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1 The First Exploration Journey - Apostle to the Apostles, The Life of Mary Magdalene

Apostle to the Apostles - The Life of Mary Magdalene

Magdala Center, Magdala, Israel

Boat Chapel

Dedicated to the memory of Jesus teaching from the boat1

NRSV Matthew 4: 12-17 Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“The Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Amen.

1 http://www.magdala.org/visit/duc-in-altum/boat-chapel/


The City of Magdala

Magdala ("Tower or Castle" in Hebrew)

resides on the south west corner of the Sea of

Galilee. This was the main location to salt and cure

fish for this area. This city also was a shipbuilding

center, a trading center and a wealthy town. The

population was mainly Gentile.2 This city was also

known for dye works and primitive textile

factories.

This city was also a well known seaside resort for the Romans and the Greeks. Its

reputation was " What happens in Magdala stays in Magdala". This town had a bad

reputation for many years from the Jewish perspective and this would be reflected onto

Mary Magdalene's mythology.

Mary was the third child of Nathan her father and Zebidah her mother. Her oldest

brother was Samuel and the middle child was called Levi. Samuel and Nathan worked in

the fish warehouse.

This fish warehouse handled the fish caught in the southern part of the Sea of

Galilee. The fish was either dried or smoked or salted. The poetic name for this lake was

Lake Kinneret translated from Hebrew as "Lake Harp".

The warehouse was also known for its

Garum, a fish based sauce. The fish and the Garum

products were sold all over Israel and even in Rome!

Mary's Family

Mary (Hebrew - "Handmaid of the Lord")3 or

in (Greek form for Miriam - "Strong".)4 grew up in a

Pharisee Jewish home, a faith strictly observed and

full of love. Women then were not taught how to

read, but Mary learned secretly along with her Greek

girl friend. As Samuel worked closely with Greek merchants, he picked up the language and

was good at reading it as well. Mary learned Greek from her brother Samuel as well. Mary

had an inquisitive mind and was struggling against the Jewish social female place in society.

Women were expected to have children and manage the home, education was not

2 George Butrick, The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, (Tenn, Abingdon,1981) 88 3 George Butrick, The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible K-Q,(Tenn, Abingdon,1981) Page 290 4 James Packer, Nelson's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Facts, (Tenn, Nelson Publishing,1995) Page 666


necessary or expected. In the synagogue, women were separated from their husbands and

banished to the back of the worship hall.

When Mary turned 17 she met Joel who was 23 and working in the fish warehouse.

By 18 they were married. By 25 Mary was worried that she would be a barren woman. This

shame would destroy her marriage and her parents family as well.

Nathan, her father, took the family to Jerusalem for at least one festival each year.

During one trip, as the families of Magdala setup their tents for the night, Mary found a

Canaanite idol buried under her bed roll.

Idol Worship

Mary liked the beautiful artwork of this clay idol and kept the image hidden from

her family. This Canaanite idol was devil worship, truly unacceptable to the Jewish faith

community.

Mary stopped praying to God for a child and began asking this Canaanite idol for a

child. Soon after Mary became pregnant. A great celebration followed the birth of their

daughter, named Elishiba. Elishiba in Hebrew means "God her oath".

Shortly after the child was born, the Canaanite idol took possession of Mary's mind

and started to demand her obedience. Before Mary could fight back, there were seven

devils living within her.

Mary could no longer handle the devils within her and she told Joel the whole story.

Joel took Mary to see the town's rabbi. After many long hours and rituals, the devils

remained with her.

Soon the whole village knew about Mary's devil possession and they wanted her to

leave and never come back. Joel would raise Elishiba with the help of the extended family.

Mary's Expulsion

Soon, Mary was given a cloak, a walking stick, a bag of water and food good for three

days and she left. The town's rabbi suggested she go to the wilderness and hopefully a

prophet or holy man could heal her. Many days later, Mary stumbled down a steep hill and

found the Jordan River. Her cloak was in tatters, the food and water long gone and the

sacks lost somewhere in the wilderness. Mary wanted to die. Yet the Jordan River revived

her, even in her weakened condition.


