[1] He encouraged us to explore other references to women who encounter Christ in the Gospels, which, coupled with the fast-approaching Easter weekend, led me to the character of Mary Magdalene. She is cited several times as part of a group of women who “ministered to” (or served) Christ (Matthew 27:55) but is also mentioned specifically by name twelve times and, unusually, by all four Gospel writers.
We know very little of her back story other than that she was from the Jewish town of Magdala, had been saved by Christ from severe demon possession and, alongside several other women, followed and provided for Him (Luke 8:2-3). What does shine out, however, is her complete devotion to her Lord during His life and, in particular, at the time of His death, burial and resurrection.
Her Devotion to Christ in His Earthly Life
We can often fall into the trap of thinking of devotion and worship as purely spiritual concepts involving meditation, prayer or even fasting, yet Christ showed by His teaching and His example that our daily life should be a devoted life. He commended the forgiven woman, whom many still regarded as a sinner, for the simple act of washing his dusty feet after a long day (Luke 7:44-47) and He performed the same act upon His own disciples (John 13). The verses referred to above in Luke 8 are believed by scholars to imply that Mary Magdalene, and the other women with her, cared for Christ and his disciples practically, by preparing food and lodging (and no doubt other necessities) throughout the three years of Christ’s public teaching.[2]
Imagine, the One who could summon a vast shoal of fish in an instant and make a few loaves satisfy thousands, was willing to be fed and cared for by this woman. Why? Because He knew these small acts of service flowed from a heart full of love and gratitude for Him and this delighted Him. Whilst we cannot serve the Lord in the unique way Mary did, we can serve His people similarly – caring for them, providing meals for them, opening our homes to them, supporting them financially – and in doing so Christ reminds us:
“As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40 ESV).
Do I use my time for myself or for others? And if for others is this done grudgingly and haphazardly, or do I view each act of service as an opportunity for practical worship, bringing pleasure to the Saviour I claim to love?
Her Devotion to Christ in His Death and Burial
Other than the mention of her name in Luke 8, all the remaining references to Mary Magdalene occur at the cross of Christ or His tomb. At first glance, these are some of the bleakest moments in the Easter story: Christ is betrayed by one of his closest followers; abandoned by the remaining eleven disciples; subjected to an outrageously unjust trial by his fellow Jews; humiliated and abused by Roman soldiers; sentenced to death by crucifixion – a punishment reserved for the most appalling of criminals.
Yet, amidst humanity at its worst, stand Mary Magdalene and several others at the foot of His cross, faithful to the end. It is clear Christ is aware of their presence as He is recorded as directly addressing two of them (John 19:26-27). It must surely have encouraged His soul, during those dark hours, to lift His eyes and see some who loved Him enough to stand in that outside place with Him. Even as Christ’s body was taken down, Mary lingered to see where He was buried so she could be prepared for anointing His body after the Sabbath (Mark 15:47). Given the vehemence of the Jewish leaders to thwart Christ’s promises and put His tomb under guard, this act of devotion was a risk for Mary, yet she deemed it worth it – even for a Lord who was dead and appeared to have left her forever.
We may not be risking our physical safety to stand with Christ in the way Mary did, and other Christians still do around the world today, but what about when those I live, work or study with mock and deride Him? Do I make my allegiances clear or stay quiet? Or worse, appear to join in? What about when my personal circumstances seem hopeless? When, for whatever reason, the Lord seems far away and His promises unfulfilled? Do I still faithfully pray to Him, worship Him and thank Him even when I can’t understand what He is doing in my life?
Mary’s devotion, strengthened by years in Christ’s presence soaking up His words, withstood both danger and darkness, and Christ would recompense this by appearing to her in a unique way in resurrection. Later in the New Testament, Christ gives a similar vision of His resurrected self to the persecuted church at Smyrna along with the reminder of how He rewards those who show devotion to Him at great cost to themselves:
“The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life . . . Do not fear what you are about to suffer . . . Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:8,10 ESV).
Her Devotion to Christ in His Resurrection
As we have seen above, Mary did not view her Lord’s death as a reason to stop demonstrating her devotion to Him; quite the opposite! We read of her preparing spices before the Sabbath (Luke 23:56); buying spices after the Sabbath had ended (Mark 16:1); and rising early the day after the Sabbath to take her prepared spices to the tomb (Luke 24:1). Being submissive to Jewish law, she could not act as she desperately wanted to, yet it is clear her Lord remained uppermost in her thoughts and she used her time well, preparing carefully for when she would have the chance to anoint His body.
The application today is simple – the first day of the week still provides an opportunity to show devotion to the Lord. I do not visit a tomb but I sit around a table with symbols on it that speak of Him; I don’t go to anoint Him but to appreciate Him; I do not bring spices but songs of thoughtful praise; not perfume but prayers of worship and thanksgiving which the Bible tells me are incense to Him in heaven (Revelation 5:8).
How much does that event on the first day of every week mean to me? Is it in my thoughts in the days leading up to it? How carefully do I prepare for it? Mary rose before dawn to be at that tomb and was undaunted by the huge stone she expected to be in the way. There will always be barriers and distractions to stop me from worshipping – I need to be intentional about it and sacrifice the necessary time and effort.
Given the women were questioning who would move the stone for them (Mark 16:1-3), it seems clear they did not assume the male disciples would be there, yet they felt keenly their own responsibility to show their love for their Lord regardless. It can be easy for women, as inaudible participants (1 Corinthians 14:33-35), to leave the praise and worship to the men in the church gatherings, but it is clear from that resurrection morning that the Lord prized the presence and devotion of Mary.
And in return for her selfless devotion? She is granted the honour of being the very first to see her resurrected Lord (Mark 16:9). Instead of a lifeless body to carefully anoint she gets a living Man to cling to joyfully; instead of the sounds of sorrow and weeping it is her Saviour’s voice she hears calling her by name (John 20:16-17). Is it any wonder that Christ gives this loyal and faithful woman the task of proclaiming to His disciples the miraculous news that He is risen. He knew her heart was so full of Him that she would immediately wish to share her joy with others and would not be discouraged in the face of their (temporary) disbelief. Mary’s words to the disciples are beautifully simple:
“I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18 ESV).
Ultimately, Mary’s life of devotion was fuelled by a continual, deep longing for Christ. It was her heart’s greatest desire to see Him again – is it mine?
[1] Anna the Prophetess – Luke 2:36-38.
[2] https://biblehub.com/q/Women’s_role_in_Jesus’_ministry.htm
