Endnote 14 – New Testament: The Case of Mary Magdalene

See Karen King, “The Gospel of Mary [Magdalene]” in Searching the Scriptures, vol. 2, ed. Schüssler Fiorenza (New York: Crossroad, 1994), p. 610. In the Gospel of Mary, the disciples who think following the Savior will lead to suffering have completely misunderstood: “the Savior’s intention is to lead them away from suffering and death.” In this work, attachment to the body is the source of suffering and death, and one must overcome that attachment: “there is no promise of, or desire for a physical resurrection.” Jesus’ death is real (no docetism) and so is the possibility of persecution; but “neither Jesus’ death nor martyrdom is invested with salvific meaning. The Savior came to alleviate suffering not to chart a path to salvation by bringing it upon his disciples.”