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Background: To imagine the setting of this gospel, you could think of it as substituting for Mark 16:15-20 in the "longer ending" of the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus has just appeared to the apostles and departs, telling them to "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." The Gospel of Mary opens with an account of a post-resurrection apearance of Jesus to the apostles in which he gives them one last teaching ending with an exhortation similar to that in the Markan longer ending: "Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom." But in this Gospel there is more to the story. Jesus' exhortation provokes anxiety about persecution and fear of death among the apostles, leading to a "should we or shouldn't we?" debate among them. They ask Mary to tell them what Jesus had told her, but when she does, they turn on her, attacking her credibility and worthiness for discipleship. At that point Levi rebukes them for their abuse of Mary and the Gospel concludes with words similar to the Markan longer ending (16:20), "And when they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach."
The early apostolic church suppressed the image of Mary as a respected disciple of Jesus, making her instead into the repentant prostitute. In this icon she holds a red egg (symbol of fertility, but also of resurrection) and an alabaster jar, an image associated also with the ancient representation of the Assyrian fertility goddess, Inana, but representing the story attributed to her of the annointing of Jesus before the crucifixion and her going to annoint his body afterward in the tomb. You can do a Google Image search on Mary Magdalene or view the Magdalene Images Gallery to see the influence through the ages of the sexual "spin" that the apostolic church leaders set in motion. That same spin was continued in The Da Vinci Code.
Readings: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
(online version | text with comments for study). This is a very short gospel.
Recommended paperback:
Karen L. King, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala. Jesus and the First Woman Apostle (Santa Rosa, California, Polebridge Press, 2003).
Preparations: Try to answer the study questions in the text with comments for study as well as the numbered questions below.
Theology: Keep in mind the Gospel's date (early 2nd century) and the fact that the argument
between the apostles and Mary represents the second-century conflict between "apostolic" Christianity
(the Christianity we are a part of today) and "Gnostic" Christianity. The Gospel shows us what Gnostic Christians
of the early 2nd century criticized about the evolving "apostolic" tradition, and what they thought of the leaders
who traced their authority back to the twelve (male) apostles.
(1) How does the Gospel of Mary Magdalene characterize the apostles
Peter and Andrew?
(2) When Andrew says, "I at least do not believe that the Savior said this.
For certainly these teachings are strange (novel) ideas" -- what (in the author's view) would have made these
ideas seem "strange ideas" (novelties) to Andrew and the other apostles, rather than "normal (traditional) ideas?"
(3) Finally, what do you find in this gospel that counters or replaces or corresponds to the apostolic teaching about the crucifixion as atonement for sin?
Role of Women: Women played a much more active leadership and teaching role among Gnostics than in the
apostolic tradition of Christianity. Gnostics viewed the bodiless, genderless soul as our true identity,
and the activity of the mind as our way of attaining communion with Christ and enlightenment through visions.
Consequently, women were just as respected as men for their visions and enlightenment, and for their leadership and teaching. If the Spirit of Christ chose them as recipients of revelation, it was reasoned, what right did an apostle or anyone else have to deny them?
Gnostic Christians rejected the idea of an authoritative "chain of command" standing between them and the Spirit of the risen Christ,
believing rather that they had a direct communion with Him via visions, wisdom and spirit possession.
(4) If Peter represents "apostolic" Christianity, and the author of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene is defending Mary and gnostic beliefs against
the attacks of those apostolic leaders, what were the accusations and stereotypes that the apostolic leaders were using against the Gnostic Christians?
(To answer this question, try "mirror reading" -- reading this text as if it were a mirror reflecting the attacks and criticisms of their opponents.)
Interesting Web Site: Magdalene.org