The Proclamation of John the Baptist

Resting by the side of the river, Mary heard voices in the distance. "Repent, for the

world is coming to an end". Mary raised herself and very weakly started walking towards

the voice, leaning on trees and rocks along the way.

The Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 3: 1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius

Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his

brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias

ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the

word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into

all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for

the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the

prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” Amen.5

Around a bend in the river, she saw a man standing in the middle of the Jordan

River, baptizing men and women by full immersion. Mary fell to her knees, she was so tired

and weak. Two strong men came to her sides and lifted her back up. John and Simon

introduced themselves and offered to help her. Mary said she was living with seven

demons and no one could help her, she wanted to die.

Jesus and the Exorcism of Mary's Demons

John and Simon said they knew of a rabbi, a healer, who had performed amazing

healing. This rabbi came from Galilee. Did she want to meet this man? Mary weakly said

yes. Mary was half carried, half walked to a small clearing away from the river, to a small

campsite and a large tent.

5 NRSV The New Oxford Annotated Bible , (New York, Oxford University Press,2010) Page 1834


The Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 8: 2-3

The twelve were with him, as well as women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,

including Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of

Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them from their resources.

Amen.6

John and Simon introduced Mary to Jesus. Mary was lowered to her knees, she was

so weak. Mary told Jesus her life's story and the demon possession. Jesus asked if she

wanted to be healed. Mary shook her head, yes. Jesus placed both hands on her head and

after praying to God, a large cry came out Mary's mouth. Each demon came out and Jesus

demanded they no longer live within anyone.

Mary collapsed to the ground, yet she felt freed of the demons, their voices and their

demands. Slowly John and Simon raised her back up and placed her besides the fire. After

feeding her, she fell sound asleep and slept through to the next morning.

Mary, an Apostle of Jesus

The next morning, Mary, who was now 27 years old, decided to stay with Jesus and

this group of fellow believers and devote her life to this wonderful teacher, this healer, this

amazing Rabbi.

For three years Mary followed Jesus and the Apostles as they traveled throughout

Israel. Jesus preached and healed the sick and lame. Jesus taught using Parables and often

the Apostles would ask for an explanation. No one could explain how Jesus fed once four

thousand Jews and again five thousand Jews.

Jesus sent the Apostles in pairs to local towns to teach and heal. Jesus paired Mary

with John. Together for forty days they visited several towns around Nazareth. Mary healed

Suzanna, a woman in the town of Korazin possessed by demons. Both John and Mary were

surprised and felt in awe of the power Jesus had given them. After all the Apostles had

returned and proclaimed their successes to the group, Jesus said they would be baptised by

fire.

During Jesus missionary journey, Mary visited Magdala to enquire about Joel and

Elishiba. Mary was ridiculed and forced to leave town without any knowledge of her

husband and daughter.



None of the Apostles truly understood Jesus message, except for Mary. Her savior

had given her a gift of deep visionary insight, which scared her at time and exhilarated her

at other times. Mary was part of the inner circle, along with John and Peter. This close

relationship would haunt the story of Mary for centuries to come.

Riot in Jerusalem Temple

Pontius Pilate detests the Jews and so starts a

riot in the Temple and there are many Jews killed

and injured. One of those badly beaten is Joel. Joel's

extended family cares for him and slowly takes him

home to Magdala. Mary is found and told that Joel is

dying. Mary comes to Joel's bedside despite the

anger of the family. Joel dies in her arms. Mary is

thirty years old, and yet she has lived a lifetime of

grief, despair, saving grace and amazing apostleship.

The Anointing at Bethany

Some Bible scholars say that Mary Magdalene was the woman who anointed Jesus as a

prelude to his death.7

The Gospel According to Mark 14: 3-9

While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with

an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment

on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in

this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money

given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has

performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to

them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has

anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in

the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” Amen.

