Mary Magdalen (VIII)

VIII. MARY MAGDALEN, who has been generally confounded with Mary the Sister of Martha and Lazarus, but very improperly, was probably that Sinner mentioned by St. Luke, Chap. vii. 36, 37, &c. whose Name he does not tell us. But here are some Circumstances sufficient to make one believe, that she is the same whom he calls Mary Magdalen in Chap. viii. ℣ 2. and from whom he says that Jesus drove out seven Devils. Jesus having healed the Widow’s Son of Nain, entered into the City, and there was invited to eat by a Pharisee named Simon. While he was at Table, a Woman of a scandalous Life came into the House, having an Alabaster Box full of perfumed Oil; and standing upright behind Jesus, and at his Feet, for he was lying at Table on a Couch after the Manner of the Ancients, she poured her Perfume on his Feet, kissed them, watered them with her Tears, and wiped them with her Hair. The Pharisee observing this, said within himself; if this Man were a Prophet, he would know who this Woman is that touches him, that she is one of a wicked Life. Then Jesus who knew the Bottom of his Heart, said to him: A Creditor had two Debtors, one of which owed him five hundred Pence, and the other fifty. But they not having wherewith to pay him, he forgave them both their Debts. Which of these two will love him most? Simon answered, I suppose him to whom he had forgiven the greater Sum.

After this Jesus commending all that this Woman had done to him, he adds; Her Sins which are many are forgiven her, because she has loved much¹; but he to whom little is forgiven will love but little. Then he says to the Woman, Thy Sins are forgiven thee. In the following Chapter Saint Luke tells us, that Jesus in Company with his Apostles, preached the Gospel from City to City; and that there were several Women also, whom he had delivered from evil Spirits, and had cured of their Infirmities, among which was Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven Devils. I own that this is no demonstrative Proof, that the Sinner mentioned before was Mary Magdalene; but this is all we can have for the Support of this Opinion. Therefore without venturing to assert that these are one and the same Person, after having mentioned what belongs to this Sinner, I shall proceed to what belongs to Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene took her Surname, either from the Town of Magdala in Galalee, beyond Jordan, and not far from Gamala², probably the same mentioned Matth. xv. 39. or from Magdolos³, a Town situated on this Side Jordan, at the Foot of Mount Carmel, which is the same as Megiddo spoken of Joshua xvii. 11. 2 Kings ix. 27. xxiii. 29. The Rabbins⁴ speak of a Mary Magdalene, Wife of Rabbi Papus, Son of Judah, and of another Mary Magdalene, Wife of Hamchuna, the Father of Nazareen⁵, who was surnamed Magdala, not because of her Countrey, but because by Profession she was a Tire-Woman or Seamstress; as if it were insinuated by the Term Magdala, which signifies a Tower, that Magdalene in preparing Head-dresses for the Women, built as it were Towers upon their Heads.

⁶ —— Tanta est quærendi cura decoris, Tot premit ordinibus, tot adhuc compagibus altum Ædificat caput.

Lightfoot⁷ believes, that ‘tis this Mary Magdalene that St. Luke and the other Evangelists speak of, and whom this Author does not distinguish from Mary the Sister of Lazarus. Magdalene is mentioned by the Evangelists among the Women that followed our Saviour, to minister to him according to the Custom of the Jews. St. Luke viii. 2. and St. Mark xvi. 9. observe, that this Woman had been delivered by Jesus Christ from seven Devils. This some⁸ understand in the literal Sence, but⁹ others take it figuratively, for the Crimes and Wickedness of her past Life, from which Christ had rescued her. Others¹⁰ maintain, that she had always lived in Virginity, and consequently they make her a different Person from the Sinner mentioned by St. Luke, and by the seven Devils of which she was possessed, they understand no other than a real Possession, which is not inconsistent with a holy Life. She followed Christ in the last Journey that he made from Galilee to Jerusalem, and was at the Foot of the Cross with the holy Virgin. She continued upon Mount Calvary till our John xix. 25. Mark xv. 47.Saviour’s Death, and saw him put into his Tomb. After which she returned to Jerusalem, to buy and prepare the Perfumes, that she might embalm him after the Sabbath was over, which was then going to begin.

All the Sabbath Day she remained in the City, and the next Day early in the Morning she went to the Sepulchre, along with Mary the Mother of James and Salome. On the Way, they enquired of one another, who should take away the Stone from the Mouth of the Sepulchre, and were sensible of a great Earthquake. This was the Token of our Saviour’s Resurrection. Being come to his Tomb, they saw two Angels, who informed them that Jesus was risen. Upon this Mary Magdalene runs immediately to Jerusalem, and acquaints the Apostles with this good News, returning her self to the Sepulchre. Peter and John came also, and were Witnesses that the Body was no longer there. They returned, but Mary stayed, and stooping forward to examine the inside of the Tomb, she there saw two Angels sitting, one at the Head, and the other at the Bottom of the Tomb. They asked her why she wept, to which she replied, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. At the same Time turning about, she saw Jesus Christ in the Form of a Gardener, who asked her what she looked for. She answered, Sir, if ‘tis you that have taken away my Master, let me know See Matth. xxviii. 5, &c. Mark xvi. 5, &c. John xx. 11, 17.it, that I may take him away. Jesus says to her, Mary, and immediately she knew him, and cast her self at his Feet, to kiss them. But Jesus said to her, touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. As if he had said; you shall have Leisure to see me hereafter, go now to my Brethren, my Apostles, and tell ‘em, I am going to ascend to my God, and to their God; to my Father, and to their Father. Thus had Mary the Happiness of first seeing our Saviour after his Resurrection.

She returned then to Jerusalem, and told the Apostles that she had seen the Lord, that she had spoke to him, and told them what he had said to her. But at first they did not believe her, till her Report was confirmed by many other Testimonies. This is what the Gospel informs us concerning Mary Magdalene, different from Mary the Sister of Martha, though she has been often called by this Name. For as to the pretended History of Mary Magdalene, which is said to have been written in Hebrew by Marcella, Servant of Martha; this can only relate to Mary Sister of Martha, and besides, is a meer Piece of Forgery. Modestus¹¹, Archbishop of Constantinople, in the seventh Age says, that Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus had cast out seven Devils, went to Ephesus after the Death of the Virgin Mary, and abode always with St. John, as long as she lived. This Author says, that there she ended her Life by Martyrdom. Her Acts were then in Being, but now they are no longer to be found. The Commentary upon St. Mark, ascribed to St. Jerom¹², says, that Mary Magdalene was a Widow. Gregory of Tours, as also Modestus, whose Testimony we just now cited, says, that her Tomb was at Ephesus, and had not then been opened. They had still her Relicks in great Reverence there, in 745, when Villebeaud passed that Way. The Greek Annals would insinuate, that she died and was buried there. The Emperor Leo the Wise, who began to reign in 886, caused her Relicks to be brought from Ephesus to Constantinople.a Codinus, who speaks of this Translation, understands it of Mary Sister to Lazarus; but Cedrenus understands it of Magdalene.

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