The Gospel of Mary (Magdalene) - What is it?

TL;DR:

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is a second to fifth century Gnostic text portraying Mary as a holder of secret teachings from Jesus, but it contradicts the New Testament’s depiction of her. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene was not written by Mary and is not considered authoritative or historically reliable by the early church.

what does the bible say?

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is a Gnostic text composed between the second and fifthcenturies, presenting Mary as a unique recipient of secret teachings from Jesus, including visions and insights that the other disciples allegedly did not receive (Gospel of Mary 5:7). Unlike the canonical Gospels, which portray Mary as a devoted follower, witness to the crucifixion, and the first to see the risen Christ (Luke 8:2; John 19:25; Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:1-18), this text emphasizes esoteric knowledge, alternative accounts of biblical events, and mystical interpretations of God, good, evil, and the afterlife (John 14:6; 1 John 4:2-3; Hebrews 9:26). Discovered in 1896 in Egypt, the manuscript exists in incomplete Greek and Coptic copies and was included alongside other Gnostic works such as the Apocryphon of John, the Sophia of Jesus Christ, and the Acts of Peter. While the Gospel of Mary attributes its insights to Mary Magdalene, the timing of its composition—two centuries after the New Testament—makes it clear that she was not the author. The text was never recognized as authoritative by the early church. Today, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene provides a window into early Gnostic thought but should not be considered historically reliable regarding Mary Magdalene’s life or teachings.

from the old testament

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene was written in the early church period and is not referenced in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

The contents of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene include much emphasis on Mary, as expected, including the notion that she was loved more than all the apostles. The Bible presents Mary Magdalene as a devoted follower of Jesus but not as one more loved than others. She was present at His crucifixion, witnessed His burial, and was the first to see Him after His resurrection (Luke 8:2; John 19:25; Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:1-18).
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene appears to focus more on issues of the third century, similar to other Gnostic writings. The ideas of secret knowledge, alternative stories regarding biblical events, and mysterious statements about God, good and evil, and the afterlife regularly contradict or add additional material beyond what is revealed in the New Testament (John 14:6; 1 John 4:2-3; Hebrews 9:26).
The Gospel of Mary 5:7 states, "Mary answered and said, 'What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you.'" Mary is featured as the one who remembered hidden teachings from Jesus that Peter and the other disciples did not. This included a vision she had of Jesus. The Bible does not describe Mary Magdalene as having secret or exclusive knowledge apart from the public ministry of Jesus. Instead, the canonical Gospels present her as a devoted follower, witness to Jesus’ crucifixion, and the first to see the risen Christ (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-10; John 20:1-18). Unlike the Gospel of Mary, which emphasizes esoteric teachings and Mary’s special insight, the New Testament focuses on her faithfulness, witness, and role in proclaiming the resurrection.

implications for today

The Gospel of Mary (or the Gospel of Mary Magdalene) is a pseudepigraphal writing discovered in 1896 in Egypt containing a Gnostic version of New Testament events alleged to have taken place, particularly in association with Mary Magdalene. Scholars date the original composition of this work to the fifth century.

The collection in which the Gospel of Mary is found also includes three additional works: 1) the Apocryphon of John, 2) the Sophia of Jesus Christ, and 3) the Acts of Peter. These writings were published in Coptic. Two additional manuscripts of the Gospel of Mary have been found in Greek; these date to the third century. Portions of the text in the Gospel of Mary are incomplete.

While the manuscripts are not entirely clear as to which Mary is supposed to have been the author, the contents suggest Mary Magdalene as the alleged author. This is based on her role as a follower of Jesus and as one of the first to see Him resurrected.

Though much is unclear regarding the background of the Gospel of Mary, it is clear by the time period of its writing that it was not written by Mary Magdalene or any other Mary from the New Testament period. It was written two centuries after the New Testament. Further, unlike the New Testament documents, there are only two early Greek copies and one Coptic copy, each with missing texts.

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene offers a limited, yet important insight into the Gnostic writings. However, it is clearly not authored by Mary nor is its message consistent with the New Testament's writings. It was not accepted as authoritative by the early church and is not to be accepted as accurate information regarding the historical Mary Magdalene.

understand

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is a Gnostic text portraying Mary as a keeper of secret teachings from Jesus.
The Mary Magdalene of the Gospel did not write the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, and it was composed centuries after the New Testament.
The text of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene is historically unreliable and not recognized as authoritative by the early church.

reflect

How does understanding the difference between the Gospel of Mary Magdalene and the New Testament shape the way you view Mary’s role in Jesus’ ministry?
How might focusing on Mary’s faithfulness and witness, rather than secret knowledge, influence your own approach to following Jesus?
How do you discern between teachings that align with the Bible and those that add extra, inaccurate claims?

engage

How do Gnostic texts like the Gospel of Mary Magdalene reflect the early church’s struggles with truth, authority, and interpretation of Jesus’ teachings?
What can we learn about the importance of historical context and authorship when evaluating spiritual writings?
How does comparing Mary’s portrayal in the canonical Gospels with her depiction in Gnostic texts help us understand the difference between faithfulness and speculative mysticism?