The Da Vinci Code: Who Was Mary Magdalene?

The Da Vinci Code, Part 2
Who Was Mary Magdalene?

Rev. Amy B. Freedman
Channing Memorial Church
June 11, 2006

Who was Mary Magdalene? There are several answers floating around these days:

She was the Holy Grail.
Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.
She was the Apostle to the Apostles.
Mary Magdalene was a leader in the early church.

Will the real Mary please stand up! Scholars agree that she was a contemporary of Jesus. Although we may not be able to reach the historical truth, stories take real shape and form in the world. Each image of Mary Magdalene influences what we think about Jesus and his teaching. This morning, I am going to explore the implications of these stories on our understanding of the church and ourselves.

So, who was Mary Magdalene? According to "The Da Vinci Code" she was the Holy Grail. Through an intricate plot with puzzles, codes, symbolism, and secret societies, the story reveals that the Holy Grail is not a cup the actual chalice that Jesus used to establish the ritual of communion instead, the Holy Grail is a woman, the bearer of the royal bloodline. The mystery that has been kept top secret for over two thousand years is that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had a child. Fear not, those of you who have not read or seen "The Da Vinci Code"-I actually did not give away the ending!

As Unitarian Universalists, this idea that Jesus was married and had a child is no big deal. As this part of the story was revealed, I felt like saying "Mazel tov!" Nice Jewish boy, why shouldn't he have a bride. After all, most Rabbis are expected to be married. Sex among married people in the Jewish tradition is a mitzvah, a sacred act. How nice that they had a child.

For me, the idea that Jesus had offspring who now walk among us affirms my belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Jesus being a human ancestor does not challenge my theology in that I believe that each living being is sacred. I have always felt that Jesus was a great spiritual teacher who taught a path of love and acceptance. Growing up Unitarian Universalist, I learned that there are many spiritual teachers and their divinity never inspired me as much as their humanity. As far as I am concerned, spiritual teachers continue to walk among us today, and my faith calls on me to be open to revelation of the sacred in my own living experience.

That being said, most scholars agree that it is highly unlikely that Jesus was married. However, we have no way of knowing if he had a romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene or another one of the apostles.

So, who was Mary Magdalene? One of the reasons that even the fictional idea of Jesus and Mary Magdalene being a married couple is shocking is that she has such a bad reputation. If you asked the average person who she was their response would be that she was a prostitute. Mary Magdalene has long been upheld as the ultimate repentant sinner who left her dark past behind to follow Jesus. The church has used this story as a model for "bad girls" to turn their lives around and an illustration of the dangers of female sexuality.

"The Da Vinci Code" has inspired people of many backgrounds to do some investigation. One of the facts that many people are surprised to discover is that not only is there no evidence that Mary Magdalene was Mrs. Jesus of Nazareth there actually is no evidence that she was a prostitute or a sinner. Her image as a reformed prostitute is not supported anywhere in the Bible. Many people especially Catholics are shocked to discover this fact because this story has often been taught in Sunday school and famous works of art depict Mary Magdalene as the sinner who washes Jesus feet with her tears and wipes them dry with her hair.

How did she get this reputation? In 591 AD Pope Gregory the Great delivered a sermon in which he wove several Biblical passages into one story, identifying another Biblical Mary and an unnamed woman as Mary Magdalene. The words of Pope Gregory became Holy Writ, the authority of which has lasted for centuries. However, as recently as1969, the Catholic Church ruled that Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute. Perhaps all the publicity from "The Da Vinci Code" may at last remove the smear from her reputation.

So, if she was not Jesus' wife or a prostitute, who was Mary Magdalene?
There is evidence in the New Testament that she played an important role in the life and ministry of Jesus. She is named several times and unlike other women who are identified as mothers or wives or sisters, she is referred to only as Mary of Magdala, that is she was a woman from the town of Magdala. Many scholars feel that she was not married or widowed but chose to follow Jesus as an independent woman. As it is written in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus cast seven demons from her, some sort of healing or exorcism. It is also interesting to note that Mary and the other women mentioned in Luke 8 may have been patrons of Jesus ministry for it says they "supported them with their resources". Mary Magdalene as an independent woman traveling with Jesus and financially supporting the ministry is in direct contrast to her reputation as a prostitute and the erotic image of her kneeling before Jesus wiping his feet with her tears and long hair.

