The Magdalene Review

Among my favorite moments of this documentary was the careful discussion of that problematic passage in the Gospel of Philip in which it is said that “Jesus kissed her often on her [mouth].” It was pointed out that “mouth” occurs where a lacuna is present, and that it is a word suggested by scholars to be the one most likely to have been there. Also, while acknowledging that it’s a very exciting passage for what it might reveal about Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene, the emphasis is less on romance and more on discipleship. They also discuss the likelihood that a kiss in this context may be a method of transmitting spiritual knowledge, not a way to show affection. 

Overall, this is a documentary that advances the most prevalent academic views of Mary Magdalene today: 

• The name “Magdalene” refers to Mary’s hometown of Magdala
• Mary Magdalene was an independent woman of some financial means, probably a widow
• She likely became a follower of Jesus because he healed her of some kind of illness
• She was an apostle
• The early church was diverse and Mary Magdalene was an important authority figure in competition with Peter
• She was conflated with the unnamed sinner of Luke and therefore labeled as a prostitute in order to discredit womens’ authority
• Recent interest in Mary Magdalene as wife of Jesus demeans her because it defines her in sexual terms relative to a man

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this documentary for anyone interested in Mary Magdalene. It’s a great introduction to the topics I mentioned above, and the expert speakers do a great job at illuminating current thought. 

Related posts:

• The Feminine Mistake
• MM in the news – apostola apostolorum
• Was Mary Magdalene an apostle?