7 Readers Digest, Mysteries of the Bible, (Pleasantville, NY, 1988) Page 323


Passion Week

The Gospel According to Matthew 16:21-28

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great

suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be

raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never

happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to

me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take

up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their

life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their

life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay

everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste

death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Amen.8

On Palm Sunday, last Sunday the Jews welcomed Jesus as the King of the Jews at the

Eastern Gate. Waiving palm branches, laying down their cloaks, Jesus rode into Jerusalem

on a donkey. The people were yelling "Hosanna, to the Son of David". Hosanna means -

"Saviour come and rescue me, Son of David!". Blessed is he who comes in the name of the

Lord. Hosanna in the highest heaven. "Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David."

"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest." 9

All week Jesus and the Apostles were in the Temple, teaching, healing and no one

laid a hand on any of them.

Late Thursday, Jesus lead the Apostles in the Passover Meal. He said such strange

things to us, we did not understand. This bread is a symbol of my body broken for you. This

wine is a symbol of my blood which is shed for you. What does all this mean, we were

afraid to ask!

Judas disappeared down the stairs and out into the night. Now the faithful were

alone in the upper room. "I have wished so ardently to celebrate this Passover with you,"

Jesus said. "You are my chosen ones. My children, I will be with you only a little while

longer. I give you a new command, love one another. As I have loved you, so you should

8 NRSV The New Oxford Annotated Bible , (New York, Oxford University Press,2010) Page 1771 9 Margaret George, Mary called Magdalene, Viking,2002, Page 454


love one another. This is now all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for

each other. 10

Then on Thursday night, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was arrested as a rebel!

Crucifixion and Burial

Friday morning Jesus was crucified and died. Joseph of Arimathea received

permission from Pontius Pilate and Jesus body was taken down from the cross.

Jesus body was buried in Joseph of Arimathea's cave hurriedly as it was Friday

night. A large stone was rolled in front of the tomb to keep the animals away.

(This sculpture was created by Michelangelo

and is called "The Florentine Pieta"). Pieta is

translated "The Pity". This magnificent sculpture

was created in 1498-1499. The sculpture, in Carrara

marble, was made for the cardinal's funeral

monument, but was moved to its current location,

the first chapel on the right as one enters the

basilica, the Vatican in Rome, in the 18th century.

Michelangelo's interpretation of the Pietà is

unprecedented in Italian sculpture. It is an

important work as it balances the Renaissance

ideals of classical beauty with naturalism. It is the

only piece Michelangelo ever signed.11 (The World's Fair

in New York City,1964, had a Vatican Exhibition Hall and this was their main display. This piece is breathtaking and I

visited it every time I went to this fair, rw)

Apostle to the Apostles, the Story of the Resurrection

Now it is Sunday morning and Mary said that she must get up and find my way back

to the sellers of Oils and Spices. I have a few coins still left in my robe. I will take what I

have and purchase what is needed and anoint my Rabbis body as my parting gift to Him.

The spices Ethiopian myrrh, galbanum (a waxy sweet gum from Syria), Spikenard Oil from

India. 12

Walking quietly, Mary leaves the Upper Room. It was in this room that after the

crucifixion was fact, that all the Apostles had returned. Everyone was so afraid that the 10 Margaret George, Mary called Magdalene, Viking,2002, Page 500 11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0_(Michelangelo) 12 Margaret George, Mary called Magdalene, Viking,2002, Page 549


Jewish authorities or the Roman centurions would knock the door down and drag them all

away to either be whipped or sold into slavery. Yet nothing had happened. Early Sunday

morning, as the sun was now creeping up the horizon, Mary was entering the garden and

the tomb where Jesus was buried.

The Gospel According to Matthew 28: 1-7

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see

the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came

and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For

fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I

know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.

Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell the disciples, "He has been raised from the dead, and

indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you." Amen.13

Mary was stunned and backed out of the grave site. Mary found a place to sit and

began to weep. She was so tired and so emotionally drained.

Looking up she saw a gardener and went

over to him. Sir she said, can you tell me where they

have taken my Rabbi. The gardener raised his hat

and said "Mary, do you not recognize me."

Mary was stunned. Could this be Jesus? He

was dead three days ago, I saw him die on the cross

and lowered into his mother's arms!

Jesus said " Go and tell the others I am going

to ascend to my God and your God!".

Suddenly, now fully refreshed, no longer

tired, no longer emotionally drained, Mary runs back

to the Upper Room. Bursting into the main door and

running up the stairs, she shouts" He is risen. He is

risen. I have seen him."

Mary is the Apostle ( Messenger sent by God to witness) to the Apostles, that Jesus is

risen!! Apostle to the Apostles.

Peter and John call everyone together and question Mary. Peter believes Mary is like

the rest of them, emotionally drained and very fearful of what can happen next. Mary

remains adamant that Jesus is the garden standing outside the tomb.



Peter and John look at each other and both run down the stairs and run across

Jerusalem to the site of the tomb. There Peter looks in and finds two angels ready to answer

their questions. The angels tell the Apostles that Jesus is risen as he has foretold them so

many times before.

Jesus left the grave site and travelled to Emmaus along with two other travelers and

explained the role of Messiah to them. Jesus appears often the fifty days after his

resurrection, bringing comfort, love and grace to them. At the fiftieth day, Jesus sends the

Paraclete, the Great Comforter, the Holy Spirit to them all. Wisdom is poured into their

hearts and now they truly understand Jesus ministry and their role to spread the Good

News to all.

Elishiba

Mary's daughter grows into a beautiful woman and marries a merchant from

Capernaum. Mary often writes letters to her and they are all returned unopened. Elishiba

rejected her mother in keeping with the Jewish faith. There would be repercussions later in

life for Elishiba.

Jerusalem in the 50's and 60's AD

As the years pass, the Apostles take a leading role in supporting the Jewish

community in Jerusalem with life saving support. All the Apostles remain in Jerusalem and

James takes the leadership. Saul begins to persecute the Jews in Jerusalem and wants to go

to Damascus to expand his capture of these rebellious and misguided Jews.

Tensions begin to mount again between the Romans and the Jews. The Romans see

these Christians and Jewish off shoot and persecute everyone. By the 60's AD most of the

Apostles have left and moved to Pella, in Jordan. In 67 AD the tensions boil over into a war,

which starts in Jerusalem. The Romans call "The Legio X Fretensis" (Symbol is the bull, the

symbol of the goddess Venus) 14out of Damascus to destroy these Jews once and for all

time. This legion kills, burns the towns and crucifies everyone along their path, starting in

Galilee. Magdala is decimated. By 70 AD Jerusalem has fallen and the Temple has been

destroyed. The last stronghold of Masada falls in 73AD. The Jewish culture is finished, the

Diaspora (dispersion) of the Jewish faith begins.

14 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legio_X_Fretensis


Ephesus

Mary and John leave Para, Jordan in 70 AD

and travel to Ephesus. Here, they support the

church started by Paul. Both are considered

celebrities, as they were with Jesus! Mary would

spend the rest of her life in this large coastal city in

modern day Turkey.

The main goddess in Ephesus was Artemis and was beloved by the citizens of this

wealthy town. Artemis was the daughter of Leto and Zeus, and the twin of Apollo. She is

the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt and wild animals, and fertility. She is the helpers of

midwives as a goddess of birth.

This was the beginning of her role as guardian of young children and patron of

women in childbirth. Being a goddess of contradictions, she was the protectors of women

in labor, but it was said that the arrows of Artemis brought them sudden death while giving

birth. Artemis was a divinity of healing, but also brought and spread diseases such as

leprosy, rabies and even gout.

