Mary Magdalene: The First Witness

Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb while it is still dark — before the sun is up, before the other disciples, alone. She finds the stone rolled away from the tomb and runs to Simon Peter and the other disciple: They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him.

Peter and the other disciple run to the tomb. The beloved disciple outruns Peter, arrives first, bends down and sees the burial cloths lying there, but does not go in. Peter arrives and goes straight in, sees the cloths, sees the face cloth rolled up in a place by itself. The beloved disciple goes in, sees, and believes — though the text notes they did not yet understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. They go back to their homes.

Mary remains outside, weeping. She bends over and looks into the tomb and sees two angels in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been lying. Woman, why are you weeping? She says: because they have taken my Lord and I do not know where they have put him.

She turns around and sees a man standing there, but does not know who it is. He asks the same question the angels asked: Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She thinks it must be the gardener: sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.

He says her name: Mary.

She turns — the Greek suggests a second, fuller turning — and says: Rabbouni! Teacher. He tells her not to hold on to him — he has not yet ascended — but to go to his brothers and tell them. She goes and announces to the disciples: I have seen the Lord.

In John's Gospel, Mary Magdalene is the first witness of the resurrection, the first to be commissioned to announce it — apostle to the apostles in later Christian tradition. She came alone, in the dark, weeping, and went away with the name she heard spoken.