Mary Magdalene- When The Claws of Fear Are Defeated with Faith

Mary.

Mary Magdalene stands outside the empty tomb. The disciples have looked in the tomb, and finding it empty, returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to Him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher.)

John 20:11-16

This is hands-down one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture. And every Easter, it comes to light in a fresh way.

Mary was often called Mary Magdalene, probably as a title identifying her from her city, Magdala. It was a city in Northern Israel, just along the coast of the Sea of Galilee. It houses the oldest synagogue found in Galilee, and one of only a few remaining from that time period.

After healing a multitude and the feeding of the four thousand, Jesus takes a ship and comes upon the region of Magadan (assumed to be the location of Magdala), where Pharisees question Him.

Historical records report that Magdala (also known as Tarichaee by other historians) was a bustling center for fishing activity. Rabbis are recorded for criticizing the residents for their immorality.

“Soon afterward He went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their means.”

Luke 8:1 & 2

A fascinating fact about Mary Magdalene is that most consider her to have been a prostitute, but there is no Biblical basis for this theory. Pope Gregory the Great in the 6^th century declared that the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 (the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume) was Mary Magdalene, and the expensive perfume was used by her for her promiscuity. He is also responsible for interpreting the seven demons as “the totality of vices.”

Why does this matter? One, because no one is due an unjust reputation. Two, it distracts from the point the text is definitively trying to convey.

I can make no certain claim that she was or was not a prostitute. I have never known her personally to ask. An argument could possibly be made that ancient rabbis continuously accused the residents of Magdala for living lives of sin. Perhaps she did fall into sin, by her own choosing or abuse forced against her will. For whatever reason, the demons found her to be an adequate host.

Regardless, this is not the focus of Mary’s life. Mary’s life is summed up in one way: Pre-Christ and Post-Christ.

At some point, Jesus found her, looked upon her with compassion, as He often did to people suffering under unbearable circumstances, and healed her.

And this is where the depth of truth hinges for us, friends. Some of you have had brushes with the demonic. And some of you have met them in absolute terror, aware of their power (although know for certain it is limited by the Creator).

Mary’s life was one of torment few today could understand.

But if you happen to be one of those readers who relates to this story, keep reading.

Imagine being a woman. We assume she is single as she is labeled for her city and not her marriage. Her identity is worth next to nothing in ancient culture, and she possibly has no male figure willing or able to care for her. Perhaps a lack of male protector combined with possession left her vulnerable to the depravity of man seeking to use a woman’s body. Definitive details are unknown, and thus not needed for us to understand the totality of the story Jesus is weaving.

But each of us has experienced what we would consider the lowest moment of our lives, but Mary was at the mercy of never knowing how far down the pit would take her. Not to mention, she battled not one but seven demons.

How different her life and mind must have been the moment Jesus asserted His rightful authority and loosed her chains forever!

We know from the rest of the gospels that she traveled with Him, the disciples, and a few other women for the remainder of His ministry. She unlikely wanted to leave His presence.

When the disciples fled in terror at the crucifixion, we see Mary standing faithfully at His feet- a place she must have found herself often. For what other posture could a person carry than complete submission and worship of the One Who had delivered her from such torment?

Mary’s freedom to follow Jesus was entirely unlike the disciples’. She owed Him everything. And she knew, in a way the others did not, the unbridled power He had. She may have been terrified to be separated from it.

But Jesus physically displayed God’s Word to Isaiah when He reached out His loving hand to Mary.

Is My hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?…Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the Name of the LORD and rely on his God.”

Isaiah 50:2 & 10b

Take a second to imagine the terror of seven demons pulling at your body and mind. Your mind cannot find truth- like a wave rolling you in the sea, you cannot discern up from down.  The princes of darkness hunt you in the night. They circle your bed, paralyzing you. There is no rest. Only fear. Fathom the disparity of knowing there is no end to your torment. No hope. You grip your fingers into your hair and rock, hoping the overlapping sounds of the accuser cease. There is nowhere to run, for their claws tear at your flesh. Your heart races in fear and the eyes of anyone who dares enter your presence are terrified, not of the unseen demons, but of you -the shell of a human who has battled hour by hour, day by day and lost every time.

Until Jesus.

Jesus reaches out His hand. At the sight of His eyes, the demons flee.

And you are free.

Now see where Mary stands at the foot of the cross. Her Redeemer is dying. What fear must have flooded her vein! She stood to lose more safety than any of the cowering disciples. They feared death, but she knew something far worse – the pit of darkness that swallows whole. Did she tighten her veil, hoping to hide herself from the demons she assumed still ran free through the hills?

The disciples lost both their greatest friend and themselves in the resulting grief. But Mary must have stood knowing that with no Redeemer to guard her, the wretched claws would have pursued her until she was dragged back into hell on earth.

She did not know Sunday was coming.

But a few fateful days later, she returns to her only place of hope- the location of Jesus. Perhaps she thought if she could not remain with Him in life, the safest place for her was to guard His body in death. To anoint His body and then forever stay as close as the law allowed.

The darkness that He had pulled her from, surrounded Him now in a sealed tomb.

Until Sunday.

And in her grief, her spinning thoughts, her tear-filled and swollen eyes, she did not even recognize His resurrected body standing before her.

Until He said her name.

That tone He must have used when He called her to her feet the first time the demons fled. His tone of compassion. The mix of fire and love burning in His eyes.

Mary.

And all of His words must have come flooding back along with her joy.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

John 10: 27 & 28

Maybe for the first time, she realized that her proximity to the body of Jesus was not what protected the demonic from gripping her. He was raised from the dead- the ultimate bottom of the pit she lived threatened with-and He still held her safely in His hand.

This is the news we need today. In the darkness of the tomb, on the anniversary of the suicide, in the mental playground of the demons, in the agony of pain, in the confusion of no answers, we can hear Him echo probably the sweetest chapter of Scripture.

Hear the honey drip from His words, but tremble at the sound of His roar.

“But now thus says the LORD,
He Who created you…He Who formed you.
‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.’” Isaiah 43

Isaiah 43:1

When the journey on this road is dark, the branches tear at us like claws, and our minds tumble under the destruction of darkness, reach out your arm. His is not too short to ransom even you.

Dear Saint, He calls you by name.

In loving memory of Michael, who fiercely fought the claws of the demonic, and now safely rests his hand in the paw of the Lion of Judah.