Mair´ee; Gk. Maria or Mariam;Heb. Marah, “bitter” or “grieved,” or Miryam, “rebellion”
A name borne by seven women in the NT, unless two or more are identical. 1 Mary, the mother of Jesus. See Mary, The Virgin. 2 Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-39; John 11:1). She appears in (Luke 10:38-42), sitting at Jesus’s feet and listening as a disciple to his teaching. Martha objects that Mary has left her to serve alone, but Jesus commends Mary’s choice as “the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Also, in John’s Gospel, Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus’s feet with costly ointment and wipes them with her hair (John 12:1-3). Jesus defends her against Judas Iscariot’s objection that the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor (John 12:4-8). John also mentions this Mary as present with Martha at the death and raising of Lazarus (John 11:19-20, John 11:28-32). 3 Mary Magdalene, or “of Magdala,” mentioned first in every listing of Jesus’s female disciples (Matt 27:55-56; Matt 27:61; Matt 28:1; Mark 15:40-41; Mark 15:47; Mark 16:1; Luke 8:2-3; Luke 24:10). She seems to have been the leader of a group of women who “followed” and “served” Jesus constantly from the outset of his ministry in Galilee and who provided for Jesus’s ministry from their own means (Luke 8:1-3). She is also described as one “from whom seven demons had gone out” (Luke 8:2), indicating that she had been healed of some serious affliction. She is featured foremost as a witness to Jesus’s death (Matt 27:55-56; Matt 27:61; Mark 15:40-41; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:49; Luke 23:55-56, John 19:25) and to the empty tomb (Matt 28:1; Matt 28:6; Mark 16:1-6; Luke 24:1-3; Luke 24:10; John 20:1-2). She is commissioned to announce the news of Christ’s resurrection to the disciples (Matt 28:5-9; Mark 16:6-7; Luke 24:4-10). The nonhistorical tradition that Mary Magdalene had once been a prostitute derived from confusing her with the unnamed woman in (Luke 7:36-50). 4 Mary, the mother of James, or of James and Joses, or Joseph, or “the other Mary,” among the women disciples at the cross (Matt 27:55-56; Mark 15:40), with Mary Magdalene at the burial, empty tomb (Matt 27:61; Matt 28:1; Mark 15:47; Mark 16:1), and first appearance of the risen Christ (Matt 28:9). 5 Mary, the wife of Clopas, one of the women at the cross in (John 19:25), often taken to be the same as Mary the mother of James and Joses. 6 Mary of Jerusalem, whose home was used as a meeting place for Jesus’s followers after his death. Peter arrived at her house after his escape from prison (Acts 12:11-17). Mary’s son John, also known as Mark, accompanied Barnabas and Paul on some of their missionary travels (Acts 12:25; Acts 13:5; Acts 13:13; Acts 15:37-39). 7 Mary, one among many greeted by Paul in (Rom 16:1-16) and described as having “worked very hard among you” (Rom 16:6).
