other Mary

August 10, 2018

Jesus appears to the women (Mt 28:9 -28:10)

“Then,

Jesus met them.

He said.

‘Greetings!’

They came

To him.

They took hold

Of his feet.

They worshiped him.

Then Jesus

Said to them.

‘Do not be afraid!

Go!

Tell my brothers

To go

To Galilee!

Where they will see me.’”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰησοῦς ὑπήντησεν αὐταῖς λέγων Χαίρετε. αἱ δὲ προσελθοῦσαι ἐκράτησαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόδας καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ.

τότε λέγει αὐταῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ὑπάγετε ἀπαγγείλατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου ἵνα ἀπέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, κἀκεῖ με ὄψονται.

 

This is the first post-resurrection appearance of the risen Jesus to anyone and it is to these 2 women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of James.  Mark, chapter 16:9, has this first appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene alone.  Luke, chapter 24, did not have an apparition to any women.  John, chapter 20:12-13, had Jesus appear to Mary Magdalene alone, while she was still at the tomb.  Matthew said that Jesus met them (καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰησοῦς ὑπήντησεν αὐταῖς), assuming that it is the 2 women, with a rejoicing greeting (λέγων Χαίρετε).  They both came to him (αἱ δὲ προσελθοῦσαι).  They took hold of his feet (ἐκράτησαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόδας) and worshiped him (καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ).  In John, chapter 20:17, Jesus warned Mary Magdalene that she should not touch him because he had not ascended to his Father, but there was no warning here.  Then Jesus told them to not be afraid (τότε λέγει αὐταῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Μὴ φοβεῖσθε).  They were to go and tell his brothers (ὑπάγετε ἀπαγγείλατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου) to go to Galilee (ἵνα ἀπέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν), where they would see him (κἀκεῖ με ὄψονται).  The Byzantine Orthodox text had a beginning phrase, “that as they were on their way to tell the other disciples (Ὡς δὲ ἐπορεύοντο ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ)” that was not in the other editions.  Obviously, that is where they were going.

August 9, 2018

The Marys visit the tomb (Mt 28:1-28:1)

“After the Sabbath,

As the first day

Of the week

Was dawning,

Mary Magdalene

And the other Mary

Went to see

The tomb.”

 

Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων, ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον.

 

There is no confusion about the day of the week when the empty tomb was first found.  All 4 gospel stories have it take place after the Sabbath, on the early morning of the first day of the week, Sunday.  Interesting enough the same Greek word is used for the day Sabbath and the week “σαββάτων.”  Thus, this would have been the 3rd day since the death of Jesus on Friday.  Mark, chapter 16:1-2, has something similar.  However, the other Mary was identified as the mother of James, but also with Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee.  Luke, chapter 23:56-24:1, said that it was the women from Galilee who brought spices to anoint the body.  Only Luke did not mention Mary Magdalene.  John, chapter 20:1, said that it was Mary Magdalene alone who came to the tomb.  In all these stories, there was either one or more women, no men, who came to the tomb.  Matthew said that after the sabbath (Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων), as the first day of the week was dawning (τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων), Mary Magdalene (ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ) and the other Mary (καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία) went to see or experience the tomb (θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον).  The idea of visiting a tomb or grave site would not have been out of the question, since this was a common practice.

August 9, 2018

The vigilant Marys (Mt 27:61-27:61)

“Mary Magdalene

And the other Mary

Were there,

Sitting opposite

The tomb.”

 

Ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία, καθήμεναι ἀπέναντι τοῦ τάφου.

 

This is similar to Mark, chapter 15:47.  However, the other Mary in Mark, is the mother of Jesus, not the mother of James and Joseph as in verse 40.  In Luke, chapter 23:55, there is only a mention of the other women from Galilee, with no mention of any Mary.  There is no indication of any women at the tomb in John, chapter 19.  Matthew said that Mary Magdalene (Ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ) and the other Mary (καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία) were there, sitting opposite of the tomb (καθήμεναι ἀπέναντι τοῦ τάφου).