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Bible Q

Was Mary Magdalene the author of the 4th Gospel?

No. There is not a single serious scholar who has even canvassed this possibility. Not least because John repeatedly identifies himself in the Gospel, as ‘the beloved disciple’, talks about why he has written certain things and excluded others, and his objectives in writing them. Likewise also throughout the 1st Epistle of John which in […]

Was Mary Magdalene the sister of Lazarus?

This is not something that is explicitly stated in the gospels, but many have made this link. An excellent summary of the argument is given by Harry Whittaker in his book Studies in the Gospels. The relevant essay can be found online here.

Was Mary Magdalene married to Jesus?

No, Jesus was never married. Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus’ disciples (Luke 8:1-3), and was the first person Jesus appeared to after his resurrection (John 20:10-18). The idea that they were married is suggested in the fictional novel The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. However, it has no biblical basis. See “Is there […]

Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute?

The idea that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute comes from the account given in Luke 7:36-50 of a woman who anointed the feet of Jesus with her tears and ointment. She is described as ‘a woman of the city who was a sinner’, so this woman may have been a prostitute. Jesus told her to […]