Mary Magdalene: The Woman Who Kept Showing Up
A Bible Study for Women Who Want to Walk Faithfully With Jesus
Mary Magdalene is one of the most compelling women in Scripture—not because the Bible gives us pages of detail about her life, but because the few glimpses we do get reveal a woman of courage, devotion, and spiritual clarity. Her story is a reminder that God often uses the ones who simply keep showing up. This study explores what Scripture actually says about Mary Magdalene, clears up common misconceptions, and highlights why her example still speaks powerfully to women today.
She’s Mentioned Briefly—But Her Impact Is Immense
The Bible doesn’t give us her childhood, her family, or her occupation. Yet Mary Magdalene appears at the most critical moments of Jesus’ ministry: His travels, His crucifixion, His burial, and His resurrection. Sometimes the most influential people in the Kingdom aren’t the ones with the longest biographies—they’re the ones with the deepest faithfulness.
She Was Delivered From Seven Demons (Luke 8:2)
Scripture tells us Jesus cast seven demons out of her. That’s all it says.
It does not say she was a prostitute.
It does not say she was immoral.
It does not say she lived a scandalous life.
Those ideas came centuries later from tradition—not the Bible. Mary’s story is not one of shame but of deliverance. She is a testimony that Jesus restores completely and uses powerfully.
She Supported Jesus’ Ministry With Her Own Resources (Luke 8:1–3)
Luke tells us Mary, along with other women, “ministered to Him out of their substance.”
This means she had financial means—and in the first century, that was no small thing.
Women typically:
- could not receive formal education
- had limited legal rights
- rarely owned property unless widowed or independently wealthy
So Mary was likely:
- intelligent
- resourceful
- financially capable
- a woman of influence
She used what she had to support the work of Christ. That alone makes her a model for modern discipleship.
She Stayed at the Cross When Others Fled (John 19:25)
When many disciples scattered, Mary Magdalene stayed. She stood near Jesus as He suffered.
She refused to distance herself from His pain.
Faithfulness is not proven in the easy moments—it’s revealed in the costly ones.
She Watched Him Be Laid in the Tomb (Luke 23:55)
Mary didn’t just witness the crucifixion; she followed Joseph of Arimathea to see where Jesus was buried.
She paid attention.
She stayed close.
She made sure she knew where her Lord was laid.
She Was Present at the Resurrection (John 20)
Mary was the first at the tomb on Sunday morning.
Not Peter.
Not John.
Not any of the Twelve.
A woman who had been delivered, healed, and transformed was the first to seek the risen Lord.
She Was the First Person the Risen Jesus Spoke To. (John 30:15-16)
This is extraordinary.
Jesus could have appeared first to Peter, the leader. Or John, the beloved disciple. Or even His own mother.
But He chose Mary. Why?
Scripture doesn’t give a reason—but her life gives us a clue:
She was always there.
At His ministry.
At His cross.
At His tomb.
At His resurrection.
Sometimes God reveals Himself most clearly to the ones who simply keep showing up.
She Became the “Apostle to the Apostles”. (John 20:17)
Jesus entrusted her with the first resurrection message:
“Go and tell my brothers…”
She became the first preacher of the resurrection.
The first witness. The first messenger of the greatest news in history. This is why early Christians called her “the Apostle to the Apostles.”
Her Legacy: Faithfulness Over Fame
Mary Magdalene wasn’t chosen because she was the most educated, the most influential, or the most “spiritual.” She was chosen because she was faithful. Her story teaches us:
- You don’t need a title to be used by God.
- You don’t need a platform to be influential.
- You don’t need perfection—just presence.
- God sees the ones who keep showing up.
Mary Magdalene’s story is a reminder that God delights in using women who are devoted, present, and willing. Her life whispers to every woman today: “You don’t have to be the most impressive. Just be the one who shows up.”