Who is Mary Magdalene?

Of all who ministered their substance to Christ’s ministry on earth, Mary was the first to be expressly mentioned by name.

• “And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.” Luke 8:2-3

  
  

Mary lived and worked in Magdala, but when she was younger, she lived in Bethany with her family: her sister Martha and her brother Lazarus. Also in Bethany, lived a Pharisee named Simon and his son Judas Iscariot, who is a close relative to Mary.

• “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)…Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” John 11:1,2,5

• “Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper” Matthew 26:6

• “There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him…” John 12:2-4

  
  

The cause of what lead Mary to be possessed with seven devils is a mystery to all but Jesus and Simon, the leper. Simon knows who Mary was, and what manner of sin she committed. But the mystery of Mary’s iniquity he did not reveal to anyone else. While Simon did not expect anyone else to know, he expected Jesus, who healed him of his leprosy to know.

• “Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.” Luke 7:39

  
  

In Simon’s mind, his sin which brought leprosy upon himself is so much less wicked than the sins of Mary. He sees her sin magnified, but his own forgotten. So Jesus turned Simon’s judgment of Mary upon himself.

• “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:1-2

• “Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee…” Luke 7:39-40

  
  

In Christ’s eyes, Simon’s sin was 10 times worse than Mary’s. Though unexposed to others, Jesus was keenly aware of Simon’s sins. He knew the Pharisees loved to expose other people’s sins, and He knew the reason why Simon did not expose Mary’s sin. Had Simon openly exposed Mary’s sin, his own sin, which was 10 times worse would be openly exposed also.

• “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.” Luke 7:41

• “As did Nathan with David, Christ concealed His home thrust under the veil of a parable. He threw upon His host the burden of pronouncing sentence upon himself. Simon had led into sin the woman he now despised. She had been deeply wronged by him. By the two debtors of the parable, Simon and the woman were represented.” (Desire of Ages 566-567)

  
  

The story of Mary and her acts of gratitude towards the Savior is part of the true Gospel that shall be preached to the whole world. Without her story, it is some other gospel.

• “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” Matthew 26:13

• “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Mark 14:9

  
  

The rest of the story:

• “Simon’s coldness and neglect toward the Saviour showed how little he appreciated the mercy he had received. He had thought he honored Jesus by inviting Him to his house. But he now saw himself as he really was. While he thought himself reading his Guest, his Guest had been reading him. He saw how true Christ’s judgment of him was. His religion had been a robe of Pharisaism. He had despised the compassion of Jesus. He had not recognized Him as the representative of God. While Mary was a sinner pardoned, he was a sinner unpardoned. The rigid rule of justice he had desired to enforce against her condemned him.

  Simon was touched by the kindness of Jesus in not openly rebuking him before the guests. He had not been treated as he desired Mary to be treated. He saw that Jesus did not wish to expose his guilt to others, but sought by a true statement of the case to convince his mind, and by pitying kindness to subdue his heart. Stern denunciation would have hardened Simon against repentance, but patient admonition convinced him of his error. He saw the magnitude of the debt which he owed his Lord. His pride was humbled, he repented, and the proud Pharisee became a lowly, self-sacrificing disciple.” (Desire of Ages 567)