“Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father.” This is the last
record regarding Mary of Magdala, who now returned to Jerusalem. The
idea that this Mary was “the woman who was a sinner,” or that she was
unchaste, is altogether groundless.
(3.) Mary the sister of Lazarus is brought to our notice in connection with
the visits of our Lord to Bethany. She is contrasted with her sister Martha,
who was “cumbered about many things” while Jesus was their guest, while
Mary had chosen “the good part.” Her character also appears in
connection with the death of her brother (John 11:20,31,33). On the
occasion of our Lord’s last visit to Bethany, Mary brought “a pound of
ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus” as he
reclined at table in the house of one Simon, who had been a leper
(Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3; John 12:2,3). This was an evidence of her
overflowing love to the Lord. Nothing is known of her subsequent history.
It would appear from this act of Mary’s, and from the circumstance that
they possessed a family vault (11:38), and that a large number of Jews
from Jerusalem came to condole with them on the death of Lazarus
(11:19), that this family at Bethany belonged to the wealthier class of the
people. (See MARTHA.)
(4.) Mary the wife of Cleopas is mentioned (John 19:25) as standing at the
cross in company with Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Jesus.
By comparing Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40, we find that this Mary
and “Mary the mother of James the little” are on and the same person, and
that she was the sister of our Lord’s mother. She was that “other Mary”
who was present with Mary of Magdala at the burial of our Lord
(Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47); and she was one of those who went early
in the morning of the first day of the week to anoint the body, and thus
became one of the first witnesses of the resurrection (Matthew 28:1; Mark
16:1; Luke 24:1).
(5.) Mary the mother of John Mark was one of the earliest of our Lord’s
disciples. She was the sister of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), and joined
with him in disposing of their land and giving the proceeds of the sale into
the treasury of the Church (Acts 4:37; 12:12). Her house in Jerusalem was
the common meeting-place for the disciples there.
(6.) A Christian at Rome who treated Paul with special kindness (Romans
16:6).