When I first started studying her she was just someone I had read about and learned about in church. Sure she was there at the crucifixion, tomb, saw Jesus alive after His death, but I never really thought there was anything special about her (other than the fact that she interacted with the Son of God).
To prepare my lessons I ran all the references in the bible to her and in one fell swoop she's become one of my favourite women in the bible.
And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout
every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad
tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with
him,
And certain women, which had been healed of evil
spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of
whom went seven devils,
And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and
Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of
their substance.
Luke 8:1-3
This passage and Mark 16:9 mentions how Mary came in contact with Christ. It's not unique in that He healed many of devil possession but what makes it special is what it did to Mary.
In verse three above it says that she, among others, were with Christ as he went throughout every city and village, and that she ministered to Him out of her substance.
Not only did she literally follow Christ around after her healing but what she had she gave to Christ.
There were also women looking on afar off: among
whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of
James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
(who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and
ministered unto him;) and many other women which
came up with him unto Jerusalem.
Mark 15:40&41
I haven't been able to figure it out but possibly it was both the Mary's who followed Jesus from Galilee. Either way, she clearly followed Jesus to Jerusalem from somewhere else.
So we know that once Jesus entered her life she followed Him. Then we know:
She stood near the cross:
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and
his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary
Magdalene.
John 19:25
She sat near His grave:
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it
in a clean linen cloth,
and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn
out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door
of the sepulchre, and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other
Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
Matthew 27:59-61
(also see Mark 15:47)
She continued to minister to Him even when (she thought) He was in the grave:
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had
bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint
him.
And very early in the morning the first day of the
week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the
sun.
Mark 16:1&2
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the
week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of
whom he had cast seven devils.
Mark 16:9
She was so close to Him, He appeared to her first.
You can read the full account of how Christ appeared to her in John 20.
What I love about her story is that she stayed close to Christ in everything.
She followed him from place to place, stood by Him in death, followed Him to where they laid Him, and got up early to tend His body.
As I studied all the references to Mary it struck me how much she wanted to be close to Christ. It wasn't simply being near Him but ministering to Him the way He had ministered to her.
Our testimony as Christians should be what hers is: follow Christ in every situation and minister to Him.
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