In Ephesus, a principal city of Asia Minor, a great

temple was built in her honor, which became one of the "Seven

Wonders of the Ancient World".

The cult statues of the Ephesian Artemis differ greatly

from those of mainland Greece, whereas she is depicted as a

huntress with her bow and arrows. Those found at Ephesus

show her in the eastern style, standing erect with numerous

nodes on her chest.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 19 23-29

About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way.

A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of

Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. These he gathered

together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, “Men, you

know that we get our wealth from this business. You also see and hear

that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has

persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by

saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours

may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she

will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.”


When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The city

was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius

and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s travel companions. Amen.15

Many riots over the years occurred between the Artemis citizens and the Jews and

Christians. John in his 80's is sent to Patmos, a Roman prison, as he continued to stir up the

populace of Ephesus. Many biblical scholars believe this is the John who received

epiphanies and wrote the Book of the Revelations.

The Death of Mary Magdalene

Mary is now in her 90's and dies in one of

these riots. Mary is buried with a great

outpouring of grief by the entire city. Hearing

about the death of Mary, Elishiba, now a mature

woman, saw her mother in a new light. Elishiba

came to the grave site with the final unopened

letter from her mother.

Elishiba opens the letter,

To my most honored lady, Elishiba of Capernaum, and

leader of the synagogue in Tiberius - Greetings and blessings

from Mary, called Magdalene, apostle and servant of Jesus in

the church of Ephesus.

As your mother, I beg you to read this letter. In all the

reports I have heard from you, it is evident you are a

respected and powerful leader in the synagogue in Tiberius.

You are well versed in scripture and charity, please extend

some of this charity to your mother. I cannot wait much

longer to see you face to face. So much has happened over

the sixty years we have been apart. I know that you

persecute the Jews who have found The Way. Why must we

15 NRSV The New Oxford Annotated Bible, (New York, Oxford University Press,2010) Page 1956


be enemies ? I have spent much time writing down my life

with Jesus, so that humbly, others may read this and find

Jesus in their lives. And so, read this as well and know your

mother.

Only John and I are left. Peter died in Rome. James, the

son of Zebedee was beheaded nine years after Jesus left us.

The rest are scattered and dead by now. We, who are left, are

old and frail locust-bodies, live on. Your loving mother, Mary.

Come and see me soon. 16

Elishiba now understands her mother and mourns her loss. She pays for the

carvings around her tomb as an eternal memorial to her mother.

Questions for consideration:

1) Jesus and Mary Magdalene both are rejected by their families. What does this say about

the nature of families? Is it possible to find one's true family outside of blood lines?

2) Mary Magdalene in the novel, suffers from the loss of her relationship with her daughter.

How hard was this for her?

3) Throughout the novel, there is a resistance to accept Mary Magdalene as a spiritual

leader. Why would men not want women in positions of spiritual leadership?

Bibliography:

Margaret George, Mary called Magdalene, (New York: Viking Press,2002)

Wikipedia- Book Summary - As a woman in the Bible, Mary Magdalene's story is not

recounted as fully as that of some of the males associated with Jesus. The novel presents a

new view of Mary Magdalene – a female apostle who was the first of Jesus' followers. She

noted that they "provide me with something unique to build on. With what you might call

the 'celebrities' like Mary Magdalene, you just have this outline of her life and the drama in

it, even if it is shadowy, tantalizingly brief and potentially misleading."

16 Margaret George, Mary called Magdalene, Viking,2002, Page 559-560


Mary, called Magdalene was released in 2002 by Viking Press. Some journalists have

observed the increasing interest in Mary Magdalene, and have cited the popularity of

Margaret George's novel as evidence of this trend. Mary, called Magdalene became a best-

seller in 2002, followed by The Da Vinci Code in 2003.

magdala center, magdala, israel boat chapel dedicated to ... · including mary, called magdalene,...

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