Mary Magdalene: Part II
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. — Maek, xvi. 9.
We now resume the history of this extraordinary female. We have seen her our Lord’s patient, and delivered by him from a tremendous calamity. We have seen her grateful, and ministering to his temporal wants. We have seen her a zealous attendant on his ministry, an heroical spectator of his death, and a deep mourner at his burial.
Let us now proceed.
Mary sleeps, but her heart waketh, and she is up early, and “at the sepulchre while it is yet dark.” This was the first day of the week, and the first Christian Sabbath, called the “Lord’s Day,” in memory of his rising from the dead and resting from his work of redemption, as God did from his work pf creation; and equally and infinitely deserving to be pronounced “very good.” Since then, how many of these all-important seasons have revolved.
Fifty-two of these “days of the Son of man” have annually returned. How many, then, in 1853 years, have blessed the world! And in these ninety-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-six sabbaths, how many prayers have been offered, how many praises have been sung, how many words of eternal life have been delivered, how many have been turned from darkness to light, and what signs and wonders have been done “in the name of the holy child Jesus:” — and how many, encouraged, refreshed, and strengthened in the way everlasting, have “called the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable,” and have gratefully and adoringly said, “This is the day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!”
Mary leads us back to the very commencement of the first of this immense and all-important series.
Early as she was at the sepulchre, some one had been there before her, for “she saw Jihe stone taken away.” This had occasioned her great anxiety as she was coming; but when arrived she saw how groundless her apprehensions had been. This is not the only instance in which the followers of Christ have found things better than their forebodings and fears. Duties, in prospect and imagination deemed impracticable, and trials insupportable, have been easily performed and endured, when the proper and actual season came. “All these things are against me,” said Jacob, when all were working together for him; and after awhile, he found it as clear as it w’as true. The Lord gives grace to help in time of need, according to the promise, “as thy days so shall thy strength be.”
Without stopping to make any inquiry, and taking it for granted that the body was removed, either by fiiends or foes, “she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.” Why did she not think that probably or possibly he might be risen? But she is disconcerted and disturbed by the very thing that naturally and obviously tended to convince and comfort her.
It is easy to imagine how strangely this would appear to herself afterwards. But in a cloudy and dark day, and while the mind is under the pressure of some powerful gTief, such perplexing thoughts arise, and such improbable conclusions are drawn, as render us, in review and reflection, a wonder to ourselves. “I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication when I cried unto thee.”
What was the effect of her communication? “Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.”
It is j)leasing to observe, that though Peter had sadly denied his Lord, he has not forsaken the company of the disciples, neither is he forsaken by them. The Saviour had looked upon him not only with an eye of reproof, but of compassion, and melted him into repentance; and his disciples had imbibed his temper, and were disposed to “restore a brother overtaken in a fault, in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves lest they also should be tempted.”
It is worthy also of notice, how constantly we find Peter and John connected in the sacred history.
What was the reason of their peculiar intimacy? Each of them had a brother among the apostles; but “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Attachments often depend on things which are not easily described or accounted for, or even ascertained. It is commonly supposed that those who attract each other and unite, must resemble each other. But Peter and John seem to have been more dissimilar than any other two of the apostles. Yet may not .this very circumstance have been one of the causes of their peculiar union and fellowship? Peter knew that the excellencies of John were opposed to his own imperfections, and would tend to meet and rectify them.
And this leads us to remark how God varies his gifts, and how different are the endowments of good men. John was more contemplative, Peter more active; John was more patient and affectionate, Peter more eager and severe; John was the eye, Peter the hand; John outruns Peter, Peter outbraves John; John looks into the sepulchre, Peter enters.
“Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”
Here is an example of doing everything decently and in order; but we principally remark from hence, the improbability of the pretence of his enemies that the body was taken away.
There may be robbers of tombs; but wouM they steal the corpse and leave the apparel, especially if it were fine linen? Would they not rather carry away the body in its grave clothes than naked. Yet if they did strip the body, would they, in such circumstances of haste and fear, fold them up and place them in separate positions?
