ince the Gospels
do not leave these women anonymous but identify them by name, it
is obvious that they must have played an important role in the
Christian movement in Palestine. Their leader appears to have
been Mary of Magdala. All four Gospels transmit her name,
whereas the names of the other women vary. She has, moreover, a
position equaling that of Peter in the apocryphal gospel
literature. Thus, according to the Gospel traditions, women were
the primary apostolic witnesses for the fundamental events of
the early Christian preaching: they were witnesses of Jesus'
ministry, his suffering and death, his burial and his
resurrection. They were moreover, sent to proclaim the message
of the resurrection. Not only does Paul repeatedly mention the
prophets directly after the apostles but he even values the gift
of prophecy higher than that of speaking in tongues. Luke
asserts that the Spirit of prophecy is given to women as well as
to men (Acts 2:17). He specifically mentions the four daughters
of Philip as renowned Christian prophets (Acts 21:9). Paul takes
it for granted that women prophesy and have liturgical
functions:
Chief among these is Mary Magdalene, a woman infamous in Western
Christianity as an adulteress and repentant whore. Discoveries
of new texts from the dry sands of Egypt, along with sharpened
critical insight, have now proven that this portrait of Mary is
entirely inaccurate. She was indeed an influential figure, but
as a prominent disciple and leader of one wing of the early
Christian movement that promoted women's leadership.
The non-biblical image of Magdalene as a repentant prostitute is
an image that had been officially sanctioned by the Roman
Catholic Church in the sixth century. And it's that image that
has been perpetuated by dozens of Christian paintings and movies
ever since. The misreading of Mary Magdalene, is almost as
ancient as the Gospels of the New Testament themselves, if only
because there are up to five Marys in the Gospels and seven in
the New Testament as a whole. Mary, Mother of Jesus Mary of
Magdala Mary, mother of James and Joses Mary, wife of Clopas
Mary of Bethany Mary, mother of John Mark Mary, of church at
Rome. 1 Six Marys 1 Six Marys are to be distinguished in the N.T.:
(1) the mother of Jesus; always clearly identified by the
context. (2) Mary Magdalene, a woman of Magdala, " out of whom
went seven demons" Luke 8:2 She is never mentioned apart from
the identifying word "Magdalene." (3) The mother of James
(called "the less," Mark 15:40) and Joses, the apostles. A
comparison of ; John 19:25; Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40
establishes the inference that this Mary, the mother of James
the less, and of Joses was the wife of Alphaeus (called also
Cleophas), John 19:25 and a sister of Mary the mother of Jesus.
Except in ; Matthew 27:61; 28:1 where she is called "the other
Mary (i.e. "other" than her sister, Mary the Virgin); and John
19:25 where she is called "of Cleophas," she is mentioned only
in connection with one or both of her sons. (4) Mary of Bethany,
sister of Martha and Lazarus, mentioned by name only in Luke
10:39-42; John 11:1,2,19,20,28,31,32,45; 12:3 but referred to in
; Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3-9. (5) The mother of John Mark and
sister of Barnabas Acts 12:12. (6) A helper of Paul in Rome
Romans 16:6. 2 of whom was born 2 The changed expression here is
important. It is no longer, "who begat," but, "Mary, of whom was
born Jesus." Jesus was not begotten of natural generation.
However, in reality there are only two Mary's in the gospel
story, and three at the cross, the Mother and the Magdalene and
Mary (Jerusalem)Salome.