Saturday, February 25, 2012

Mary Magdalene

Since this is a big name, I am going to take it in stages. Tonight, I'm looking at the introduction of Mary Magdalene (among others) in Luke 8:1-3.

"Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene,from whom seven demons had gone out,³ and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them^[a] out of their means."

It's a strange introduction of all three of these women. Luke makes a point of saying that they weren't just philosophical converts but women healed of evil spirits (perhaps explaining why they could pick up their lives and follow after). And then, at the end, the suggestion of the women in the group as the bankroll. Of course, I love the idea of the money-managers of the disciples being the women. Honestly, I think I may have to do a passage on Joanna wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager next. It would line up more neatly with the passage on Elizabeth.

What a change that must have been - married to a leading member of Herod's household. Accounts of her suggest she is Luke's source for the reason for John the Baptist's death. Did she believe in John? Was he what sent her into the arms of Christ?

She was one of the women at the resurrection, and she is an apostle later. I think I may have to learn more about her. Because she went from a servant of Herod to devoted follower to Jesus to witness to the resurrection to apostle of Christ.

And I'd never heard of her.

When Jesus healed her of an infirmity or demon, did that free her and her husband of having to work for Herod? When he healed her of her infirmity or demon, did that free her of her husband?

For Joanna, her conversion seems to be something remarkable - she was living an ordinary and earthly life when one day her life changed because she found Jesus. Mary Magdalene was being tormented by seven demons. She must have felt she was already in hell. When the suddenly, the man who would open their way to heaven set them free.