A Christian Response to The Da Vinci Code
Nashotah House Theological Seminary, 2006
Lecture 3 (14 February 2006): Dr. Don Rappé, Mount Mary College
Who was Mary Magdalene?
1. Mary’s name indicates she was from Magdala, a town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Tiberias). The town was also known as “Tarichea” (the place of smoked/salted fish).
a. The town was prosperous, and was 4.5 miles from the regional center, Capernaum.
b. The area has the richest cropland in Israel, with rich volcanic soil (the “Plain of Gennesaret”).
c. The area is on the main trade route between Assyria and Egypt, and also on a direct route to the Mediterranean Sea.
d. Flavius Josephus describes Magdala as wealthy:
§ Main commerce included fishing, boat-building.
§ Strong evidence exists of women active in business (particularly in fish selling).
§ Mary was likely a woman of means, able to provide support for Jesus’ disciples.
2. The largest percentage of Jesus’ miracles is recorded to have occurred within the triangle formed by Magdala, Capernaum and Chorazin.
a. The area included traditional, nationalistic Jewish communities, but was overwhelmingly populated by Gentiles.
b. Nearby, Tiberius’ ruins may still be seen:
§ Evidence exists for the presence of hot baths, sourced from volcanic springs.
§ Invalids were known to come to the area because of the local baths at neighboring Tiberius and at Gadara, which is near the southeastern end of the Sea of Galilee.
3. Biblical testimony about Mary Magdalene includes Luke 8.2, where she is described as “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” (RSV)
a. Mary Magdalene is often confused with Mary, the sister of Martha (John 12), who anointed Jesus with ointment.
b. Mary Magdalene is often confused with the unnamed woman (described as a sinner) whom bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7.37–38).
4. Pope Gregory I (late 6th century) conflated these three Mary’s in a sermon, giving rise to the traditional (and mistaken) view that Mary Magdalene was a reformed prostitute.
a. Mary Magdalene is often confused in iconography with St. Mary of Egypt, who was a penitent prostitute.
§ Both saints are depicted as elderly women wrapped in their ground length hair.
5. Stories about Mary Magdalene figure in the Gnostic “gospels” such as The Gospel of Philip (3rd century) and The Gospel of Mary (2nd century).
a. These Gnostic texts were discovered at Nag Hammadi, in Egypt, in the 1940’s.
§ These texts were written in Coptic, in post-New Testament times, and represent a splinter tradition rejected in the 3rd and 4th centuries.
§ The Gnostic texts represent a syncretistic tradition, in which elements of Christian belief were blended with elements from other Near Eastern religions.
b. Mary Magdalene is described in the Gnostic texts as having been a close companion of Jesus (Philip 59.6–11; 63.33–64.9), as encouraging the other disciples following Jesus’ death (Mary 9.12–24), and instructing them (Mary 10.1–13). She is recognized for her superior knowledge of Jesus’ teaching, even while meeting some resistance from the apostles because she is a woman.
6. In orthodox tradition, Mary Magdalene is accorded a high status:
§ This term is also often employed in Eastern Orthodox tradition and iconography.
7. Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion of Jesus and, further, was the first witness to his resurrection (John 19.25; 20.14–18), at which time she was instructed by Jesus to tell the other disciples of His ascent. In Matthew (Matt. 28.1–8), Mark (Mk. 16.1–8), Mary Magdalene is among the first witnesses, and in Luke (Lk. 24.10), Mary Magdalene is the first to tell the other disciples of Jesus’ resurrection.
a. The Church has always recognized Mary Magdalene as the bearer of the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection.
§ The Apostle to the Apostles.