1When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
5Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. 6He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him! 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’”
8They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.
9Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.
12After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them as they walked, on their way into the country. 13They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either.
14Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to the whole creation. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 17These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.
Mary’s surname, Magdalene, most likely refers to the town of Magdala in Galilee. She first enters the New Testament narrative as one of several women who minister to Jesus after being “healed of evil spirits and infirmities.” Mary had seven demons cast out of her and was healed of “infirmities” by Jesus (Luke 8:2). She followed and ministered to Him until the end, watching the crucifixion from a distance (Matt 27:55-56; Mark 15:40-41; John 19:25). She, along with the mother of Jesus, watched where Joseph of Arimathaea laid Jesus' body (Mark 15:47). After the Sabbath, she attempted to anoint Jesus’ body with spices but instead found His tomb empty (Matt 28:1-8; Mark 15:47; 16:1; John 20:1). She ran to get Peter and other disciples, who examined the tomb as well. When they left, Mary Magdalene remained weeping near the tomb. She was given the honor to be the first to meet the resurrected Lord (Mk 16:9; John 20:11-18), and to report His resurrection to the apostles (Luke 24:10; John 20:18)
There are several misconceptions about Mary Magdalene. One is that she and “Mary the sinner” of Luke 7:36-50 are the same person. There is no biblical reason to view these two women as one. Another view is that Mary and Jesus were married and had children. This idea is simply wild conjecture. Although a romantic relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene may be hinted at in the apocryphal Gnostic writings of the “Gospel of Philip” and the “Gospel of Mary,” nowhere in the Bible is there even a hint of this being a possibility.
Matthew 27.56; 28.1-10; Mark 15.40, 41, 47; 16.1-11; Luke 8.2; 24.10, 11; John 19.25; 20.1-18