Jesus and Mary Magdalene
posted April 4th, 2007 at 10:52 pm by Betty
This is a solemn week for Christians across the globe. As each day passes, we move closer and closer to hearing once again those ancient words given to the women who came to the tomb in the early morning. “Whom are you looking for?” “He has been raised.”
Mary Magdalene and the women are central to this celebrated story, but it depends upon which Gospel you read as to how you might think about them. The Biblical Gospels vary in their portraits of the women. Some draw a patriarchal view of women, while others trace a more authentic face.
Luke, for example, shows us “diminished” women who are “prayerful, quiet, grateful and supportive of male leadership.” (See Ann Graham Brock, Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle, 36-38) In Luke’s Gospel, the active seeing of the women is not emphasized as it is in the other Gospels (Luke 24: 1-12) and when the women tell “the eleven and all the rest,” their words are received as “idle talk.” It takes Peter - who gets up and runs to the tomb - to verify their account.
In Mark, however, the seeing of the women is stresssed. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome see that the stone has been rolled away. As they enter the tomb, they see an angel in a white robe. The angel gives them a commission, saying “Go and tell his disciples, including Peter, he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him, as he told you.” But the women are said to flee the tomb in terror and amazement, saying nothing to anyone. And the overall impression of the women in this original ending of the gospel is that they are silent, terrified, and inadequate to the task of their comissoning by the angel. (Mark 16: 1-8)
In Matthew, the women are given a vision of angels and the risen Jesus, who commissions them into action, saying, “Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and they will see me there.” The women in this Gospel carry out the commission, but their story, interrupted by the story of the guards, is then dropped.
The Gospel of John differs, some scholars say, from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Mary Magdalene (John 20: 1, 11-18) arrives alone at the tomb and sees that the stone has been rolled away. When she sees Jesus, he gives her a significant revelation and proclamation. She carries out the commission, saying that she has “seen the Lord.”
Our Magdalene Community is particularly captivated by the story of Mary Magdalene in John 20: we find her encounter with Jesus hauntingly beautiful and dramatic. Jesus first says to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” And then, so she might recognize him, he calls her by name, and into her own, giving her a significant revelation. The words are so brief that they surely express a mere trace (of words now lost) than a complete exchange.
Recently I came upon another version of the story, found in the Gospel of Peter, a newly discovered ancient text. Some scholars say it may be an earlier version of the story as found in Mark and John, while others say it was written after the biblical gospels, drawing upon their content. However that may be, the version is at once fresh to the ears and familiar. (Unfortunately, the women are said to flee in fear, as in Mark.)
From the Gospel of Peter (13): “And they went and found the tomb open. They went up to it, stooped down, and saw a young man sitting there in the middle of the tomb; he was handsome and wore a splendid robe. He said to them, “Why have you come? Who are you looking for? Surely not the one who was crucified? He is risen and gone. If you don’t believe it, stoop down and take a look at the place where he lay, for he is not there. You see, he is risen and has gone back to the place he was sent from.” Then the women fled in fear.”
You might want to meditate upon this version sometime this week.
The history channel will be showing a new documentary on Mary Magdalene. There are three showings this week but you might want to catch Thursday night at 8:00 pm (see Something About Mary Magdalene )
Many blessings during this week.
Mary Magdalene
Jesus
something about mary magdalene
gospel of peter
ann graham brock
mary magdalene the first apostle
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April 5th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Betty,
Imagine this billboard:
“I have seen the Lord.”
Mary Magdalene
April 5th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Betty,
I find it so very interesting that there are different accounts of the Resurrection in the canonical gospels. These, among many other contradictory passages, have for many years puzzled me and brought questions to my mind as to how some can proclaim the Bible (as it has come to us) as the infallable word of God directly from “his” lips. The John version has always made so much more sense to me, especially in light of the Gospel of Mary. I, personally, have come to believe that those versions that have the women fleeing in fear are contrived to make the fearful men look better and reinforce the claim that men — and only men — should be the leaders of the “Christian” church.
Which leads me to this: the last time I attended a “regular” church service was on Easter Sunday two years ago. I felt like I’d been beaten with a crucifix! Easter Sunday is supposed to be a joyful service, but I didn’t feel the joy at all. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Last Easter, the Magdalene Community had begun to meet. That was the most beautiful, joyful Easter I have spent since I was a young child. I’m sure our service this year will be just as joyful.
And you know where you can find me tonight at 8:00 — tuned in to the History Channel! I can’t get enough of Her.
May the peace of Mary Magdalene and Jesus arise up in you all…
Bridgitt
April 7th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
I enjoyed the History Channel special, although I didn’t really learn anything new. It was nice to see and hear Esther de Boer, and to learn more about the theory that Mary Magdalene wrote the Gospel of John. I’m not sure I buy that theory, especially in light of Elaine Pagels’ theory about the Gospel of John being at odds with the Gospel of Thomas. Plus, I really like the idea of a Jesus who is able to show such deep love to both a man (the Beloved Disciple) and a woman (Mary Magdalene)…
I would love to see a TV documentary that delves into the actual *content* of the Gospel of Mary, with some discussion of the teachings in the gospel as well as Mary’s vision of the journey of the soul. I would include Esther de Boer in such a documentary but also Betty Conrad Adam, Karen King, Margaret Starbird, Lesa Bellevie, Stephan Hoeller, and Jean-Yves Leloup. My “dream documentary” would be narrated by Jane Fonda, who describes herself now as a feminist Christian. Ellen Burstyn (a Sufi) would play the older Mary Magdalene in historical re-enactments. Music would be by Tori Amos and the Indigo Girls.
April 9th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
I agree, Darrell. I didn’t really learn anything new either, but did enjoy seeing Esther de Boer and Susan Haskins (both of whom I’ve read–Haskins’ book a couple of years ago). I don’t really buy the theory theat Mary wrote the Gospel of John, although I don’t completely discount it either. Another theory I’ve recently come across is that the Beloved Disciple is the son of Jesus and Mary. Jocobovici expresses this as his belief in the last chapter of The Jesus Family Tomb.
WOW…that would be SOME documenatry!
Bridgitt
April 9th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Dear Margie, Bridgitt, and Hamza,
I have so enjoyed all of your comments. Last week, I sat in my office laughing outloud (for the longest time) as I read about the prospective billboard and the “regular” service. I hope other readers have had the same fun. Now I see that Hamza’s imagination and wit have put together the “dream documentary” narrated by Jane Fonda no less - who is now a Christain feminist! This I need to know more about! Betty