Encounter Part 3

“One Encounter with Jesus can change your life.”

Now, we’ve looked at two prominent figures within the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ ministry. We’ve seen how Peter and John’s lives were forever changed because of their encounter with the Risen Jesus. We’ve used their testimony to enter their vantage point and are trying to encounter Jesus ourselves. Because one encounter with Jesus can change your life.

I had too many options for this week. I could have looked at the Triumphal entry because today is Palm Sunday. I could have examined the crowds and their cries to Jesus, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Lord!” I could have examined Mary of Bethany who anointed Jesus’ feet. In fact, Jesus says that wherever the Gospel is preached, she would be honored for what she did. Side note: Messiah means the anointed one. From the OT there’s a whole catalogue of associated ideas about the messiah saving the people from the world’s empires and bringing them into a new world where the Israelites and Messiah would rule in a garden-of-Eden-like goodness. The nations would gather and be ruled under YHWH. BUT, the literal word means anointed one…Mary of Bethany seems to have a keener sense of Jesus’ warnings about his upcoming death. So she weeps and anoints him, an action that Jesus defends against the protests of His disciples—John 12:7 NIV 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. Mark 14:6-9 NIV 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Why does this moment matter? Because the Messiah needed to be an anointed one. Mary of Bethany saw something that no other follower could perceive, and she payed Jesus a special honor—displaying her faith in Him. Which makes sense actually…Mary of Bethany is the same Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet to listen to his teaching. When her sister Martha became indignant about her not helping to get the hospitality work done, Jesus defends Mary’s actions and says she’s chosen the better part. She’s the sister of Lazarus—the recently resurrected man. She had a deeper understanding of the importance of Jesus than the 12 apostles…she took to heart what Jesus said—“I am the resurrection and the life.” Which ought to make us a bit curious.

I’ve can’t tell you how often I’ve heard that the Bible is misogynistic, patriarchal, manipulative, and women-hating…I’ve heard that from the world as an indictment, and on the opposite end, I’ve heard that from certain Christians who celebrate that characterization. Let me tenderly say that’s a bunch of BS. And I do mean to be a bit shocking with my assessment. It’s offensive how our holy Scriptures are mischaracterized, misinterpreted, and misapplied. Women like Mary of Bethany ought to show us that God’s Word is a lot more nuanced than a cursory or intentionally dishonest reading produces. It’s a garbage take to say that the Bible is anti-women. At the adult’s table, we recognize that the Bible is actually elevating the status of women to partners in the Gospel work of Christ. All people are equal at the foot of the Cross, so don’t listen to man-hating nonsense, and women-demeaning nonsense. God made both genders to beautifully display His glory as His image-bearers. Jesus celebrates the contributions of women to his ministry, they follow Him as disciples, and are later featured as co-workers with Paul in the spreading growth of Christianity.

Ok, I’m stepping off the soapbox for a moment. I could have talked about the Pharisees and Sadducees making an alliance to kill Jesus. I could have looked at Thomas, Judas, the man who had the donkey and upper room available during the Passover Week for the disciples…on and on I could go looking at the potential people who encountered Jesus in either the positive or negative sense…

For whatever reason, I kept sensing the need to talk about a particularly important follower of Jesus. A follower who was identified at His crucifixion and resurrection. A follower who has been called, “the apostle to the apostles.” That means the one who shared the message of the Risen Christ with the 12 apostles. I have sensed the need to talk about Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene

Let’s first get a sketch of who this woman was. I don’t know what you’ve heard about her or what tradition you come from, but I’ve heard that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, a woman of ill-repute, the wife of Jesus and mother of His children, a saint, and a sinner. all those titles or summary statements of her life and character are just out there in the ether. What we should be doing as good Bible readers is staying faithful to the text. Since Scripture is our final authority, not mere tradition, we should want to know what the Bible says about her.

Luke 8:1–3 NIV After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Luke 8:1–3 ESV

Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.