MARY (Μαρία, Μαριάμ, from Heb. מִרְיָ֨ם, prob. from מָרָא֮, H5257, meaning to be corpulent). The name was made famous by the sister of Moses. Possibly its prevalence in NT times was due to the popularity of Mariamne, the last of the Hasmoneans and wife of Herod the Great. Six women of this name are mentioned in the NT, assuming the correctness of the following identifications.

1. Mother of Jesus. See separate article.

2. Mary of Rome. This Mary, having served Paul and his party well elsewhere, moved to Rome (Rom 16:6).

3. Mother of John Mark. Though mentioned only once by name in the NT (Acts 12:12), the mother of John Mark must have been prominent in the Jerusalem church. She was related to Barnabas (Col 4:10). Her large home was used by the apostolic church for assembly (Acts 12:12). Mention is made of servants (v. 13). Peter’s knowledge of where to go indicates an established practice. It was likely the most adequate home in Jerusalem available for such meetings. Apparently she had not sold her property for communal distribution (Acts 4:34-37). She used it for the common good. It is pure conjecture that the Last Supper was in her “upper room” (Luke 22:12), but early Christianity found in her home a frequent meeting place. A by-product of her hospitality and faithfulness was the missionary service of her son, John Mark.

4. Mary of Bethany. Jesus appreciated Mary of Bethany as a special friend and a devoted follower. John speaks of Bethany as the town of Mary and of her sister (11:1). Lazarus is her brother (v. 2). Jesus prob. was entertained frequently in this home just outside Jerusalem, esp. during the feast seasons. Three events reveal what is known of Mary.

The first event was in the Bethany home, though Luke does not make this clear (Luke 10:38-42). The women bore the same names and exhibited the same qualities of personality as those depicted in John (chs. 11; 12). Mary is the contemplative type, sitting at Jesus’ feet and feeding on His words. Martha, in her frustration, objected to doing all the work, but Jesus complimented her sense of values. She realized that there were higher values than physical comforts. Having found them, she was allowed to keep them.

The second cluster of reactions centers around the death and restoration to life of Lazarus (John 11:1-46). Mary and Martha first sent word to Jesus in Perea of the illness of Lazarus (v. 3). When Jesus delayed His coming and Lazarus died, Mary was deeply affected. She sat still in the house among the comforters when Martha went to meet Jesus (v. 20). When Jesus sent for her, she came quickly (vv. 28, 29). Faith and sorrow mingled in her words, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 32). Throughout, Martha was still the manager and Mary was the sensitive, contemplative soul.

The third event is a dinner, perhaps in gratitude for Jesus’ raising Lazarus. Both Jesus and Lazarus are at the table. The atmosphere is charged with impending crisis. No one can think of an appropriate word or action. Suddenly the quiet, contemplative Mary bursts forth with an impulse that has been growing in her heart. The alabaster cruse of precious imported perfume from India, that represented a year’s wages and that had been reserved much as a dowry for a great day—would not that express her feelings to her wonderful Lord? Forgetting her reserve in the intensity of her act, she pushed past the reclining forms, broke the expensive jar and poured the oil on the head of Jesus (Matt 26:7; Mark 14:3). Recoiling from the gaze of the guests, no doubt, she pulled back from the center of attention, stopping at Jesus’ feet with the remainder of the perfume, dripping it on His feet and lovingly wiping the feet with her hair (John 12:3). To “practical” men, it was a stupid waste, but Jesus considered it a most beautiful tribute paid to Him. Such love is precious (Matt 26:10; Mark 14:6; John 12:7).

Some confuse this anointing with the one in Galilee (Luke 7:36-50). There Jesus was with a Pharisee; here, in the home of a leper (Mark 14:3), possibly one whom Jesus had healed. There Jesus was with unsympathetic people; here, with grateful friends. There the woman was a notorious sinner; here, a spiritually-minded friend. There the motive was thanks for pardon; here, gratitude for other benefits and empathy with the Lord and those facing the impending crisis. This was no routine anointing. Motives made the difference.

5. Mother of James and Joseph. This Mary is known by different names. She is the “mother of James and Joseph” (Matt 27:56). She seems to be called “the other Mary” (28:1). Again, she is “the mother of Joses” (Mark 15:47). Mark more explicitly calls her “Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses” (15:40). It seems impossible to deny that the intention in all of these is to refer to the same person.

