Mary Magdalene Series

October 17, 2020

In the first 2 sermons of this series, we compared Nicodemus with the Woman at the Well. Today we are going to compare Peter with Mary Magdalene.

As we noted last week, Peter is mentioned, by name, more than 150 times in the New Testament. He had many spectacularly great moments and many spectacularly disastrous moments during his 3 ½ year walk with Jesus.

His over-confidence nearly destroyed him and it wasn’t until after Jesus went back to heaven that he fully understood Jesus’ mission.

Now let’s consider Mary Magdalene. Who was she? Well, we know she lived in the town of Bethany, which was not far from Jerusalem. We know she had a sister, Martha, and a brother, Lazarus. She is mentioned, by name, 12 times in the New Testament and only in the Gospels.

Here is something you may not know….. Jesus cast 7 demons out of her. {Luke 8:1-2}

Now what does that mean??

Well, Scripture does not come right out and tell us, although I believe it is alluded to in:

• John 8:1-11 - Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" 11 "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."

And:

• Luke 7:36-50 - Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. And He entered the Pharisee's house, and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?" 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. 45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." …. "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." {see also Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8}

Ellen White says ……………... That it was Simon who lead Mary into sin and that she had been deeply wronged by him. {DA 566}

Whatever the details of the story, what becomes clear is that Mary’s devotion was driven by the knowledge of what she HAD BEEN, what Jesus had FREED HER FROM and what she HAD BECOME through His forgiveness and transformational power.