If you’ve spent any time in the New Testament, particularly the Gospels, you can’t miss the plethora of Marys. The Jewish people were big on giving their children family names, many of which could be found in their Scriptures, our Old Testament. Mary was a popular one—derived from Miriam, the prophet sister of Moses who helped lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt.
The first Mary we meet is Jesus’s mother. She shows up several times in each gospel, from beginning to end and a few times in the middle. We also meet Mary of Bethany, Martha’s sister who sat at the feet of Jesus in the disciple’s pose (Luke 10:38). Later, when their brother, Lazarus, died, Mary shared a moment of grief with Jesus before he raised Lazarus to life (John 11:32–35). She later anointed Jesus’s feet with expensive oil (John 12:1–8). Another Mary, mother of Jesus’s disciple James the younger and a son named Joseph, joined a group of women at Jesus’s crucifixion. She even went to the tomb a couple of days later (Matt. 27:56–61; Mark 16:1).
And then there is Mary Magdalene (henceforth Mary M). Such a checkered past, this woman of mystery. Um… maybe? We first learn of her in Luke 8:1–3, which gives us her backstory—Jesus healed her of seven demons. She then joined his entourage and supported his itinerant ministry through her own funds.
Mary M bankrolled Jesus.
Mary M was also present at the crucifixion and the resurrection. Jesus honored her greatly by appearing first to her near the garden tomb, telling her to “go to my brothers and tell them … ” (John 20:17). She is the one who proclaimed the message of freedom for all of us: “I have seen the Lord!” (v 18).
And then she goes silent.
After this momentous occasion, we hear nothing further of Mary M in the Bible. But history offers many stories, some contradictory, of what she accomplished later in her life. Popes eventually started merging the Marys of the New Testament, conflating them so that what we know of their lives blended into a single story. And within a few hundred years, the Mary M being taught about in church would have hardly recognized herself.
Enter the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Powell McNutt, with her newest book, The Mary We Forgot. With her expertise in historical research and theological analysis, she examines the biblical and historical records to peel back the layers of legend and lazy exegesis. Mary M, she asserts, was the first apostle of the good news and a model of discipleship for both men and women today.
Take a look at her table of contents:
1. The Women of Scripture and a Hermeneutic of Surprise
2. Will the Real Mary Magdalene Please Stand Up?
3. Mary Magdalene and Her Church Interpreters
4. France's Beloved Preacher and Evangelist
5. A Woman Possessed—and Healed
6. The "Certain Women" in Jesus's Inner Circle
7. Go and Tell like Mary Magdalene
8. The First Apostle Chosen by Christ
Epilogue: Mary Magdalene for the Church Today
Why does McNutt take her family to southern France on a pilgrimage to find historical traces of Mary M’s alleged post-resurrection ministry? McNutt displays her fine research skills in walking readers through the convoluted history of how the church taught Mary M, who they thought she was (and wasn’t), and where she is still celebrated today. About the only critique I have is that she can get a little too “in the weeds” with historical details for the average reader, but all her detail is helpful for painting a holistic picture of Mary M’s significance to the church. So stick with it!
At the end, you’ll know why it matters for you, and me, to better understand Mary M, how she can inspire us today, and what her life says about the savior she loved and served.
The book releases on October 15, 2024.