The figure of Mary Magdalene depicted in the New Testament of the Christian tradition was the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Specific New Testament references to Mary Magdalene include the Gospel of Luke 8:2–3 in which Mary Magdalene is described as one who ministered to Jesus. This passage also describes an exorcism of demons, which, according to current biblical scholarship, may not refer definitely to Magdalene.
Over the centuries of Christian history and reflection, many scholars have accepted the identification of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and with a woman sinner who anointed Jesus’ feet. Yet, Eastern Orthodox Christians and the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1910 distinguish these women as three different persons. Although Mary Magdalene has often been claimed to have been a prostitute, there is no specific biblical reference in the New Testament. This misappropriation most likely arises from the town she originated from. Migdal, originally called Magdala,...
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Madden, K. (2020). Mary Magdalene. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_405
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