today

Mary Magdalene's life shows us the transformative power of a life changed by Jesus. Despite being possessed by seven demons, Mary Magdalene found freedom and healing through Jesus. Her journey from darkness to light illustrates that no matter how broken or lost we may feel, hope and redemption is always available through Christ. Additionally, Mary Magdalene's unwavering loyalty and devotion to Jesus, demonstrated by her presence at His crucifixion and resurrection, reveals her faith and commitment to following Jesus. Along with not abandoning Him, her role as one of the first witnesses to the resurrection and her obedience in sharing the good news with others reveal that a life changed cannot keep from sharing Jesus—who He is and what He has done both in our lives and throughout human history. Our lives can be transformed by Jesus, and we can shine brightly for Him in this dark world.

understand

  • Mary Magdalene was freed from seven demons by Jesus.
  • Mary Magdalene was present at Jesus's crucifixion, showing her devotion to Him.
  • Mary Magdalene was one of the first to see the risen Savior and was told to tell the others.

reflect

  • What encourages you about Mary Magdalene's transformation from being possessed by seven demons to becoming a devoted follower of Jesus?
  • What significance do you find in Mary Magdalene's presence at Jesus's crucifixion, and how does it demonstrate her loyalty and devotion?
  • How does Mary Magdalene inspire you to share your faith with others?

engage

  • Some have associated Mary Magdalene with "a woman of the city, who was a sinner" (Luke 7:37), who poured expensive perfume on Jesus's feet in Luke 7:36–50. Her name indicates she was from Magdala, which did have a reputation for prostitution, and Luke first names Mary right after this account, but there is no scriptural evidence to support that the women are one and the same. The Bible nowhere explicitly refers to Mary Magdalene as a prostitute or "sinner."
  • Mary Magdalene is also sometimes thought to be the woman caught in adultery in John 7:53—8:11, whom Jesus saves from being stoned. Though the movie The Passion of the Christ identifies her as this woman, there is no evidence that this is Mary Magdalene.
  • Dan Brown's fictional novel The DaVinci Code claims that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. Though there were early non-biblical writings (viewed as heretical by the early church) that hinted at a possible romantic relationship between the two, there is no evidence, biblical or otherwise, that Jesus was married or that there was any relationship between Him and Mary Magdalene.