Women in the Life of Jesus: Mary Magdalene

Scripture where she is found: Matthew 27-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 8 & 24, John 19-20

Her story:

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him,

and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities-Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,

and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:

“A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed…”

-Luke 8:1-5

My thoughts:

Mary called Magdalene is mentioned mainly throughout the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  But I want to focus on the beginning of her story.

There are many misconceptions about her.  People have taken her and combined her with other women who were called sinners in the Gospels. She has often been portrayed as a prostitute. But the Scripture is very clear and simple about what was going on with her.

In Luke 8, we are told that Jesus healed certain women of evil spirits and infirmities, one of which was Mary Magdalene. The writer of this Gospel, Luke, was a physician. He says that out of Mary came seven demons.  Now, he was a physician and he would know if she had another illness.  I believe he would have specified it.

She was demon possessed.  

If we look at other characteristics in the Bible, we can pinpoint some things about demon possession. Further down in Luke 8, Jesus encounters a demon possessed man.  The demon made the man very violent and very strong.

In Acts 19, a demon possessed man, overpowered the seven sons of Sceva, and beat all of them up.

In Matthew 12, a demon possessed man was blind and mute.  

In Matthew 12 and in Luke 8, in the instance of Mary, the Bible says that Jesus healed them of the evil spirit.  In Luke 8, with the man with the legion of demons, he cast them out.  He had authority over all of it. And they left immediately.

Both Mary and the man in Luke 8 both wanted to follow Jesus after they were healed and set free.

I think it is important to note that once a person is born again, by believing on Jesus and confessing Him as Lord, an evil spirit cannot take up residence in a person.  The Holy Spirit will be residing on the inside of the born again man or woman, and He isn't going to share.

The freedom for Mary is where her walk with Jesus started.  She became one of His most faithful followers.  But that is another post.

To read more posts in this series, go here to Women in the Life of Jesus.