And herein we see the inaptitude and backwardness of the disciples to believe the Saviour’s resurrection. So far were they from being credulous as to that auspicious event, they seemed not to have thought of it. And we here find that even Peter and John, after their inspection of the grave, left it, concluding that all was over. “Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.”
Not so Mary. She did not, could not leave the inspiring spot. “Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping.” How natural was this sorrow at the thought of his sufferings, and the loss she had sustained of his presence by his death, and now even of his sacred body by wickedness and fraud. And does she weep and seek in vain? “And as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.”
We say nothing of the number, the attire, or the attitude, of these angels; but you may ask, how was it that Peter and John, when they looked into the sepulchre, did not see them as well as Mary? To which we answer, that those heavenly beings can render themselves visible and invisible at pleasure; they also act under authority, for though they “excel in strength,” they “do his commandments, hearkening, unto the voice of his word;” and they were now directed only to encourage and comfort Mary.
Hence they immediately and kindly inquire into her distress — “Woman, why weepest thou?” One naturally expects, as in the various instances of old, that Mary would have been not only surprised but terrified at the sight and dress of these celestial visitants; but we find nothing of this in her; and what would more fully j)rove our remark, her mind was so wholly absorbed in her present concern, that no occurrence, however extraordinary, could divert her from it.
She therefore replies — “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him,” Still, here is no thought of his resurrection! But, 0! Mary, does thy distress yet continue? Can no creature satisfy thee? Will not even angels serve as a substitute for thy Lord and Saviour? Art thou saying — “Whom have I in heaven but him? and there is none on earth that I desire besides him. Where is he whom my soul loveth?” Thou shalt soon find him.
She has hardly answered these heavenly messengers, before she hears the tread of some one behind her; and “turning herself back, she saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.” The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and often does for them more than they ask or think. Mary only inquires for his dead body, and, lo! the living Saviour himself appeared! Thus he may be near us, and even with us, and we not be aware of his presence.
To account for Mary’s ignorance, we have only to reflect that her mind was filled with grief, that her eyes were suffused with tears, and that he appeared in a dress he had never worn before. But if Mary does not know him, he knows her, and says unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?” But did he not know? He had seen her early approach; he had witnessed her sighs as she surveyed the sepulchre. Yes, he perfectly knew Mary’s grief and Mary’s desire, but he would know them from herself. He knows all our sins and their aggravations better than we do, but he requires us to confess them; and he knows all our wants and their circumstances better than we ourselves do, but he requires us to express them, that we may be affected by them, and be prepared for the display of his mercy and grace.
These words were the first he spoke when he arose from the dead, and they showed that he rose with the same heart with which he died; and that, though he had begun to enter into his glory, he had not forgotten his followers on earth.
But “she supposed him to be the gardener.” The mistake was not wonderful. She was now in a garden, and. it was likely that a rich man like Joseph would have a man to dress it, and who might be early at his work. But what does she mean when she saj’S — “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” She could not do this personally, and she was not sure of doing it by means of others. Would not his enemies have opposed it? Would Joseph, who had begged the body, and lodged it in his own tomb, have bfeen willing to allow it? And what would she have done with the corpse, had her wish been fulfilled? Here we see the nature and force of love. Fear says — “there’s a lion in the way, I shall be slain in the street;” but love overlooks difficulties, judges of success by wish or endeavor, and seems to think of nothing but its achievement It is said, “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits;” and from the darings of faith and zeal they have accomplished a thousand things which indolence and cowardice would have deemed no better than madness or presumption.
