Matthew 27:56 - Exposition

The historian mentions the most prominent of these pious women. Mary Magdalene ( ἡ΄αγδαληση ì , the Magdalene ) . She was a native of Magdala ( Matthew 15:39 , where see note), a small village on the shore of Gennesaret. Some have identified her with the sister of Lazarus, chiefly because, taking her to be the "sinner" mentioned in Luke 7:37 , she is related to have behaved in a somewhat similar way to our Lord as her namesake. But this is clearly a mistake. Of the two events, the locality, the scene, the occasion, the circumstances, are different. Of this Mary of Magdala we really know nothing, except that out of her Jesus had cast seven devils ( Mark 16:9 ; Luke 8:2 ). That these were demons of impurity, or that she was the sinful woman who anointed our Lord, there is nothing whatever to prove; though the notion connected with the name Magdalene is so rooted in men's minds and language that it is impossible to eradicate it, however erroneous it may be shown to be. She had probably been one who was melancholy mad, and subject to fits; Christ had seen the spiritual cause of this malady, and removed it by freeing her from demoniacal possession. What wonder is it that she followed him from Galilee, tending him lovingly and anxiously until the end? Mary the mother of James and Joses. Some manuscripts read Joseph ; but the Received Text is correct. These two persons are mentioned among our Lord's "brethren" in Matthew 13:55 . The former is called "James the Less" ( Mark 15:40 ), and is the apostle of that name. Mary is usually supposed to be the wife of Cleophas ( John 19:25 ), and the sister of the mother of our Lord; so that these two disciples would be Christ's first cousins. The matter is shrouded in difficulty, and cannot be decided with absolute certainty. From the present passage, at any rate, one fact is shown, that they were not Christ's uterine brothers—a truth which needed no mention, were not the dishonouring heresy of Helvidius still rife among us. The mother of Zebedee's children. Salome. The rejection of her ambitious petition had not lessened her love and devotion to Christ.