FORGIVEN MUCH, LOVES MUCH. Luke 7:47
Jesus fifth recorded encounter with a woman in John’s Gospel was with Mary Magdalene. (Once again only found in John)
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19
It’s easy to skim over the account of Christ on the cross without really appreciating what these women were witnessing; it must have been horrific. Mary Magdalene was one of those who saw first hand the sufferings and death of Jesus.
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’ John 20
It would seem from this account that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb alone and then told Peter and John that it was empty. The only thing remaining of her Lord, His body, was gone. The disciples went back to their homes but Mary stood outside crying. (Reminiscent of Hannah who ‘Wept and Waited’ alone while seeking a son) Mary was obviously grief stricken after Jesus’ crucifixion, but she stayed at the empty tomb.
The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; … Luke 8:2
Mary Magdalene was one of those women who had benefited greatly from Jesus’ ministry. This may be the reason she remained alone at the tomb after the disciples had gone. She first saw the two angels who asked her, ‘why she was crying’?
15 He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’
16 Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’
She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).
He first spoke to her as ‘woman’ and after by her name, ‘Mary’ and she recognised the Lord. She was the first person to whom Jesus revealed Himself. A lone woman waiting and crying met the risen Lord before any others. Mary met with the Lord alone when she was deeply moved – perhaps a lesson for us today.
17 Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending TO MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER, TO MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.”’
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Mary was the first to witness the birth of a new era on the earth. Christ had forever paid the price for mankind to come to, ‘His Father and our Father, His God and our God’.
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