Mary Magdalene spent years tormented by seven demons before Jesus set her free. After her deliverance, she became one of His most devoted followers — and the first person to witness the resurrection. If your past makes you feel disqualified from purpose, Mary Magdalene’s story says otherwise. The woman with the most broken past was given the most important message in history.
The Story of Mary Magdalene
Scripture tells us that Jesus cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). We do not know the details of her torment, but seven demons suggest a level of suffering that is difficult to imagine. Whatever her life looked like before Jesus, it was characterized by deep spiritual bondage and pain.
After her deliverance, Mary became part of a group of women who followed Jesus and supported His ministry. She was present at the crucifixion when most of the male disciples had fled. She watched Him die. She went to the tomb early Sunday morning to anoint His body. And she was the first person the risen Jesus appeared to — calling her by name in the garden.
Jesus then gave Mary Magdalene the most important assignment in human history: “Go to my brothers and tell them.” She became the apostle to the apostles — the first preacher of the resurrection. The woman delivered from seven demons became the first evangelist of the good news.
Key Lessons from Mary Magdalene
1. Your Past Does Not Determine Your Purpose
“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out.” — Luke 8:1-2 (NIV)
Mary’s introduction in Scripture includes her past affliction, but her story did not end there. Her identity shifted from “the one tormented by demons” to “the one who followed Jesus.” Whatever labels your past has given you — addict, failure, broken, damaged — Jesus offers you a new identity. Your history is part of your story, but it is not the whole story.
2. Deliverance Creates Devotion
“These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” — Luke 8:3 (NIV)
Mary Magdalene responded to her freedom with radical devotion. She gave her resources, her time, and her presence to following Jesus. The people who understand grace most deeply are often the ones who have been forgiven the most. When you truly grasp what Jesus has rescued you from, gratitude becomes the most natural response in the world.
3. Faithfulness Does Not Run When Things Get Hard
“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” — John 19:25 (NIV)
When Jesus was arrested, most of His disciples fled. Mary Magdalene stayed. She stood at the cross and watched the person who had set her free die in agony. Her presence at the crucifixion shows a courage and loyalty that surpassed most of the male disciples. Faithfulness means staying present even when staying is painful.
4. Jesus Knows You by Name
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).” — John 20:16 (NIV)
In the garden, Mary did not recognize the risen Jesus until He said her name. One word changed everything. Jesus knows your name too — not just the name on your ID, but who you really are. In a world that labels and categorizes you, Jesus calls you by name and sees the person He created you to be.
5. God Uses the Unlikely to Deliver the Most Important Messages
“Jesus said to her, ‘Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”‘” — John 20:17 (NIV)
In first-century culture, a woman’s testimony was not considered reliable in court. Yet Jesus chose a woman — one with a troubled past — to be the first witness of the resurrection. God consistently chooses the people the world overlooks. If you feel unqualified or underestimated, take note: God specializes in unlikely messengers.
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What Mary Magdalene Teaches Us About Purpose
Mary Magdalene’s life is a complete transformation narrative. She went from tormented to free, from broken to devoted, from overlooked to chosen. Her story proves that your past is not your future. The very things that once defined your brokenness can become the foundation for your purpose.
If you have been telling yourself that you are too broken, too far gone, or too damaged for God to use, Mary Magdalene’s story lovingly challenges that belief. Jesus did not choose her despite her past — He chose her knowing her past, and He gave her the most important message the world has ever heard.
A Prayer Inspired by Mary Magdalene
Jesus, thank You for seeing me — really seeing me. Like Mary Magdalene, I carry a past that sometimes makes me feel disqualified. But You called her by name, and I believe You are calling mine too. Set me free from whatever still holds me in bondage. Transform my brokenness into devotion and my pain into purpose. I want to be faithful like Mary — standing at the cross, running to the tomb, carrying Your message to the world. Use my story, all of it, for Your glory. In Your name, amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute?
There is no biblical evidence that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. This misconception arose from a sixth-century sermon by Pope Gregory the Great, who conflated Mary Magdalene with the unnamed sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 and with Mary of Bethany. Modern scholars and the Catholic Church have since corrected this error. Scripture identifies her only as a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.
Why did Jesus appear first to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection?
While Scripture does not explicitly state why, several factors stand out: Mary’s unwavering devotion (she was at the cross and first at the tomb), her dramatic transformation story (delivered from seven demons), and God’s pattern of choosing the unlikely. Jesus appearing first to a woman in a culture that devalued women’s testimony was itself a radical statement about the upside-down nature of His kingdom.
What happened to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection?
The Bible does not record Mary Magdalene’s life after the resurrection appearances. Various church traditions place her in different locations — preaching in southern France, living in Ephesus with the apostle John, or ministering in other regions. What is certain is that her testimony about the risen Christ became foundational to the early church’s proclamation.
Keep Growing in Faith
For more on this topic, read our complete guide: Purpose: A Complete Faith-Based Guide.
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