by Judy Gross Chiarelli

I received a call from a woman in a Bible study group a few years back. "Have you read the book The DaVinci Code?" she asked. "What’s the truth about Mary Magdalene? Is The DaVinci Code accurate, and if it is, why has all that information been hidden for so long?"

No, I told her, author Dan Brown has written a work of fiction, and there is not much truth in his best–selling book (and now movie). It is an engaging, fast–paced, and interesting story, but it uses a myth about one of the most misunderstood and poorly researched characters of the New Testament, Mary Magdalene, as a central plot device.

Many myths, legends, and misconceptions about Mary Magdalene have evolved over the past 2,000 years. Christian traditions have mixed and matched the Magdalene with many other Marys in the Bible — and with other biblical and non–biblical characters — long before Brown’s modern–day best–seller. If you ask 10 people who Mary Magdalene was, you will get seven different answers. After I gave a talk on the subject at a church a few months ago, a man leaned over and admitted with a blush, "I always thought she was the woman at the well." I just smiled and thought, "That’s one I haven’t heard before!"

The information in this article about Mary Magdalene comes from the four Gospels. Several non-biblical works about her exist, but let’s stick with the truth in our Christian context — the biblical canon. As with the stories of most of the women of the Bible, we will have to bring Mary Magdalene’s story out from the shadows, quilt together the pieces of information from the Gospels, and see what unfolds before us.

The Myths about Mary
Before considering who Mary Magdalene was, let’s talk about who she wasn’t. The most prominent myth that crumbles very quickly when we look at the biblical facts is that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. The Bible never says that Mary was a prostitute and does not even call her a sinner. Beginning in about the sixth century, a tradition grew up that associated Mary with the unnamed woman in Luke 7:36–50, casting her as a woman of ill repute.

It is clear that Mary is not that woman because she is introduced to us at the beginning of the very next chapter: "The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources" (Luke 8:1–3). The word used for resources in the original Greek is used in other Gospel accounts to mean possessions or property.

The Gospels of Mark and Matthew also make reference to Mary Magdalene and the other Galilean women providing for Jesus and his disciples (Mark 15:40–41; Matthew 27:55). These few verses tell us much about the Galilean women followers of Jesus: They traveled with Jesus and his apostles. They provided for them and the new family of faith forming around Jesus, most likely in traditional ways of table services and hospitality. Most importantly, they provided financial support for them out of their resources.

Other myths crumble quickly when we look more closely at the Gospel accounts. There is a confusion of Marys in the New Testament. Mary Magdalene was not Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. That Mary was from Bethany outside of Jerusalem in Judea. Mary Magdalene was from Magdala in the Galilee, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee just south of Capernaum.

There is also nothing to link the Mary who anointed Jesus in the house of Lazarus in Bethany (John 12:3), or in some accounts in the house of Simon the Leper (Matthew 26:6, Mark 14:3), with Mary Magdalene. The Gospel of John leads us to believe it was Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus.

There are many other myths and misconceptions tied to Mary Magdalene, far too many to mention here.

A Woman of Substance
The story that becomes clear from the facts the biblical accounts give us is far more interesting than any of the myths. Mary Magdalene appears to have held a position of leadership not only within the group of Galilean women disciples who followed Jesus, but within the larger group of disciples forming as a family of faith around Jesus. There are important patterns to consider when piecing together Mary’s story.

Mary Magdalene’s name is mentioned first in three of the four Gospel introductions of the Galilean women disciples and in the subsequent crucifixion accounts, indicating her leadership role within that group. In the Gospel of John, she is listed with the mother of Jesus and others as a witness to Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. Mary Magdalene and other women witnessed the burial of Jesus and provided the details of how he was laid in the tomb.

Mary Magdalene is also the only woman in the Gospels not linked to a male family member. With the exception of two women — Salome (Mark 15:40, 16:1) and Susanna (Luke 8:2) — Mary Magdalene is the only woman in the Gospels whose name stands on its own. Other references to women identify them by family relationships, such as Mary "the wife of Clopas," Joanna "the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza," Mary "the mother of James and Joseph, the mother of the sons of Zebedee," Martha and Mary "the sisters of Lazarus." The list goes on.

Additionally, Mary of Magdala is the only woman in the Gospels given a special name based on her town of origin, a practice reserved for men. Mary is known as Mary of Magdala, the Magdalene, and Mary Magdalene. Except for her, we see that only men are given such special names in the Gospels: Jesus of Nazareth, John the Baptist, Simon the Zealot, Joseph of Arimathea, James the Younger, Simon of Cyrene. The majority of women mentioned in the Bible are not named at all; those who are named are likely mentioned by first name with associations to male family members.

Conversion and Discipleship
What about Mary Magdalene’s seven demons? What were the evil spirits and maladies Luke refers to in 8:2? Some conversion stories are famous in the Bible, as with the conversion of St. Paul. Evidence that Mary Magdalene’s conversion was famous among the early followers of Jesus is found in the fact that it is used to describe her in two of the Gospels (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2). We hear of Mary, called Magdalene, from whom "seven demons" had gone out. The key words here are seven and demons. The number seven is sacred and denotes a powerful, complete, all–consuming event; in this case a powerful, all–consuming conversion. Mary was not just healed, she was exorcized. Exorcisms in the Bible signify the power Jesus has over evil and how the Kingdom of God confronts the kingdom of evil. Mary’s exorcism and subsequent conversion resulted in her complete commitment to Jesus and his ministry. How I wish we could hear her conversion story in detail!

The most significant Gospel accounts of Mary Magdalene include the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection stories. While each Gospel lists different witnesses to these events, all four concur that Mary Magdalene was among those witnesses. Additionally, perhaps the most moving encounter of Jesus with a disciple is the wonderful resurrection account found in the Gospel of John (20:1–18). Mary’s commitment was so great that she stood by Jesus through his earthly ministry, his death, and his burial. Her conversion to faith was so complete she never doubted him, even when he was in the grave.

The Empty Tomb
Her faith led to an amazing encounter. The Gospel of John tells us that when Mary discovers the empty tomb she runs to Jesus’ male disciples and tells them the news (John 20:2). Peter and the beloved disciple return with her and look into the tomb, seeing that indeed it is empty. Then they leave. Mary stays by the empty tomb and weeps over Jesus’ missing body. Then, the resurrected Jesus approaches her and calls her by name. Jesus does not approach Peter and the beloved disciple while they are there, but instead approaches Mary Magdalene after they are gone. That makes her the first witness of the resurrection. Mary carried the Good News of the resurrection to Jesus’ apostles. Because of this great honor bestowed on her by our Lord, she was known as the "Apostle to the Apostles" in the early church.

The important information that the Bible gives us about Mary Magdalene makes her a model of discipleship for all followers of Jesus today. The depth of her devotion to Jesus, her unwavering faith in him and his mission, her courage to stand by him through his crucifixion and burial, her amazing encounter with him as the Risen Lord, and her apostolic duties in spreading the Good News to others are an inspiration to us all.

She was a strong woman of faith who held a leadership position within the circle of Jesus’ first followers. Out of her resources, she provided for the new family of faith that formed around Jesus. Most importantly she opened herself up to conversion and transformation through her encounter with Jesus. Once she chose that path, she maintained her faith with a commitment that was extraordinary. All the fiction in the world cannot compare to the true story the Bible gives us of Mary Magdalene.

Judy Gross Chiarelli, pastoral assistant at St. Clement Catholic Church in Chicago, lives with her husband, Paul, in that great city. She holds a master of divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.