The accounts in the Gospels of the New Testament provide evidence that Mary Magdalene played a significant role. She is present both at the crucifixion and the tomb. In John 20, Mary Magdalene is the first to witness the resurrection. The Biblical passage conveys a tender encounter between a master and follower who seem to have a deep connection. Jesus tells Mary Magdalene to spread the news to the apostles making her the Apostle to the Apostles.

So, who was Mary Magdalene? There was a text that was not included in the Biblical canon called the Gospel of Mary. Just like Mark, Matthew, Luke and John are not the authors of those books scholars do not believe that Mary Magdalene wrote anything in her lifetime. However, the discovery of this text demonstrates that there was a religious tradition in which she had a following. In fact, there are references to her in other Gnostic Gospels as close follower and beloved disciple of Jesus. There are even passages that suggest a rivalry between Mary and Peter, the traditional founder of the Church. In the gnostic texts, Mary Magdalene shows a deep understanding of Jesus teachings that rivals the male disciples. These texts indicate an alternate form of early Christianity that was silenced. The Gnostic Gospels which are now experiencing renewed interest suggest that Mary Magdalene who certainly was an important follower of Jesus may have also been a leader in the early church.

I will not pretend to be unbiased. As a female minister, this is the story that I am drawn to most. Reclaiming Mary Magdalene as a significant player in the life and ministry of Jesus, empowers women both in the church and in society at large as of equal value. Her role as a patron, follower or leader is very different than her traditional image as a repentant prostitute. As more people seriously investigate the role of Mary Magdalene not as a wife and mother but as a disciple, could have lasting implications for the role of women in the church.

Today about half of all American denominations ordain women. To this day, Catholics, Orthodox, and some conservative Christians still use the twelve male Apostles of the New Testament as the primary reason why the priesthood must remain exclusively male. This is despite the fact that there is a shortage of priests and many women feel called to serve. Unitarians and Universalists have been ordaining women as far back as the late 1800's. Currently there are equal numbers of male and female Unitarian Universalist ministers and we certainly enjoy equal authority. However, like some other professions, female clergy often have lower salaries or do not receive as prestigious positions as our male counterparts although we are making strides in that area as well.

The reason that I have told you four different stories about Mary Magdalene- Mary as wife and mother, Mary as prostitute, Mary as a patron of Jesus, and Mary as a leader, is that each of these ancient stories is also a reflection of us. Stories as they are passed down to us affect the way we view Jesus and his ministry, as well as how we view gender and sexuality. The irony of conservative Christians promoting traditional families and gender roles is that Jesus may have had the most untraditional family of all in which he wandered with a band of both male and female disciples. Jesus certainly is the ultimate example of someone who reached across social barriers with a message of love and acceptance.

My vision is that we continue to open the circle this religious community ever wider until we recognize and experience the unity of humanity. Our ministry is to overcome the barriers both real and fictional that have served to divide people into the worthy and the unworthy. We are all called to ministry. This is a teaching not only of Christianity but of many religious traditions.

In the words of the Sufi poet, Saadi:
To worship God is nothing other than to serve the people.
It does not need rosaries, prayer carpets, or robes.
All peoples are members of the same body, created from one essence.
If fate brings suffering to one member
The others cannot stay at rest.

To live religiously is not simply to "pray, pay and obey". We live our values every day in the world. We minister to one another in times of need. We respond to conditions of society and work together for change. We hold the hand of a loved one who is in pain. We reach out to people who may be lost or struggling. Above all, we work toward a more loving gentle world by offering our personal gifts whatever they may be in service to others. This ministry of love and acceptance is one that transcends gender and sexuality. Our liberal religious faith calls us to overcome all differences, to affirm our essential unity, and to work at all times to create a world that is whole and unbroken.

May it be so. Amen.

For Further Reading:

"Who Was Mary Magdalene?" James Carroll, Smithsonian, June, 2006

The Gospel of Mary Magdala, Jesus and the First Woman Apostle, Karen King

The Gospels of Mary, Marvin Meyer

The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels