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.
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.
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.