The Resurrection and Appearance to Mary Magdalene - Week 26

John 20:1-18

Read John 20:1-18

1. Mary Magdalene was a devoted disciple of Jesus. According to Luke 8:2, she had a life-changing conversion. What happened to her?
(a) From the Gospel of Luke:

1: Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2: and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Mag'dalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3: and Joan'na, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. (Lk 8:1-3)

1: And when the sabbath was past, Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salo'me, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2: And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3: And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" 4: And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; -- it was very large. 5: And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. 6: And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. 7: But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." 8: And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid. 9: Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10: She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11: But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. 12: After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13: And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. 14: Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (Mark 16:1-14)

50: Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathe'a. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51: who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52: This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53: Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54: It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. 55: The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; 56: then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment. 1: But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. 2: And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3: but when they went in they did not find the body. 4: While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; 5: and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6: Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7: that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." 8: And they remembered his words, 9: and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10: Now it was Mary Mag'dalene and Jo-an'na and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; 11: but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. (Lk 23:50-24:11)

1: Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. 2: And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3: His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. 4: And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5: But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6: He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7: Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you." 8: So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9: And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10: Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." (Matt 28:1-10)

59: And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, 60: and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. 61: Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre. 62: Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63: and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, `After three days I will rise again.' 64: Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people, `He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." 65: Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." 66: So they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. (Matt 27:59-66)

Mary Magdalene and the holy women who came to finish anointing the body of Jesus, which had been buried in haste because the Sabbath began on the evening of Good Friday, were the first to encounter the Risen One.498 Thus the women were the first messengers of Christ's Resurrection for the apostles themselves.499 They were the next to whom Jesus appears: first Peter, then the Twelve. Peter had been called to strengthen the faith of his brothers,500 and so sees the Risen One before them; it is on the basis of his testimony that the community exclaims: "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (CCC, 641)

6: Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7: a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table. 8: But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? 9: For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor." 10: But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11: For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12: In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13: Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." (Matt 26:6-13)

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

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Alfredo Nevarez
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