MARY, the mother of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and a virgin at the time that she conceived him; daughter of Joachim and of Anna, of the tribe of Judah, and married to Joseph of the same tribe. The Scripture tells us nothing of her parents, not so much as their names, unless Heli mentioned by St Luke iii. 23. be the same with Joachim. All that is said concerning the birth of Mary and of her parents is only to be found in some apocryphal writings; which, however, are very ancient.
Mary was of the royal race of David, as was also her husband; 'A virgin, espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David,' says our translation of St Luke i. 27. which translation Mr Whitby thinks might be better rendered thus: A virgin of the house of David, espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, and the virgin's name was Mary; because this agrees better with the words of the angel, "The Lord shall give him the throne of his father David," ver. 32. For since the angel had plainly told the virgin, that she should have this son without the knowledge of any man, it was not Joseph's but Mary's being of the house of David, that made David his father.
Mary was akin to the race of Aaron, since Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias was her cousin (ver. 36.) Mary very early made a vow of chastity, and engaged herself to perpetual virginity. The Proto-evangelium of St James tells us, that she was consecrated to the Lord, and offered in the temple from her earliest youth; and that the priests gave her Joseph for a spouse, who was a holy and venerable old man, whom Providence appointed for his purpose by a miracle, the rod which he commonly carried having grown green and flourished as Aaron's did formerly. He espoused Mary, not to live with her in the ordinary use of marriage, and to have children by her, but only that he might be the guardian of her virginity. Though these circumstances are not to be relied on as certain, yet Mary's resolution of continency, even in a married state, cannot be called in question, since her virginity is attested by the gospel, and that herself speaking to the angel, who declared to her that she should become the mother of a son, told him that "she knew not a man," (ver. 34.), or that she lived in continency with her husband: for which reason,
when Joseph perceived her pregnancy, he was extremely surprised at it, knowing the mutual resolution they had agreed to of living in continency though in a state of marriage.
When Mary was ready to lie in, an edict was published by Cæsar Augustus, which decreed, that all the subjects of the empire should go to their own cities, there to have their names registered according to their families. Thus Joseph and Mary, who were both of the lineage of David, betook themselves to the city of Bethlehem, from whence was the original of their family. But while they were in this place, the time being fulfilled in which Mary was to be delivered, she brought forth her first-born son. She wrapped him in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in the manger of the stable or cavern whither they had retired: for they could find no place in the public inn, because of the great concourse of people that were then at Bethlehem on the same occasion; or they were forced to withdraw into the stable of the inn, not being able to get a more convenient lodging, because of the multitude of people then at Bethlehem.
At the same time the angels made it known to the shepherds who were in the fields near Bethlehem, and who came in the night to see Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger, and to pay him their tribute of adoration. Mary took notice of all these things, and laid them up in her heart, (Luke ii. 19. Matth. ii. 8, 9, 10, 11, &c.). A few days after, the magi or wise men came from the east, and brought to Jesus the mysterious presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh; after which, being warned by an angel that appeared to them in a dream, they returned into their own country by a way different from that by which they came. But the time of Mary's purification being come, that is forty days after the birth of Jesus, Mary went to Jerusalem (Luke ii. 21.), there to present her son in the temple, and there to offer the sacrifice appointed by the law for the purification of women after childbirth. There was then at Jerusalem an old man named Simeon, who was full of the Holy Ghost, and who had received a secret assurance that he should not die before he had seen Christ the Lord. He came then into the temple by the influence of the spirit of God, and taking the little Jesus within his arms, he blessed the Lord: and afterwards addressing himself to Mary, he told her, 'That this child should be for the rising and falling of many in Israel, and for a sign which should be spoken against; even so far as that her own soul should be pierced as with a sword, that the secret thoughts in the hearts of many might be discovered.' Afterwards when Joseph and Mary were preparing to return to their own country of Nazareth (Matth. ii. 13, 14.), Joseph was warned in a dream to retire into Egypt with Mary and the child, because Herod had a design to destroy Jesus. Joseph obeys the admonition, and they continued in Egypt till after the death of Herod; upon which he and Mary returned to Nazareth, not daring to go to Bethlehem because it was in the jurisdiction of Archelaus the son and successor of Herod the Great. Here the holy family took up their residence, and remained till Jesus began his public ministry. We read of Mary being present at the marriage of Cana in Galilee, with her son Jesus and his disciples (John ii.
Mary. 1, 2, &c.). On which occasion Jesus having turned water into wine, being the first public miracle that he performed, he went from thence to Capernaum with his mother and his brethren, or his parents and disciples: and this seems to be the place where the holy virgin afterwards chiefly resided. However, St Epiphanius thinks that she followed him everywhere during the whole time of his preaching; though we do not find the evangelists make any mention of her among the holy women that followed him and ministered to his necessities. The Virgin Mary was at Jerusalem at the last passover that our Saviour celebrated there; she saw all that was transacted against him, followed him to Calvary, and stood at the foot of his cross with a constancy worthy of the mother of God. There Jesus seeing his mother and his beloved disciple near her, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold thy son;" and to the disciple, "Behold thy mother." And from that hour the disciple took her home to his own house. It is not to be doubted, but that our Saviour appeared to his mother immediately after his resurrection; and that she was the first, or at least one of the first, to whom he vouchsafed this great consolation. She was with the apostles at his ascension, and continued with them at Jerusalem, expecting the coming of the Holy Ghost (Acts i. 14.). After this, she dwelt in the house of St John the Evangelist, who took care of her as of his own mother. It is thought that he took her along with him to Ephesus, where she died in an extreme old age. There is a letter of the ecumenical council of Ephesus, importing, that in the fifth century it was believed she was buried there. Yet this opinion was not so universal, but that there are authors of the same age who think she died and was buried at Jerusalem.
