Who Was Mary Magdalene?

[JoeMo]

I just got done looking up every place in scripture where Mary Magdelene is mentioned.  Some things that I have always believed (as an SDA) I now wonder about:

1. Woman who annointed Jesus' Feet (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-40, John 12:1-8):  It is only in the gospel of John that a woman named "Mary" is mentioned; but it never says she was Mary Magdalene.  Mary (or Miriam) was a very common name; and I'm not sure that assuming this Mary was Mary Magdelene is a sound assumption.
2. Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus:  I looked at every scripture mentioning Mary, Martha, and Lazarus; and never does it identify that Mary as Mary Magdalene.  In fact, Mary, Martha and Lazarus were from Bethany;  Mary Magdalene was from Magdala.
3. Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8):  Never is it mentioned that this woman was even named Mary, much less Mary Magdalene.  Earliest manuscripts don't even include this story

There were several other "Marys" with whom Jesus associated - including (but not limited to) his mom, and Mary the mother of James and John, Mary wife of Cleopas.  Like I said Mary/Miriam was (and still is) a common name.  The only thing I could verify that specifies Mary Magdalene is that she was the woman out of whom Jesus cast 7 demons.

 

Mary Magdalene is only specifically mentioned in scripture 13 times; yet she has been made out to be a major player in several NT stories where she might be the "wrong" Mary.  What do you think?

[Kevin H]

You may have a point there; especially in the stories about the washing of the feet. In one story it is at the start of Jesus' ministry at the home of Simon the Pharisee where this un-named woman who was a sinner came in to wash Jesus' feet. Then in the week before Passover (the different days can be explained between the Temple Passover and the Essene Passover) where Mary washed the feet of Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper.

[Gail]

Wasn't John Mark's mother also named Mary?

[Aliensanctuary]

Too many Marys in old Israel to keep sorted out...

[JoeMo]

For all the importance we Mary Magdalene seems to have during the life of Jesus, she abruptly disappears from scripture after the resurrection.  I wonder what happened to her?  Some apocryphal accounts say that the other disciples (especially Peter) did not care for Mary.  She will be an interesting person to look up in the Kingdom.

[Gregory Matthews]

1) Mary the Mother of Jesus: Many Scriptural references.  

 

 

2) Mary Madalene:  Luke 8: 1 & 2, Mark 16:9, and other scriptures.   She has been thought to be the Sinner of Luke 7 and the sister of Martha.

 

 

3) Mary of Bethany:  Luke 10:38, John 11:1. The sister of Martha.

 

 

4) The Other Mary:  Matthews 27:61 & 28:1,  With Mary Magdalene.  Impossible to identify, unless she is the mother of James.

 

 

5) Mary the mother of James:  Mark 15:40, 47 & 16:1,  With Mary Magdalene.

 

 

6) Mary the wife of Clopas  (Cleophas, KJV):  John 19:25,  She was with Mary Magdalene at the cross. Some think that she is the mother of James.

 

 

7)   Mary the mother of John Mark:  Acts 23:12, and the cousin of Barnabas.  NOTE The KJV calls her the sister of Barnabas.  She may have been a widow and of some wealth?

 

 

8) Another Mary:  Romans 16:6.  Nothing else is known about her other than what is stated in this verse--she was an active worker in the Roman Church.

 

 

 

Take your pick.  The evidence is not conclusive.

[Sojourner]

 

Mary Magdalene is only specifically mentioned in scripture 13 times; yet she has been made out to be a major player in several NT stories where she might be the "wrong" Mary.  What do you think?

 

I think that the reason that Mary could be considered to be a "major player" in the NT is the suggestion and to me a probability that she was an earthly friend in the sense of friendship as we know it of Jesus Christ.  Clearly there were Jewish customs in place around the manner in which males and females related to one another, yet I still feel there is enough evidence to suggest that they were friends.

 

I have no real problem with that idea, Jesus was fully man and fully G-d, when we were created G-d said let "us" create man in "our" image, suggesting to me that community existed at that time also and that people need one another. I don't think its likely that Jesus lived in isolation and that He had various friendships with other people outside of His own direct family.

[stinsonmarri]

All of these so call English names are Biblically wrong and they are not even transliterated. Her name is Mariam and she was a prostitute and most likely was living at that time in Magdala, but her birth place was Bethany. She was known as Magdalene as the place she doing her sinful acts. She would not wanted to be known in her home town. She changed and return home and was continually at YAHSHUA'S FEET. She also return home to witness to both her sister and brother who became good friends of YAHSHUA. They are people like you and I are today, let us not make this so complicated. I was born in Atlanta, but grew up in New Haven Connecticut. I have returned home to my native country of birth. We have change the people names as we have changed the name of YAHWEH ELOHIM, YAHSHUA ELOHIM HIS SON, and THE HOLY SPIRIT ELOHIM, who is not a ghost!!!!! Ex 23:13

 

Happy Sabbath and be bless!