She Stayed When Others Ran
There is only one person we know for certain who was present at the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Others came and went, but she stayed right by His side both in life and death.
Her name was Mary Magdalene. [1] Mary has been pronounced a villain, a saint, a figment of the imagination, and the wife of Jesus. Her history has been dissected, reassembled, and contorted beyond recognition. Yet, through all the distortion and hype one thing remains true: once she found Him, she never walked away from her Lord.
Mary. Her name means, "sorrow" and we know almost nothing about her life before she met Jesus. She evidently lived in Magdala for she was called "The Magdalene." This tiny hamlet was only three miles east of Capernaum-the headquarters of Jesus' earthly ministry. Also, we know she was financially well off and free from household responsibilities. Add to this, Magdala's reputation-it was infamous for its corruption and brothels-and it's easy to understand why many have concluded she was both a prostitute and a madam selling others to the sex trade.
Whether or not Mary deserves the foul reputation history has given, is a matter of debate. Her riches could have been earned another way and her marital freedom might indicate she was a widow. But wherever her money came from, no amount could buy the one thing she needed most: freedom from the demons constantly tormenting her.
Like the mystery of her financial success, the presence of demons does not necessarily indicate she was a great sinner. Children were sometimes plagued by demons. [2] There's no way we can even be sure of the nature of her torment. It could have been anything from seizures to hallucinations to insanity or the torment of nightmares and shame that refused to let her rest. All we know is she had much sorrow and there were multiple demons.
Then Jesus came.
With her close proximity to where Jesus often stayed, she likely heard of His reputation early and she probably sought Him out, just like so many others. Was she curious? Hopeful? Afraid of what He might say? We don't know. But, when she found Him and Jesus freed her from the demons she followed from that moment on and soon became a part of the team known only as "the women who followed Him from Galilee," As part of the team, she saw to practical needs and provided much of the financial assistance needed.
Every where Jesus went, He drew crowds of hundreds. Even thousands. These were a mixed group of women and children as well as men. Can you imagine what it would have been like for hundreds of people all milling around out in the open and all of them trying to see Jesus at the same time? No restaurants, restrooms, houses or even main roads would have been available most of the time. And, there were no recording systems, platforms or microphones to amplify and carry the voice of Jesus as He taught.
Because crowds were immense, only a few could push their way to the front to clearly hear and question the Lord. Many others, perhaps hundreds, stood on the fringes. Some have suggested part of the ministry of the disciples may have been to verbally pass back what they heard Jesus saying. It would be a sort of a delayed, do-it-yourself public address system. After many months, they would have known the stories and sermons my heart and could have taught His words to others who could not get close enough to hear.
I wonder if Mary did a similar thing. In that society, it would have been more natural for women to talk to other women. Suppose she sat in a group of women and told them word for word the story of the Prodigal son? Do you think she ever held a baby while the mother worked her way close enough to Jesus to be healed? Is it possible she ever reached into her pocket and gave money to a poor family who had waited all day to see Jesus?
Whatever her background and whatever her specific ministry, we know she was determined to stay by Jesus and followed Him year after year. When most of the disciples fled the crucifixion scene, Mary and the women from Galilee stayed to the very end. When Joseph of Arimathaea took the body from the cross, wrapped it and put it in the garden tomb, Mary Magdalene sat watching so she would know where He lay. And, on resurrection morning, she was the first human to see the living Jesus.
I think one of the tenderest stories in the Bible is when the newly resurrected Jesus called Mary by name. He called her and commissioned her to be the first one to spread the news that He was alive!
I suppose one reason this story touches me so deeply is I know He calls me by name, too. [3] And, her good news that she raced to give the world, is my good news as well. [4]
[1] Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:40; John 1:17 [2] Mark 9:17-27; Matthew 15:22 [3] Matthew 10:30; Revelation 2:17 [4] Matthew 28:18-20
