MARY

mary, known as mary magdalene, a woman mentioned in the gospels, first in luke viii. 2, as one of a company who "healed of evil spirits and infirmities ... ministered unto them (jesus and the apostles) of their substance." it is said that seven demons were cast out of her, but this need not imply simply one occasion. her name implies that she came from magdala (el-mejdel, 3 m. n.w. from tiberias: in matt. xv. 39 the right reading is not magdala by magadan). she went with jesus on the last journey to jerusalem, witnessed the crucifixion, followed to the burial, and returned to prepare spices. john xx. gives an account of her finding the tomb empty and of her interview with the risen jesus. mary of magdala has been confounded (1) with the unnamed fallen woman who in simon's house anointed christ's feet (luke vii. 37); (2) with mary of bethany, sister of lazarus and martha.