Our Lord would now manifest himself to her; and the manner in which he does this is the most simple, suitable, and striking. He does not chide her for any of her mistakes, nor does he break forth in the rays of his glory. Great emotions are dangerous — our frame cannot bear excessive excitement. When the news of the surrender of Oornwallis and his army was announced, the doorkeeper of the American congress fell down dead. When Gabriel appeared to Daniel, “My comeliness,” says Daniel, “was turned in me to corruption, and I retained no strength.” The Saviour might have shown himself in a way that would have deprived Mary of the use of her sense and reason. He, therefore, says enough just to awaken attention, and gently set her mind in motion without overpowering her. He uses only one word, and this was not his own name, but hers. — “Jesus saith unto her, Maryy This mildly and yet completely discovers him as the speaker, for she knows his voice, and could say with the church, “It is the voice of my beloved.” This may, in a measure, be physicallj accounted for. The aperture of the voice in the throat, though so small in diameter, is capable of issuing numberless sounds, not two of which are perfectly alike. Hence persons are recognized by the voice as well as by the sight. When Joseph made himself known to his brethren, saying, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt,” it is probable they remembered his voice, though they had not heard it for more than twenty years. I have known instances of vocal recognitions of a longer date. Mary had often heard the Saviour in public and in private; and would she ever forget the accents of those lips into which “grace was poured,” or the manner of one “who spake as never man spake “?
A circumstance is noticed here which seems more distinctly to recall to mind this affecting scene. Mary “turned herself,” as she had done before, when she supposed she saw the gardener. Her doing this again shows that she had in the meantime resumed her first posture, and was still gazing with weeping eyes towards the sepulchre.
It appears, too, that the moment she recognized the Saviour, she was filled with unutterable sentiments; she cried, “Rabboni; which is to say. Master,” and she fell at his feet to embrace them and adore. But “Jesus saith unto her. Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
This prohibition was in a great measure personal and temporary; for we find that when he appeared to the -women who were fleeing from the sepulchre, they were permitted to embrace him; “they came and held Mm by the feet, and worshipped him.” This was allowed them to calm their minds and remove their terror, for they were sore afraid. But Mary was- not under such alarm, and her grief was dispersed by his calling her by name. The circumstances of an action so exceedingly vary, that what is proper for one person, place, or season, may be improper for another.
The prohibition of Mary was founded on two things. The one was that the Saviour was not immediately ascending, and she would have other opportunities of doing him homage. The other, that the state of his disciples was such, that it was necessary for them to be assured of his resurrection without delay, and therefore she should prefer usefulness to indulgence.
What a disposition does this discover in our Lord and Saviour. He pleased not himself; he preferred the consolation of his disciples to tJie personal honor he was going to receive.
We also admire Mary. She submits without reasoning or complaint. It is enough for her to know that he is alive, and that she has an opportunity to prove her regard to his authority. “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.” Let us learn, like her, to do his will implicitly, denying ourselves, and “looking not every man on his own things, but every man also upon the things of others,” and especially the things that are Jesus Christ’s.
To conclude, all this should animate and encourage us. We are assured, not by promises only, but by examples, that if we seek him he will be found of us; that though for awhile we may be perplexed and afflicted, the Lord will in due time appear to our joy, and we shall not be ashamed.
Thus we see this woman sowing in tears and reaping in joy. She was the first that saw the Lord after he rose from the dead; the first that heard him speak; the first that published his resurrection. She was. N/ therefore an apostle to his apostles.
With propriety, therefore, have we brought her so largely under your review, as a character whom the Lord delighted to honor.
But you will observe, that though God’s grace is sovereign, his rewards are conferred according to an established order, and this is the law of the house, — “To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly.” “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.”
Mary had not only been distinguished by her affliction and deliverance, but by her devotedness to the Saviour, by her fortitude and constancy, and by her zeal in his service. And we know who hath said, “Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”
Finally, what a paradise must this garden have been to Mary. Could she ever disregard or forget the spot, or the interview she there enjoyed? Yet she soon had another and a nobler interview, when she saw huu, not trembling at the mouth of the grave, but with every tear wiped from her eyes; he in his glory, and she ever with the Lord.
And such an interview awaits all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; for though “it doth not yet appear what tliej shall be,” this they “know that when he shall appear, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is.”
Happy he who can say, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.”