Mary Magdalene: Witness to Cross and Tomb
Daily Scripture
Matthew 27:55-56, 61
55 Many women were watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to serve him. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had carved out of the rock. After he rolled a large stone at the door of the tomb, he went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting in front of the tomb.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Mary Magdalene’s name was not used in the gospel of Matthew (and also in Mark 15:40, 47) until the story’s tragic ending as Jesus died on the cross. We might not notice a detail that showed her importance to the early Christians: “She is always listed first in groups of named female disciples.” * “Compare Jesus’ disciples, who betrayed (Matthew 26:48-49); abandoned (Matthew 26:56); or denied (Matthew 26:69-75) him.” ** But Mary and “the other Mary” (likely Jesus’ mother) were still there.
- It’s doubtful that the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion had any “devotional” glow about it, unlike some paintings we may see. The Romans deliberately made crucifixions as horrifying as possible. They wanted them to terrify people about the consequences of falling afoul of their Roman overlords. What kind of gritty, determined love for Jesus would it have taken for the women to stay at the scene to the bitter end?
- There was another reason the Romans (and the Temple rulers who demanded Jesus’ death) may have allowed the women to stay at the scene of the crucifixion. They considered women insignificant, not worth their attention. Scholar N. T. Wright said one way Romans and Temple rulers tried to deny Jesus’ resurrection was “perhaps the women went to the wrong tomb.” *** Why did Matthew and Mark make it plain that the women knew exactly where Jesus’ body was?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you triggered profound loyalty in Mary Magdalene when you delivered her from the destructive forces in her life. Grow in me that same loyalty and commitment as I recognize how you have delivered me. Amen.
GPS Insights
Denise Mersmann
Denise Mersmann serves as the Care Coordination Director for the churchwide Care Central department at Church of the Resurrection.
Jesus had died. He had been placed in the tomb and a stone rolled to cover the entrance. So, why was Mary still there? What made her stay?
“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting in front of the tomb.” As I read this passage, I can almost feel Mary’s love for Jesus. Her desire to be with Him. To hear His voice one more time, for Him to look at her and really see her, to speak to her and remind her of how much she is loved.
In my life, I have lost several people that I loved so much that I am unable to adequately express it. In each of those cases, I found myself struggling to walk away–from the hospital after they had died, from the church after the celebration of life, from the cemetery following the burial. I understand how Mary felt. She was so desperate to keep that connection to someone she loved so deeply that she wanted to stay as close as she could.
While I believe that the souls of my loved ones were with Jesus after they passed, like Mary, I was desperate to stay connected to them. Logical me knows they weren’t there, but anguished heartbroken me was hanging on to any connection I could.
Mary’s relationship with Jesus was hard for many people to understand. She was a woman. She wasn’t powerful or well-respected. But Jesus made Mary feel special. He made her feel loved just as she was. This exact feeling from my loved ones held me in place when everyone else was leaving. They loved me unconditionally. They didn’t care that I wasn’t anything special or that I didn’t have great power. They loved me so much and made sure I knew it. Mary’s simple act of staying has caused me to ask myself a couple of questions.
First, when is the last time I truly lingered with Jesus? When have I stayed in His presence after everyone else has gone away, just to feel closer to Him? And second, what am I doing that would make people want to linger with me? Is the love I give enough that when I am gone they will feel the loss? Am I reminding those I care about that I love them unconditionally and without regard to their status or their behavior?
If you are like me, sadly the answer to both questions at times is no.
I pray and read Scripture, attend worship, even work at the church. But it’s been a bit since I have stayed in place after any of these “holy moments” and truly allowed myself to just soak it in. To reflect on and truly consider the amazing love of Jesus or to just meditate on my love for Him. And even though I tell my family and friends that I love them, a lot, I need to make sure I do more than say the words. I need to pause and allow myself to be awestruck by how deep that love is, how much their presence impacts my life, and try to articulate that to them. I need to show up and let my presence show my love. I need to take a pause and allow myself to really appreciate the love I receive from my people as well.
It’s a new year, a time of resolutions and goals. This year, I am going to prioritize pausing and staying. I am going to focus on making those around me feel the love of Jesus and my own love for them so that they too want to pause and immerse themselves in it.
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* D. M. Scholer, article “Women” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove, IL., InterVarsity Press, 1992, p. 884.
** Eugene Eung-Chun Park and Joel B. Green, study note on Matthew 27:55 in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 61 NT.
*** Wright, N. T., Matthew for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 16-28 (The New Testament for Everyone) (p. 194). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
