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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Who was Mary Magadlene? | NT general Archive 1 | tmparson | 40812 | ||
Who was Mary Magadlene? | ||||||
2 | Who was Mary Magadlene? | NT general Archive 1 | meusing | 40813 | ||
Adam Clarke said : Mary Magdalene is commonly thought to have been a prostitute before she came to the knowledge of Christ, and then to have been a remarkable penitent. So historians and painters represent her: but neither from this passage, nor from any other of the New Testament, can such a supposition be legitimately drawn. She is here represented as one who had been possessed with seven demons; and as one among other women who had been healed by Christ of evil (or wicked) spirits and infirmities. As well might Joanna and Susanna, mentioned ver. 3, come in for a share of the censure as this Mary Magdalene; for they seem to have been dispossessed likewise by Jesus, according to St. Luke's account of them. They had all had infirmities, of what sort it is not said, and those infirmities were occasioned by evil spirits within them; and Jesus had healed them all: but Mary Magdalene, by her behaviour, and constant attendance on Jesus in his lifetime, at his crucifixion, and at his grave, seems to have exceeded all the other women in duty and respect to his person. Bishop PEARCE. There is a marvellous propensity in commentators to make some of the women mentioned in the Sacred Writings appear as women of ill fame; therefore Rahab must be a harlot; and Mary Magdalene, a prostitute: and yet nothing of the kind can be proved either in the former or in the latter case; nor in that mentioned chap. vii. 36, etc., where see the notes. Poor Mary Magdalene is made the patroness of penitent prostitutes, both by Papists and Protestants; and to the scandal of her name, and the reproach of the Gospel, houses fitted up for the reception of such are termed Magdalene hospitals! and the persons themselves Magdalenes! There is not only no proof that this person was such as commentators represent her, but there is the strongest presumptive proof against it: for, if she ever had been such, it would have been contrary to every rule of prudence, and every dictate of wisdom, for Christ and his apostles to have permitted such a person to associate with them, however fully she might have been converted to God, and however exemplary her life, at that time, might have been. As the world, who had seen her conduct, and knew her character, (had she been such as is insinuated,) could not see the inward change, and as they sought to overwhelm Christ and his disciples with obloquy and reproach on every occasion, they would certainly have availed themselves of so favourable an opportunity to subject the character and ministry of Christ to the blackest censure, had he permitted even a converted prostitute to minister to him and his disciples. They were ready enough to say that he was the friend of publicans and sinners, because he conversed with them in order to instruct and save their souls; but they could never say he was a friend of prostitutes, because it does not appear that such persons ever came to Christ; or that he, in the way of his ministry, ever went to them. I conclude therefore that the common opinion is a vile slander on the character of one of the best women mentioned in the Gospel of God; and a reproach cast on the character and conduct of Christ and his disciples. From the whole account of Mary Magdalene, it is highly probable that she was a person of great respectability in that place; such a person as the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, could associate with, and a person on whose conduct or character the calumniating Jews could cast no aspersions. |
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3 | Who was Mary Magadlene? | NT general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 40831 | ||
Greetings Meusing! I agree with you that there isn't anything in Scripture which indicates that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. However, there are five verses which call Rahab a prostitute: 1) Joshua 2:1 - "Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. ‘‘Go, look over the land,” he said, ‘‘especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there." 2) Joshua 6:17 - "The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent." 3) Joshua 6:25 - "But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day." 4) Hebrews 11:31 - "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient." 5) James 2:25 - "In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" However, I don't see your point about the character of people who came to Christ. Everyone who came to Christ was a sinner! :-) The types of sin may have differed from persons to person, but the penalty is the same in every case (Rom. 6:23). Rahab is a great example of the grace of our God and will always be remembered for that! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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Questions and/or Subjects for NT general Archive 1 | Author | ||
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farout | ||
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Althea | ||
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New Creature | ||
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tmparson | ||
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meusing | ||
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Morant61 | ||
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Morant61 | ||
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charlottetu | ||
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wang | ||
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Achikpante | ||
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goodbook |