Just over 2 years ago Dan Brown published his book, The Da Vinci Code. Since then it has sold 17 million copies. Brown revives an outrageous theory about Mary Magdalene - that she was married to Jesus and bore Him children whose descendants are alive today.

This morning let’s look at what the Gospels say about her.

Mary is mentioned 12 times in the four Gospels – Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn. When we look at these references we learn that she came from Magdala.. a delightful place on the West Coast of the Sea of Galilee .. was probably quite wealthy.. and was prominent among the women who followed Jesus. [Whenever more than one woman is named Mary is named first except on one occasion – Jn 19:25.] 

And when we probe a little deeper we get three pictures of her.

The first picture is of a woman who..

q       EXPERIENCED A GREAT DELIVERANCE.

For almost 1400 years Mary was labelled a sinful woman - prostitute. In 591 AD Pope Gregory identified her with the sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears.. assumed that woman was a prostitute.. and said Mary was a prostitute.

About 30 years ago the Roman Catholic Church admitted that this opinion is not supported by the text of the Bible.  [Time 11/8/2003].

No doubt she was a sinner – just like each of us – but not a prostitute.

What the Bible does say is that she had been troubled by seven demons.  

Luke writes.. Luke 8:1,2.. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out..

And in Mark 16:9.. Mark speaks of the Risen Jesus meeting

Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

Some deny the existence of demons and say that it is just a way of describing some illnesses. I find that hard to accept because Luke [who was a medical doctor] distinguishes between diseases and evil spirits. He mentions some women [of whom Mary was one] who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases.

Mary Magdalene was not physically ill. She was troubled by seven demons. We are not told how she was troubled by them.. what effect they had on her.. but we can get some idea of what her life might have been like by looking at other people who were troubled by demons. Luke tells us about several..

In Luke 4:33,34 he tells us that in the synagogue in Capernaum a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit.. cried out at the top of his voice, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth ? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

The demon knew Jesus.. knew who He was. People who were troubled by demons were very much spiritually aware! We see this again and again in the New Testament.

In Luke 8:27-29 he tells us about another man on the other side of the Sea of Galilee . He writes..  When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town.. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

This man was subject to sudden attacks.. and erratic behaviour.. His life had been ruined by the demon.

I suggest to you that Mary was like this.. spiritually aware.. but not master of her own behaviour.. Her life had lurched from one degree of ruin to another.. 

But Jesus stepped in.. and set her free. He drove seven demons out of her.. and gave her a new life.

Some people today are troubled by demons.. but let’s be slow to jump to the conclusion that someone is troubled by a demon. It is a very cruel thing to suggest a physically ill person is troubled by a demon!

Today.. as then.. Jesus has the authority.. to drive out demons!

We may not be troubled by a demon.. but each of us is troubled by sin.

Paul was. He found that the good he tried to do.. he did not do.. and the evil he tried not to do.. he did. Familiar? But he found release – through Jesus. Jesus cancels sin.. and breaks the power of cancelled sin!

Charles Wesley:

He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.

The second picture is of a woman who..

q       DEMONSTRATED A GREAT LOVE FOR JESUS.

Jesus travelled around.. speaking.. healing.. performing miracles.. and gathered disciples around Him. Among them were some women..

Luke writes.. Luke 8:1-3.. Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God . The Twelve were with him, and also some women.. Mary (called Magdalene).. Joanna the wife of Cuza.. Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

And Mark says.. Mark 15:41.. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs.

These women had left their homes.. and were helping to support Jesus [and His team – Luke says, them] out of their means. Mary was one of them.

Picture her.. a wealthy woman.. troubled by demons.. set free by Jesus.. now she follows Him.. and uses her wealth to support Him and what He is doing! 

Why? Because she loved Him! 

She was generous with her wealth.. and she was loyal.  

Matthew describes how Jesus was crucified.. and says..

Matthew 27:55,56.. Many women were there, watching from a distance..  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

John says.. John 19:25..  Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Many of the disciples.. were nowhere to be seen.. but Mary.. was there.. watching.. and she stayed on.. Matthew tells us how His body was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb.. and says..

Matthew 27:61.. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

Her heart was breaking.. but she was there. She was loyal to the end.

Why? Because she loved Him!

Some have have claimed her love was that of a wife.. claiming she was married to Jesus.. but if that was the case.. why don’t the Gospel writers come out and say it? After all.. they tell us that Joanna was the wife of Cuza.. and others were the mother of this one or that.. but Mary is identified simply by the place from which she came. Magdala. Why? Probably because she had no husband.. and no family!

Her love for Jesus was the love of a devoted disciple. 

What a challenge she is to us! Do we love Jesus? How can we love Him more? Spend time in prayer.. and reading.. and reflection.. ponder he became one of us.. suffered for us.. and let the Spirit of God move you to love Him!

The third picture is of a woman who..

q       WAS GIVEN A GREAT PRIVILEGE.

Mark writes.. Mark 16:9.. When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

She was the first to see the Risen Lord. What a privilege! John tells us how it happened..

John 20:11,14-18.. Mary stood outside the tomb crying.. she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Very likely Mary had thrown herself at His feet.. and was clasping His feet [c.f. Matt 28:9]. Jesus said, Do not hold on to me. What He actually said.. was.. do not continue to hold on to me.. for I have not yet ascended to the Father..

Mary.. do not cling to Me as I am now and as you have known me. 

I am about to ascend to the Father.. then you will know that I am the Lord of all.. at the right hand of the Father.. then My Spirit will live in you.. I will be with you at all times.. Now go and tell my brothers.. the other disciples..  about this!

What a privilege! Mary.. a woman.. a Jewish woman.. whose testimony was regarded as worthless in a court of law.. chosen.. to go and bear witness to the greatest truth ever.

What an encouragement this has been to many women.. the one who was given this privilege was not one of the leading disciples but Mary.

And what a challenge to all of us.

In the words of Jesus to Mary I hear Him saying to us..

Do not cling to me as the earthly Jesus.. as a miracle worker and great teacher.. but open your eyes.. and see that I have ascended. I am at the right hand of the Father. I am Lord of the Universe. All authority in the Universe has been given to me.. and yet.. I have sent the Holy Spirit.. My Spirit.. and He lives in each of you.

Do not be fearful.. hesitant.. but go.. and tell others what you know!