Question 1

Who is Mary Magdalene in this passage and why is she mentioned?

Accepted Answer

Mary Magdalene is the woman Jesus had freed from seven demons. That detail shows how deeply broken she had been and how much grace she had received from him. She loved Jesus and stayed close, even after his death. In this passage she is important because Jesus appears to her first after rising from the dead. This is a kindness and honor to her, and it shows that Jesus gives great mercy to someone who had once been under strong evil power but had been changed by him.

Question 2

Why does Jesus appear first to Mary Magdalene after he rises?

Accepted Answer

The passage says simply that he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. She had received great mercy from Jesus and loved him much. She remained near the tomb while others went away. It fits with how Jesus often meets the lowly and broken, and cares for those devoted to him. By appearing first to her, he shows grace to someone others might have looked down on, and uses her as the first messenger of his resurrection to the disciples.

Question 3

Why were the disciples mourning and weeping when Mary came to them?

Accepted Answer

The disciples were mourning and weeping because they believed Jesus was dead and gone. They had seen him arrested, condemned, and crucified, and they felt they had lost their Lord and teacher. They were also likely grieved by their own failures, such as denying and forsaking him. Their sorrow was deep, and they could not yet see any hope. When Mary came with news that he was alive, she found them in this heavy grief, which helps explain why they struggled to accept what she said.

Question 4

Why did the disciples not believe Mary when she said Jesus was alive?

Accepted Answer

The passage says that when they heard he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. They were so overwhelmed by sorrow and confusion that they treated her report like something unreal. They seem to have thought she and the other women were mistaken or had seen something like a vision, not the real Jesus. They also had forgotten how often Jesus had told them he would rise on the third day. Their minds were so dull and troubled that even clear eyewitness words sounded like an idle tale to them.

Question 5

What does it mean that Mary had seven devils cast out of her?

Accepted Answer

The phrase means that before she met Jesus, Mary Magdalene had been under strong control of evil spirits, not just one but seven. This shows how badly she had been oppressed and how serious her condition was. Jesus had freed her completely from that bondage. Because of this, she had special reason to love him and stay near him. Mentioning this in the same breath as his appearing to her first after rising shows the kindness of Jesus in lifting up someone who had once been so bound and giving her such honor.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about doubt among believers?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that even true followers of Jesus can be slow to believe what he has promised. The disciples had heard many times that he would rise, yet when the women said he was alive, they did not believe. Their unbelief did not come from lack of information but from hearts weighed down by fear and sorrow. This can comfort readers who see their own slowness to trust. It also warns us to remember Jesus’ words, so that when God’s promises are fulfilled, we do not treat them as if they were only dreams or fables.

Question 7

How does Mary’s example challenge or encourage believers today?

Accepted Answer

Mary’s story encourages believers in several ways. She had been deeply troubled, yet Jesus freed her completely. That shows he is willing to save people from very dark places. After his death, she stayed near him, going to the tomb early while others were hiding and weeping. When she met the risen Jesus, she obeyed his word and went to tell the disciples, even though they did not believe her at first. Her example calls believers to cling to Jesus in sorrow, to share what they know of him, and to trust his grace despite their past.

Question 8

What does this passage show about the way Jesus confirms his resurrection?

Accepted Answer

This passage is one part of a larger pattern where Jesus shows himself alive to different people at different times. Here we see that he rises early on the first day of the week, appears to Mary, and then her report is at first doubted. In other accounts he appears to more disciples and they also tell others. The fact that his closest followers were slow and careful to believe helps show that they did not accept the news lightly. Their later firm preaching about his resurrection rests on many clear appearances that had finally convinced them.

Question 9

Why might this passage feel difficult, with the disciples not believing right away?

Accepted Answer

It can feel strange that the very people who walked with Jesus for years did not believe the first report of his rising. The wording highlights their unbelief, which may trouble some readers. Yet this slow response has a purpose. It shows how human and weak they were, so we do not think they were easily fooled. It also means that when they later risked everything to speak about the risen Jesus, they were not repeating something they had believed too quickly, but something that had overcome their doubts and fears through many strong proofs.

Mark 16:9

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.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

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Mark 16:9

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.

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Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

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