Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And I will walk in Your Truth!
Give me an undivided heart,
That I may fear Your name!
Psalm 86:11
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw the stone had been removed from the entrance. So, she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” John 20:1-2
The Gospel of Mark tells us when Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons (Mark 16:9). Many believe this is the same Mary who is mentioned in the Bible as the sister of Martha, who had opened her home to the Lord and His disciples.
Now Mary, whose heart had to be filled with gratitude and thanksgiving, sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He was saying. However, many times distractions keep us focused on other things. And for Martha, she was distracted by all the preparations that had to be done.
She came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” But Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her,” Luke 10:38-42.
Mary was also among the many women who were watching from a distance on the day Christ was crucified. And the darkness that overshadowed the land from the sixth till the ninth hour provides us a perfect idea of the sorrow and grief that blanketed their hearts.
On another occasion, though she was uninvited, when Mary learned that Jesus was eating at a certain Pharisee’s house, she came to offer the Lord her most valuable possession. We are told Mary stood behind Jesus at His feet weeping, and her tears wet His feet. So, she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
The Pharisee saw this and said, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.” Jesus said, “Simon, there were two men who owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither were able to pay their debt, so the moneylender canceled both debts. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “Simon, you have judged correctly!” This woman the Pharisee dismissed as a sinner, was so valued by the Lord He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven,” Luke 7:36-49. Mary broke open her most valued possession, her alabaster jar of perfume, but the most priceless possession she offered to the Lord was her heart.
And like that alabaster jar, how crushed her heart must have been when she heard the One Who once said, “Why do you ask Me about what is good? There is only One Who is good. If you want to enter life, obey His Word,” Matthew 19:17; now say, “My God, My God, why have you left Me?” Matthew 27:46.
Jesus’ Ministry of Reconciliation was yet to be made known! In fact, many continue to refuse to believe God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting our sins against us (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Christ died once to provide spiritual reconciliation for us with God: Life instead of Death – eternal separation from our heavenly Father. Jesus suffered the anguish of the cross so He could bestow to us peace with God, so the confusion and doubt a divided heart generates can be ended. For God commits His Word, His message of reconciliation to us
(2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
With Holy Spirit’s guidance the issues of our soul – intellect, emotions, and will – mind, heart and poise – attitudes, judgments and beliefs – can be reconciled so the peace of God can be known and enjoyed. For the peace of God transcends all our understanding, and will guard our heart and mind when our faith is in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
I have shared all of this as a precursor before discussing how the meaning of Mary Magdalen’s name will help us understand this vital message of reconciliation. Mary has this meaning: rebellion, bitter or rebellious. While the meaning of Magdalene is: tower, a bed of flowers, to twist, to make large in estate or honor, body and mind – to advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, become, greater, grow up, increase, lift up, magnify, nourish.
Through God’s Word we not only get a perfect image of God’s glorious Christ, we also get an image of our perfect imperfections. Like Mary, we come to the Lord tainted by the effects of life’s hardships. But if we do as she did, follow God’s Word we too will experience freedom from the effects of what rebellion and bitterness produce within our soul.
You may have heard the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Well, these synonyms give us an idea of what accompanies rebellion: defiance, disobedience, self-will, hardheadedness, perversity… What accompanies bitter: angry, malcontent, miserable, depressed, cruel, murderous… What accompanies rebellious: traitorous, unruly, ungovernable, treacherous, uncooperative, disorderly, rude, wild…
Isaiah spoke to the importance of reconciliation. After He developed a taste for God’s Word, He was able to truly understand the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8): I have had these troubles in my soul. Now I will be humble all my life. Lord, because of You, people live. Because of You, my spirit also lives. You made me well and let me live. It was for my own good that I had such troubles. Because through it all I’ve come to understand – You love me very much. You did not let me die; instead, You threw my sins far away (Isaiah 38:14-17 NCV).
Job discovered his greatest fear had come upon him. What he dreaded happened to him. He had no peace, no quietness, no rest – only turmoil (Job 3:25-26). The evil one uses fear and pride and the weaknesses of our flesh to rob our peace.
Bitterness and discontent can cause a person to become weary of their life. And, as we see with Job, it gives us permission to do what only increases the turmoil in our soul, by giving free expression to our feelings. Complaint is the speech of a bitter soul (Job 10:1).
Job also spoke to the importance of reconciliation. For he discovered the flesh counts for nothing, but the Spirit gives life (John 6:63): We have a Mediator on our side, to tell a person what is right for them, to be gracious to them and say, ‘Spare them from going down to the pit. For I have found a ransom for them.’ So they pray and find favor with God.
The face of God is seen, and shouts of joy are heard. They are restored by God to their righteous state. Then they come to others and say, “I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved. For my Redeemer lives, and He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the Light. Yes, God does these things again and again for people to turn back their soul from the pit, so the Light of Life may shine on them (Job 33:23-29).
Holy Spirit brings us knowledge of God and His Word so we can get rid of all that is wrong in our life, both inside and outside. So, we can receive and welcome with a humble and willing spirit the Word God implants and roots within our heart, for Truth has the power to save our soul (James 1:21), as the meaning of Magdalene reveals:
The Lord is our refuge and our high Tower, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those, like Mary Magdalene, who know His name, who have experience and acquaintance with His mercy, will lean on and confidently put their trust in Him (Psalm 9:9-10 AMP).
The Spirit of Truth is cultivating within our soul a bed of flowers, so we become to God the aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:17). Those ugly weeds of deception and pride and fear must be identified so the mixed motives they produce can be reconciled by God’s Word of Truth. For then, all the promises God made in advance through His prophets would not only be made known through the Good News of His Gospels, but received through His Word of Life, Christ Jesus (Romans 1:1-2).
That those who believe the Lord has become for us wisdom from God – our righteousness, holiness and redemption – would boast in the Lord
(1 Corinthians 1:30-31), Who God did bring up out of the dead to make us perfect to know His will, and to do every good work that is well-pleasing before Him, through Jesus, to Whom is the glory (Hebrews 13:20021 YLT).
For God’s will is His Word makes us exceed and abound in love toward one another (1 Thessalonians 3:12 Darby). For surely then, we will come to know how excellent, how majestic and glorious the name of Jesus in all the earth (Psalm 8:1 AMP). And people everywhere would sing praises to the Lord, for He has done excellent things gloriously (Isaiah 12:5 AMP).
Yes, God chose people to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8:20 NLT). And God will establish and give us strength to the end because He is faithful, and it is He Who calls us into companionship with His Son (1 Corinthians 1:8-9 AMP).
So, let us speak truth enfolded in love so we grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, Christ Jesus, the Anointed One (Ephesians 4:15 AMP). Therefore, God’s Word must increase, and we must decrease (John 3:30 AMP). For God has poured out His grace so we can lift up the cup of salvation and deliverance and call on the name of the Lord (Psalm 116:13 AMP).
Oh, magnify the Lord with Me, and let us exalt His name together. He answers us and delivers us from all our fears (Psalm 34:3-4 ASV). For the Lord is our unyielding Strength, and He is the Stronghold of salvation to His anointed ones. Jesus saves God’s people and blesses His heritage. God’s Word will nourish us and carry us forever (Psalm 28:8-9 AMP).
Greater love has no one than this,
that they lay down their life for their friends!
John 15:13-14