THE MARY MAGDALENE STORY

Mark 15:46-16:9

Are you as aware as I am of how much information has appeared on the covers of popular news magazines such as Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report, and in well-timed newspaper articles, books, and films that mention names like Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Judas, that quote historic documents as if they were truth, and that have stirred interest in the faith but many times with wrong information? Back in 1982 when Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln stirred the waters of history with their book HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL, they claimed that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, that they fled to what is now France and had a royal line of children, some of whom were Merovingian kings and princesses. The book was pushed off the table of serious scholarship and went out of print. Then in 2003 a relatively unknown author named Dan Brown wrote his now famous book of fiction, THE DA VINCI CODE, that has a plate in the front that claims that the Priory of Sion, Opus Dei, are actual organizations and that all artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals are accurate in the novel. People read that book faster than a Wycliffe Bible translator could hand out a Bible. All of a sudden, the Word of God, which had been faithfully protected and translated for centuries by historians and theologians, took a back seat in popular reading circles to other writing that were treated as if they were authoritative. Let’s set some records straight.

As the courtroom drama between the HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL writers, who claimed Dan Brown plagiarized their book, came to a close last week, readers would do well to remember one little-known fact: the document on which the earlier book made its claim about Mary Magdalene is suspected to have been altered by Pierre Plantard, a Frenchman who claimed to be a Grand Master of the Priory of Sion and the very man who suggested the information to the HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL authors in the first place. If the document were true-surprise!-Pantard would find himself in the bloodline of Jesus and stand do gain great fame and fortune! But, alas, as whenever there is great fame or fortune involved, one does well to keep healthy doubt coupled with healthy hope. Many in our world would love to have new light shed on old mysteries. There is less and there is more about Mary Magdalene than modern writers have pointed out. Let’s go back to the most trustworthy document of the past 2000 years when it comes to the life and teachings of Jesus: the New Testament.

Does the Bible say that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ, Superstar” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” film suggested? No. The gospel of Luke, which includes stories of many of the women of the Bible, says in chapter 8, verses 1 through 3: “Jesus went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their means.” These women helped to bankroll the ministry of Jesus and the twelve, ironically perhaps in part out of Herod’s money, the very man who sought Jesus’ death! Each of the women were not among “the twelve,” but were clearly disciples, learners about and followers after Jesus, supporting him as he went from town to town. Researcher Simon Cox wrote these revealing words about Mary Magdalene: “The appellation ‘Magdalene’ is thought to come from the fact that Mary was from the town of Magdala. She appears surprisingly few times in the New Testament, [among them, the critical times of being with Jesus’] entourage, at the Crucifixion, at the burial of Christ, and witnessing the Resurrection. One thing we can say for certain: the long-held belief that Mary Magdalene was a repentant prostitute is a false one. The idea that Mary was in fact a prostitute seems to have been a mistake, [preached in a] sixth century sermon by Pope Gregory I.” [CRACKING THE DA VINCI CODE, 2004, P.103] He seemed to misunderstand the stories of Luke 7 and 8 and tried to blend them all together. The situation was not helped by the Roman Catholic Church, which held to and promoted Pope Gregory’s statement until- can you believe it?- 1969, when the Vatican quietly issued a retraction of the contents of that 6^th century sermon. Instead, Mary seemed to be a caring disciple who, because of custom in the first century, was never named as such. Attempts to smear her name pale in comparison to her unmistakable presence at Jesus’ crucifixion. We also know that a centurion was there, (Mark 15:39) scoffing Chief Priests, (Mark 15:31) and several other women (Mark 15: 40-41). John’s gospel even says Jesus’ mother was there (John 19:26) and probably John the apostle. Note Mary Magdalene’s prominent place at the cross. At the burial, we know that Joseph of Arimathea was there (Mark 15:46) along with, yes, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses. (Mark 15:47.) Note Mary’s prominent place at the tomb. And on the first day of the week, the day we celebrate as Easter Sunday, the consistent name of Mary Magdalene is first in the text of Mark 16:1, along with Mary the mother of James and Salome. Mary was first at the tomb to carry out the Jewish custom of anointing the body, a ritual that could not be carried out on the Sabbath day of Saturday. And Mark’s gospel says that the young man who was dressed in white in the tomb where the stone had rolled away, instructed them that Jesus, who was crucified, had risen from the dead, and for them to go and tell Peter and the others that he would see them in Galilee just as he had told them. Mary Magdalene was among the first to hear the resurrection good news: and therefore became the very first evangelist of the good news: that Jesus’ tomb was empty and that he had risen as he had told them. There is no message about marriage, there is no message about running away together to France; there is no message about Jesus collaboration with Judas to carry out his own death, which was alleged in a discovery purported to be written by Gnostics, a group that was named as heretics-wrong believers-by the early disciples.

Friends, on this Easter day, read what you want to read for entertainment and information. But when it comes to the life and teachings of Jesus, there has never been any other writing that has matched the accuracy, the fervency of the message, and the salvation story of Almighty God like Scripture itself, the Holy Bible. The best-selling book of all time is still the best book. Read what is there, don’t count on what you think is there. And there is a place for each of us in the story: legalists are in the passion story; wealthy people are too, as are poor people; well-connected people are there as are the disenfranchised; believers are there as are unbelievers, betrayers, and those in denial. Monday morning quarterbacks are there along with prophets who tried to warn people to change. And there are people who love and follow Jesus as Lord. They are all there; which one are you? Today, where you stand in relationship to Jesus makes a difference to him. And when you breathe your last, where you stand in relationship to him will make all the

difference for you. This day changes everything; the Lord is Risen! Is he your Lord and Savior? Jeffrey A. Sumner April 16, 2006