Mary Magdalene, The Woman Taken in Adultery, & The Syrophoenician Woman
·
Some of the most pivotal and influential
spiritual experiences of my life have been within or facilitated by a
spirit-led gospel discussion with wise women
"MARY MAGDALENE:
Matt 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, Luke
23:49, John 19:25 – witness to crucifixion w/Galilean ministry of women
Matt 27:61, Mark 15:47, Luke
23:55-56 – visited tomb where He was laid
Matt 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-8, Luke
24:1-12 – went to tomb on Sabbath, met by angel, He is Risen, go share
Mark 16:9-11 – Risen Christ first
appeared to Mary, told disciples, believed not
Luke 8:1-3 – Mary healed of 7
demons, Galilean ministry of women
* John 20:1-18 – Mary visits on
Sabbath, Christ is gone, disciples see He is gone and depart (v 10), Mary stays
and weeps (v 11), angels, Jesus appears, calls her by name and is recognized
(v. 16), tells disciples
o Healed
of 7 demons (7 being holy, whole)
o “Returned
the favor” by giving up what some suppose was a comfortable life in the fishing
industry of Magdala to provide and care for Him, band of Galilean women
o Witness
to crucifixion (She was THERE, PRESENT)
o 1st
Day after Sabbath, with group of women to anoint Christ’s body after hasty
burial, saw body was gone
o Sent
to tell others, was not believed (world’s labels, idle tales Luke 24:11)
o Wept
by tomb (PAUSE)
o 1st
to witness resurrected Christ
· WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY:
John 8:2-11
o Presented
to Christ by scribes and Pharisees having been caught in the very act of (some
kind of) adultery, without the other party, used as a pawn to trap Jesus into
choosing between the Law of Moses or Roman Law or some other way. Logic tells us her partner was among
accusers.
o Jesus
stoops to her level (he meets us where we are, like kneeling to speak to a
child)
o Writes
in the sand (speculation of what he wrote, we will just note that he did)
o “He
without sin among you, cast the first stone,” accusers leave
o Jesus
asks about her accusers and she responds “No man, Lord,” (Lord = Sir) recognizing
her faith in Him.
o Go
and Sin No More
o His
compassion in condemnation is interpreted to mean that at this time, he does
not judge her. This was His offering of time and opportunity and encouragement
to repent.
§
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “In this
context, the word condemn apparently refers to the final judgment.” Elder Oaks further
explained that Jesus did not condone the woman’s sin, but He was allowing her
time to repent and acknowledging that her final judgment would come later: “The
Lord obviously did not justify the woman’s sin. He simply told her that He did
not condemn her—that is, He would not pass final judgment on her at that time.
This interpretation is confirmed by what He then said to the Pharisees: ‘Ye
judge after the flesh; I judge no man’ (John 8:15). The woman taken in adultery was granted time to
repent, time that would have been denied by those who wanted to stone her”
(“‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug. 1999, 8).
§
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) similarly
taught about the Savior’s words to the woman: “His command to her was, ‘Go, and
sin no more.’ He was directing the sinful woman to go her way, abandon her evil
life, commit no more sin, transform her life. He was saying, Go, woman, and start your repentance;
and he was indicating to her the beginning step—to abandon her
transgressions”
(The
Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 165).
o The Joseph Smith Translation makes clear
that the adulterous woman did follow the Savior’s counsel and reform her life: “And the woman
glorified God from that hour, and believed on his name” (Joseph Smith Translation,
John 8:11 [in John 8:11, footnote c]).
· SYROPHOENICIAN WOMAN
Matthew 15:21-28* primary narrative
Mark 7:24-30 (JST) extra details: v. 24 would that no man knoweth, v. 25
unclean spirit, v. 26 Greek/Syrophoenician
o Jesus
and disciples retreat to coast, respite (were not taking requests)
o At
this time, only proclaimed gospel to Jews
o Scriptures
clear in designating woman as an outsider:
§
Matthew:
woman of Canaan, noted Gentile
§
Mark:
Greek, Syrophoenician
o Seeks
Christ for daughter’s healing (unclean spirit)
o Faith: fell at His feet, called him Son of
David
o He
said not a word (PAUSE)
o Cried
to disciples, they asked Him to send her away
o Worshipped
Him and asked a third time (persistent in coming to the Lord for healing)
o Matthew
15:26-28 – Dogs (little dogs)
o Willing
to take crumbs (contrast to five thousand, sacrament)
o Jesus
grants request – even as thou wilt
o Went
home, daughter healed
§
“Our Heavenly Father will not leave our sincere
petition unanswered.” (Pres Thomas
S. Monson)
·
THE PAUSE BEFORE THE MIRACLE
o Important
to note there is a PAUSE before each of these MIRACLES
§
Pause, beat, stillness, quiet
o Examples
from scriptures
§
MM:
Wept by tomb
§
AW:
Jesus waits to answer accusers
·
Jesus offers opportunity/time to repent
§
SW:
Jesus first does not answer
·
Jesus and disciples in the region for respite
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalms 46:10
§
Hebrew translation Be Still = Let Go
§
He calmed the seas and tempests
·
Psalms 107:29
o “Be
still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalms 37:7)
o Pause
in the Lord’s pattern
§
When do we see pause in the patterns of our
lives?
