Mary Magdalene

We meet Mary early in the ministry of Jesus. Luke mentions her in chapter 2 verses 1& 2: “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out.” Jesus had traveled about from town to town with the twelve and with these women. We know that Mary the mother of Jesus and this Mary stayed by the cross as Jesus suffered. There is an account in the New Testament of a man afflicted by a legion of demons. However, 7 demons is a large enough problem. The number is given to us to indicate that her affliction was severe. Therefore, her gratitude was great. She was first to the tomb, the most persistent in seeking His body, and the first to see Him alive. Perhaps her great deliverance explains the depth of her devotion, and perhaps it is a credit to her gender. It was because of such devotion that she was there to be the first one to see that the stone had been removed from the tomb. Mary was the first to see the risen Lord, and it was because she was pursuing the right thing. She wanted Jesus. She needed Jesus. She stayed there at the tomb until she knew what had become of Jesus. She found out He was not in the tomb because He was alive. He is the way the truth and the life. We have evidence. We have facts. But, what we need is Jesus. All of our hope is in Him. What are you pursuing?