Mary Magdalen, who has been generally confounded with Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, but very improperly, was probably that sinner mentioned by St Luke, chap. vii. 36, 37, &c. whose name he does not tell us. There are some circumstances sufficient to convince us, that she is the same whom he calls Mary Magdalen in chap. viii. 2. and from whom he says Jesus drove out seven devils. Jesus having healed the widow's son of Nain, entered into the city, and there was invited to eat by a Pharisee named Simon. While he was at table, a woman of a scandalous life came into the house, having an alabaster box full of perfumed oil, and standing upright behind Jesus, and at his feet, for he was lying at table on a couch after the manner of the ancients, she poured her perfume on his feet, kissed them, watered them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. The Pharisee observing this, said within himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that touches him, that she is one of a wicked life. Then Jesus, who knew the bottom of his heart, illustrated her case by a parable; and concluded with answering the woman, that her sins were forgiven her. In the following chapter, St Luke tells us, that Jesus, in company with his apostles, preached the gospel from city to city: and that there were several women whom he had delivered from evil spirits, and had cured of their infirmities, among whom was Mary called Magdalen, out of whom went seven devils. This,
it must be owned, is no positive proof that the sinner mentioned before was Mary Magdalen; however, it is all that we have in support of this opinion: An opinion which has been ably controverted by others. Mary Magdalen had her surname, it is thought, from the town of Magdalia in Galilee. Lightfoot believes that this Mary is the same with Mary the sister of Lazarus. Magdalen is mentioned by the evangelists among the women that followed our Saviour, to minister to him according to the custom of the Jews. St Luke viii. 2. and St Mark xvi. 9. observe, that this woman had been delivered by Jesus Christ from seven devils. This some understand in the literal sense; but others take it figuratively, for the crimes and wickedness of her past life (supposing her to be the sinner first above mentioned), from which Christ had rescued her. Others maintain, that she had always lived in virginity; and consequently they make her a different person from the sinner mentioned by St Luke: and by the seven devils of which she was possessed, they understand no other than a real possession, which is not inconsistent with a holy life. This indeed is the most probable opinion, and that which has been best supported. In particular, the author of a "Letter to Jonas Hanway" on the subject of Magdalen House, published in 1758, has shown by a variety of learned remarks and quotations both from the Scriptures and from the best commentators, that Mary Magdalen was not the sinner spoken of by St Luke, but on the contrary that she "was a woman of distinction, and very easy in her worldly circumstances. For a while, she had laboured under some bodily indisposition, which our Lord miraculously healed, and for which benefit she was ever after very thankful. So far as we know, her conduct was always regular and free from censure; and we may reasonably believe, that after her acquaintance with our Saviour it was edifying and exemplary. I conceive of her (continues our author) as a woman of a fine understanding, and known virtue and discretion, with a dignity of behaviour becoming her age, her wisdom, and her high station: by all which, she was a credit to him whom she followed as her master and benefactor. She showed our Lord great respect in his life, at his death, and after it; and she was one of those to whom he first showed himself after his resurrection."
Mary Magdalen followed Christ in the last journey that he made from Galilee to Jerusalem, and was at the foot of the cross with the holy virgin (John xix. 25. Mark xv. 47.). After which she returned to Jerusalem to buy and prepare the perfumes, that she might embalm him after the sabbath was over, which was then about to begin. All the sabbath day she remained in the city; and the next day early in the morning she went to the sepulchre, along with Mary the mother of James and Salome (Mark xvi. 1, 2. Luke xxiv. 1, 2.). On the way, they inquired of one another, who should take away the stone from the mouth of the sepulchre, and were sensible of a great earthquake. This was the token of our Saviour's resurrection. Being come to his tomb, they saw two angels, who informed them that Jesus was risen. Upon this Mary Magdalen runs immediately to Jerusalem, and acquaints the apostles with this good news, returning herself
Mary. herself to the sepulchre. Peter and John came also, and were witnesses that the body was no longer there. They returned: but Mary stayed, and stooping forward to examine the inside of the tomb, she there saw two angels sitting, one at the head and the other at the foot of the tomb; and immediately afterwards, upon turning about, she beheld the Lord himself. She would have cast herself at his feet to kiss them. But Jesus said to her, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father." As if he had said, "You shall have leisure to see me hereafter; go now to my brethren, my apostles, and tell them I am going to ascend to my God and to their God, to my Father and to their Father." Thus had Mary the happiness of first seeing our Saviour after his resurrection. (See Matth. xxxviii. 5. &c. Mark xvi. 6. &c. John xx. 11, 17.)
She returned then to Jerusalem, and told the apostles that she had seen the Lord, that she had spoken to him, and told them what he had said to her. But at first they did not believe her, till her report was confirmed by many other testimonies.—This is what the gospel informs us concerning Mary Magdalen, different from Mary the sister of Martha, though she has been often called by this name. For, as to the pretended History of Mary Magdalen, which is said to have been written in Hebrew by Marcella servant of Martha; this can only relate to Mary sister of Martha, and besides is a mere piece of imposture.