Mary Magdalene: Healed by Jesus
In thinking about the story of Easter, there are only a select handful of people mentioned
as having a first hand view of the crucifixion and resurrection. Mary, the Mother of Jesus is one of those mentioned at these events and with her is Mary of Magda or as we refer to her today, Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene is mentioned at four different events in the gospels. For the month of April, we will study and discuss one event each week.
In Luke 8, we are told that Jesus is going through cities and towns “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God”. He has the twelve disciples with him and this is where we meet Mary.
“Mary, called Magdalene” {Luke 8:2}. From this we get her name, Mary Magdalene. There are seven Mary’s mentioned in the New Testament, so this helps us to differentiate her. Magdala was a village located near the Sea of Galilee.
This is the first mention of her and we know nothing of her life or situation proceeding this moment.
The scripture goes on to say, “from whom seven demons had gone out”. Can you imagine having seven demons inside you? Mary was definitely tortured by this.
We do not know for how long she had the demons inside her, but clearly her situation was
well known.
We are also not specifically told in this passage that Jesus healed her, but this in inferred from the passage. Casting seven demons out is a miracle that would have only taken the power of Jesus.
However, in Mark 16:9, we know for sure that Jesus performed this miracle. “he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.:
The Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament Commentary explains demonic possession, when referring to the swine who Jesus cast the demons into. Demonic possession is described in the following way,
” (1) That demoniacal possession was not simply bodily or mental disease.
(2) That evil spirits actually took possession of and controlled human beings.
(3) That these controlled the actions and organs of speech of their poor victims.
(4) We learn elsewhere that sin prepared the way for the entrance of the demon. Thou Son of God. The demons, like the devil, recognized him.”
Clearly being demonic possessed was both atrocious and horrific for the individual possessed. The individual was being tormented from the inside out. With seven demons the suffering was extremely severe.
The Four Gospel’s Commentary sums the situation up perfectly, “What a change of service, from demoniac bondage to the freedom of Christ!”
Mary became a follower of Jesus, traveling with the other women who followed him and the disciples. In Luke 8:3, “and many others, who ministered unto them of their substance”.
Clearly, Mary Magdalene had some money, although we do not know where or how she came by it. Was she a wealthy widow or from a rich family? We are not told for sure.
However, what we do know is that Mary Magdalene was one of the women that helped to support and provide for Jesus and his disciples. Author Liz Curtis Higgs says, “The real Mary Magdalene led the faithful sisters in financing the Lord’s work “out of their own means”.”
Jesus healed Mary Magdalene and she was faithful to him.
How has Jesus healed you? How have you been faithful to him?
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