·
Pregnancy and engagement, quiet/music before
prayers in meetings, Joseph kneeling in Grove, General Conference, reverent time
in primary, Sabbath, temple
o Why
the pause?
§
Quiet contemplation
§
Diffuse confrontation, anxiety, noise of world
§
Peace and calm
§
HEAR THE SPIRIT
“We are surrounded by persuasive voice, beguiling voices, belittling voices, sophisticated voices, and confusing voices. I might add that these are loud voices. I admonish you to turn the volume down and to be influenced instead by that still small voice which will guide you to safety.”
(President
Thomas S. Monson, “Keep the Commandments,” 10/15
§
“Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God.”
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
§
“Never let the noise of the world overpower the
still small voice.” (Elder L. Tom
Perry)
§
“We must find quiet moments to seek greater
light and truth.” (Cheryl Esplin)
§
“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of
prayer.” (Mother Teresa)
§
“Nowhere can anyone find a quieter or more
untroubled retreat than in his or her own soul. We need to turn some things down and turn some things
off. We need to be quiet.” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland)
§
“Being still does not mean don’t move. It means move in peace.” Lao Tzu
o How
do we adopt the pause in our lives?
§
Active, intentional, dedicated, God is invited
§
“Abide in Christ”
·
WORLD’S LABELS V. LORD’S
o Examples
from scriptures: What might people
of their day, or ours, call these people who interacted with the Lord? What made them “unworthy” in world’s
eyes for being the FIRST to see Him resurrected, to be publicly relieved of execution,
FIRST Gentile to be administered to (“But she’s a….)
§
MM:
Woman, Not to be believed (idle tales, believed them not)
§
AW:
Sinner, Victim
§
SW:
Outsider, non-member, bother, dog
o By
how Christ interacts with these women, we know what He calls them: MINE
§
“He takes us as we are – and makes us more than
we ever imagined.” (Neill F.
Marriott)
§
“Behold, mine arm of mercy
is extended towards you, and whosoever will come … will I receive; and blessed
are those who come unto me.” (3
Nephi 9:14)
o What
does that make them to us? OURS
“Let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path.”
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf)
§
“God cares a lot more about who we are and about
who we’re becoming than about who we once were.” (Elder Dale G. Renlund)
o Rapid
fire: What labels to we give each
other and ourselves?
§
“But she’s a….” or “But I’m a …..”
§
Single, divorced, only 2 kids or too many kids,
working, out of shape, quiet
§
We’ve all got STUFF
o Labeling
ourselves:
§
“May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take
a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations,
ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you
personally. Learn to see yourself
as Heavenly Father sees you – as His precious daughter or son with divine
potential.” (Of Things That Matter
Most, General Conference 10/10, Dieter F. Uchtdorf) (D. Todd Christofferson)
You can read or listen to the talk titled "The Savior's Respect for Women," by Robert and Marie Lund here: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/03/the-saviors-respect-for-women?lang=eng
You can read or listen to the talk titled "The Savior's Respect for Women," by Robert and Marie Lund here: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/03/the-saviors-respect-for-women?lang=eng
You can listen, watch, or read a talk given at BYU titled, "The Worth of Souls is Great," by Kristin L. Mathews here: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/kristin-l-matthews_worth-souls-great/
o Kristin
Matthews (BYU Devotional):
§ We have created
categories such as nationality, race, ethnicity, sex, religious affiliation,
political party, marital status, and so on to organize and make sense of
humankind’s diversity. However, too often we use these seemingly descriptive
systems to determine the worth of others. These human-made hierarchies of value
can cause division, contention, and skewed understandings of self-worth.
Conversely, God’s system of valuing us
promotes connection, compassion, and love. We are His children. He loves us unconditionally,
eternally, and unchangingly. Our worth is infinite because we are His daughters
and sons. No one spirit is more valuable than the other.
o Thought
question: What if we changed those
labels to HIS and OURS?
·
HEALING
§
MM:
Cast demons out
§
AW:
Healing of soul, Relief from sin through the opportunity to repent
§
SW:
Emotional healing of SW, physical healing of daughter
o Thought
Question: When we have fallen, and
the Lord stoops down to meet us where we are, and we lay out our
demons/sins/pains, what can he relieve from us?
“Our dispensation is not without its heroines. Countless women from every continent and walk of life have made dramatic contributions to the cause of Christ… My question is: will you be one of those women?”
M. Russell Ballard, Women of
Righteousness, p. 69-70
*Class taught by Allison Martin Hansen