The problem arises in relation to the husband. “Mary of Clopas” is mentioned by John as present at the cross (John 19:25). Most Eng. VSS tr. it “Mary the wife of Clopas.” “Mary the mother of James” is mentioned in the parallel references as at the cross (Matt 27:56; Mark 15:40). Elsewhere James is regularly designated “son of Alphaeus” (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). Is the same Mary wife of Clopas and of Alphaeus? It is possible if Clopas and Alphaeus are names of the same person or if there was a second marriage. An alternate possibility is suggested by the Arab., which renders John’s reference “Mary the daughter of Clopas” (E. Bishop, “Mary [of] Clopas and Her Father,” ET, 73/11 [1962], 339). In any case, it is quite unlikely that this Mary should be identified with the sister of Mary in John 19:25, since two sisters would not normally bear the same name. Likewise, if Alphaeus and Clopas should be identified, this would not likely include Cleopas, which is a shortened form of a purely Gr. name (Κλεόπατρος), not a Gr. rendition of a Sem. name.

Still another possibility is presented if Clopas and Alphaeus are the same. Hegesippus refers to a Clopas who is said to have been a brother of Jesus’ father, Joseph (Euseb. Hist. III. 11; IV. 22). This, if valid, would make Mary of Clopas and Mary the mother of Jesus sisters-in-law. Then an easy conjecture would be that the husband of the fifth Mary was Clopas and her children James (Mark 3:18), Joses (15:40), and Levi (2:14).

In any case, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses was one of the Galilean women who, having been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, followed Jesus and supported Him financially (15:40; Luke 8:2, 3). It is interesting to note that two mothers with their sons thus joined the group and at least three of the four sons became apostles. This Mary is said to have accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem (Matt 27:56; Mark 15:41), witnessed the crucifixion (Matt 27:55, 56; Mark 15:40; Luke 23:49), observed the entombment (Matt 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55), joined in the securing of spices for anointing Jesus’ body (Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56), seen the empty tomb and heard the angelic announcement of Jesus’ resurrection (Matt 28:1-7; Mark 16:2-7; Luke 24:1-7), reported to the apostles what she had seen and heard (Matt 28:8; Luke 24:9-11), and even seen the resurrected Jesus (Matt 28:9, 10).

6. Mary Magdalene. Mary was called by the name of her native city, Magdala, on the W bank of the Sea of Galilee, three m. N of Tiberias. Magdala is the Gr. form of mighdōl or “watchtower,” prob. named for the tower that guarded the city. The Gr. name, Tarichaea, likely was used by the predominantly Gentile population. On the site are now the squalid hovels of Mejdel. Edersheim says the ancient city was famous for dye works and fine woolen textures (Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, I, 571). Trade, shipbuilding, fishing, fish curing, and agriculture also brought great wealth to the city (Jer. Taan. 69a). Its moral corruption was also notorious.

Mary Magdalene was healed by Jesus. Seven demons went out of her (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). This obviously meant that she was a healed invalid, not a rescued social derelict. There is no evidence that she was promiscuous, much less a harlot for hire. That she was a person of means is evident from her ability to support Jesus from her means. Her obvious leadership among the women hardly reflects a scarlet past. There is certainly no ground for identifying her with the anonymous sinful woman of Luke 7:37. Otherwise, NT usage would normally have kept her anonymous.

The prominence of Mary Magdalene as a leader is seen in the fact that her name is mentioned more often than most, and usually first. A dozen references show her as healed of evil spirits or infirmities (Luke 8:2), following Jesus from Galilee and ministering to Him (Matt 27:56), beholding the crucifixion from afar (Mark 15:40), standing by the cross (John 19:25), locating the tomb (Matt 28:1; Mark 15:47), watching the tomb (Matt 27:61), coming early to the tomb with spices (Mark 16:1; John 20:1), being first to see the risen Lord (Mark 16:9), and reporting the resurrection to the disciples (Luke 24:10; John 20:18).

Bibliography S. Andrews, The Life of our Lord Upon the Earth (1862), 281-286, 596-612; J. Lange, The Life of the Lord Jesus Christ (1872), I, 441; II, 258, 259, 489; III, 21-23, 365-367; IV, 253, 254, 470, 471; A. Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (1883), I, 571; C. Pfeiffer, Baker’s Bible Atlas (1961), 204, 206; E. Bishop, “Mary (of) Clopas and Her Father” ET 73/11 (1962), 339.