[169], In an eastern tradition supported by the western bishop and historian Gregory of Tours (c. 538 594), Mary Magdalene is said to have retired to Ephesus in Asia Minor with Mary the mother of Jesus, where they both lived out the rests of their lives. [102] At another point, he tells her, "Well done, Mary. [257] The Gospel reading in the Tridentine Mass was Luke 7:3650[258] (the sinful woman anointing the feet of Jesus), while in the present version of the Roman Rite of Mass it is John 20:12, 1118[259] (meeting of Mary Magdalene with Jesus after his resurrection). Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. [4][1] Elaborate medieval legends from Western Europe then emerged, which told exaggerated tales of Mary Magdalene's wealth and beauty, as well as of her alleged journey to southern Gaul (modern-day France). She displayed her hair to set off her face, but now her hair dries her tears. In subsequent religious legend, Mary's story became conflated with that of Mary of Egypt, a repentant prostitute who then lived as a hermit. Of Purgatory", "Selected Topics of Comparison in Christianity and the Bah Faith", The Incorrupt Left Hand of St. Mary Magdalene, "Mary Magdalene: Author of the Fourth Gospel? Why do you think they were removed? FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Because of the legends saying that Mary Magdalene had been a prostitute, she became the patroness of "wayward women", and, in the eighteenth century, moral reformers established Magdalene asylums to help save women from prostitution. Mr . [185] The governor spends two years with Peter in Rome[185] and, on his way home, he stops at the same island to discover that, due to Mary Magdalene's miraculous long-distance intercession, his child has survived for two years on his dead mother's breast milk. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. Pope Gregory's Easter sermon resulted in a widespread belief that Mary Magdalene was a repentant prostitute or promiscuous woman. [254] Mary Magdalene's image did not become conflated with other women mentioned in Biblical texts until Pope Gregory the Great's sermon in the sixth century, and even then this only occurred in Western traditions. [185][186] Miraculously, however, the boat washes ashore at Marseille in southern France. [133] None of these texts have survived to the present,[133][135] but they are mentioned by the early Christian heretic-hunter Epiphanius of Salamis in his Panarion. In the modern vernacular, a "red light district" is a term that refers to an area of the city known for prostitution, strip clubs, and other immoral establishments. [234][235][236] Instead, the film portrays her as Jesus' closest disciple[234][235][236] and the only one who truly understands his teachings. In 1969, Pope Paul VI removed the identification of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and the "sinful woman" from the General Roman Calendar, but the view of her as a former prostitute has persisted in popular culture. [52] Nonetheless, the gospels' accounts of Jesus' crucifixion differ considerably[53] and most secular historians agree that some of the details in the accounts have been altered to fit their authors' theological agendas. [47] Mark 15:47 lists Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Jesus as witnesses to the burial of Jesus. [236] The film, which described as having a "strongly feminist bent",[235] was praised for its music score and cinematography,[237] its surprising faithfulness to the Biblical narrative,[235] and its acting,[235][234] but was criticized as slow-moving,[234][235][237] overwritten,[237] and too solemn to be believable. Some fiction portrays her as the wife of Jesus. [298], Furthermore, according to Mark 12:25, Jesus taught that marriage would not exist at all in the coming kingdom of God. [67][69][77] Casey argues that the reason for this abrupt ending may be because the Gospel of Mark is an unfinished first draft. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. [194], The thirteenth-century Cistercian monk and chronicler Peter of Vaux de Cernay said it was part of Catharist belief that the earthly Jesus Christ had a relationship with Mary Magdalene, described as his concubine: "Further, in their secret meetings they said that the Christ who was born in the earthly and visible Bethlehem and crucified at Jerusalem was "evil", and that Mary Magdalene was his concubine and that she was the woman taken in adultery who is referred to in the Scriptures. I found that my youth struggled to sort out the different characters, so you might want to do a quick slide show of the key characters using the character images I've included throughout this post. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. [101] In saying 53, the Dialogue attributes to Mary three aphorisms that are attributed to Jesus in the New Testament: "The wickedness of each day [is sufficient]. [36], Since Mary is listed as one of the women who supported Jesus' ministry financially, she must have been relatively wealthy. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. [16][34][35] The Gospels writers normally relish giving dramatic descriptions of Jesus' public exorcisms, with the possessed person wailing, thrashing, and tearing his or her clothes in front of a crowd. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. In Pope Gregory's interpretation, the seven demons expelled from Mary Magdalene by Jesus are transformed into the seven deadly sins of medieval Catholicism,[150][163] leading Mary "to be condemned not only for lust, but for pride and covetousness as well. For other uses, see, The Old and New Testament and Gnostic contexts and the text are discussed by. This article is about the biblical figure. As COVID drags on and winter sets in, if you're looking for a good activity to do online with your youth group, you might want to consider doing a series of The Chosen Viewing Parties like this. The portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute began in 591, when Pope Gregory I conflated Mary Magdalene, who was introduced in Luke 8:2, with Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:39) and the unnamed "sinful woman" who anointed Jesus' feet in Luke 7:3650. Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. [185][186] The governor and his wife sail for Rome to meet the apostle Peter in person,[185] but their ship is struck by a storm, which causes the wife to go into labor. [183] Charles II commissioned the building of a new Gothic basilica on the site and, in return for providing accommodation for pilgrims, the town's residents were exempt from taxes. [136], Most of the earliest Church Fathers do not mention Mary Magdalene at all,[142][11][143] and those who do mention her usually only discuss her very briefly. Explain: The Chosen is a multi-season streaming series that's adapting the four Gospels. Did he prefer her to us? [176][177] This portrayal became so popular that it quickly spread to Germany and England. [d] In a manner very similar to John 19:2526, the Gospel of Philip presents Mary Magdalene among Jesus' female entourage, adding that she was his koinnos,[110] a Greek word variously translated in contemporary versions as partner, associate, comrade, companion:[111][110]. [260][261][262], According to Darrell Bock, the title of apostola apostolorum first appears in the 10th century,[152] but Katherine Ludwig Jansen says she found no reference to it earlier than the 12th, by which time it was already commonplace. [168] Starting in around the eighth century, Christian sources record mention of a church in Magdala purported to have been built on the site of Mary Magdalene's house, where Jesus exorcized her of the seven demons. After the Resurrection, He appeared first to her. [323], Maurice Casey rejects the idea of Mary Magdalene as Jesus' wife as nothing more than wild popular sensationalism. [231][226] Ki Longfellow's novel The Secret Magdalene (2005) draws on the Gnostic gospels and other sources to portray Mary as a brilliant and dynamic woman who studies at the fabled library of Alexandria, and shares her knowledge with Jesus. [47] Luke 23:49 mentioned a group of women watching the crucifixion, but did not give any of their names. We turned it into a bit of a game, where one of my youth would constantly ask "Is that Jesus?" [75][82] His next words may be translated as "Don't touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father" or "Stop clinging to me, [etc.]" The Gospel of Luke chapter 8 lists Mary Magdalene as one of the women who traveled with Jesus and helped support his ministry "out of their resources", indicating that she was probably wealthy. The second passage is the Scripture that Mary has written down: This passage that Mary's father taught her is from the Book of Isaiah. After Jesus heals her evil spirit, she resumes calling herself "Mary," her birth name . It had not yet been added at the time of the Tridentine Calendar of 1569 and is no longer found in the present General Roman Calendar but, once added, it remained until the General Roman Calendar of 1960. [153][154] Part of the reason for the identification of Mary Magdalene as a sinner may derive from the reputation of her birthplace, Magdala,[155] which, by the late first century, was infamous for its inhabitants' alleged vice and licentiousness. Jesus said: Behold, I shall lead her, that I may make her male, in order that she also may become a living spirit like you males. Here are seven things we DO know about Mary. I am glad and blythe that St Jerome should say so". The unchallenged facts about her life establish that Jesus cleansed her of seven demons (Luke 8:2 and Mark 16:9), probably . It includes sections for you to take notes on each episode's plot, your favorite quotes, personal connections, questions, and, of course, Scripture references. Has my content helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), Yussif, Jairus, & Shmuel in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Reflecting on The Chosen Season 3 & Anticipating Season 4: What Worked & What to Fix, Ears to Hear (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 & Episode 8: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Feeding of the 5,000 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 8 with Youth or Small Group), Pontius Pilate & His Wife in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? "Greek Lexicon entry for Koinonos". [102] It was discovered in the 18th century in a large volume containing numerous early Gnostic treatises. [53] Ehrman states that the presence of Mary Magdalene and the other women at the cross is probably historical because Christians would have been unlikely to make up that the main witnesses to the crucifixion were women[54] and also because their presence is attested in both the Synoptic Gospels and in the Gospel of John independently. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. The rest of the disciples [were offended by it and expressed disapproval]. [68][69][76] They went inside and saw a young man dressed in white, who told them that Jesus had risen from the dead and instructed them to tell the male disciples that he would meet them in Galilee. "Rethinking the Gnostic Mary: Mary of Nazareth and Mary of Magdala in Early Christian Tradition". 1065/701132).[178]. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. One folk tradition concerning Mary Magdalene says that following the death and resurrection of Jesus, she used her position to gain an invitation to a banquet given by the Roman emperor Tiberius in Rome. The emperor laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the egg in her hand turning red while she held it. In particular, Mary is often shown naked in the legendary scene of her "Elevation", where she is sustained in the desert by angels who raise her up and feed her heavenly manna, as recounted in the Golden Legend. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her hand turned a bright red and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire imperial house. If the savior made her worthy, who are you to reject her? [289] `Abdu'l-Bah considered her to be the supreme example of how women are completely equal with men in the sight of God and can at times even exceed men in holiness and greatness. Movies. The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. ", Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 2006, p. 57, Juliet Thompson, I, Mary Magdalene, Foreword, `Abdu'l-Bah, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 420, `Abdu'l-Bah, Bah' World Faith `Abdu'l-Bah Section, p. 385, `Abdu'l-Bah, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bah Vol.2, p. 467, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, "Koinonos Meaning in Bible - New Testament Greek Lexicon - King James Version", "Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Book 1", "Picturing the Magdalene: How Artists Imagine the Apostle to the Apostles", "Lady Gaga says she 'always wanted to play' Mary Magdalene from the Bible", "FKA twigs' new fragrance fuses the virgin and the whore", "Deborah Rose, "So, Really Who was She? Chapter XXVII of the Life of Mary Magdalene attributed to Hrabanus Maurus (c. 780 4 February 856) is headed: Ubi Magdalenam Christus ad apostolos mittit apostolam (Wherein Christ sends Magdalene as an apostle to the apostles).