What do we know about Mary Magdalene?

TL;DR:

Mary Magdalene was freed from seven demons by Jesus. Mary Magdalene went from living in darkness to living in the light as she followed Jesus.

understand

Mary Magdalene was freed from seven demons by Jesus.

Mary Magdalene was present at Jesus's crucifixion, showing her devotion to Him.

Mary Magdalene was one of the first to see the risen Savior and was told to tell the others.

reflect

What encourages you about Mary Magdalene's transformation from being possessed by seven demons to becoming a devoted follower of Jesus?

What significance do you find in Mary Magdalene's presence at Jesus's crucifixion, and how does it demonstrate her loyalty and devotion?

How does Mary Magdalene inspire you to share your faith with others?

engage

Some have associated Mary Magdalene with "a woman of the city, who was a sinner" (Luke 7:37), who poured expensive perfume on Jesus's feet in Luke 7:36–50. Her name indicates she was from Magdala, which did have a reputation for prostitution, and Luke first names Mary right after this account, but there is no scriptural evidence to support that the women are one and the same. The Bible nowhere explicitly refers to Mary Magdalene as a prostitute or "sinner."

Mary Magdalene is also sometimes thought to be the woman caught in adultery in John 7:53—8:11, whom Jesus saves from being stoned. Though the movie The Passion of the Christ identifies her as this woman, there is no evidence that this is Mary Magdalene.

Dan Brown's fictional novel The DaVinci Code claims that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. Though there were early non-biblical writings (viewed as heretical by the early church) that hinted at a possible romantic relationship between the two, there is no evidence, biblical or otherwise, that Jesus was married or that there was any relationship between Him and Mary Magdalene.