When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons. —Mark 16:9
Mary Magdalene is a famous biblical figure, but not a well-known one. She appears only a handful of times throughout the Gospels, and most Christians aren’t sure about her true history. Many Bible scholars say she was a prostitute, equating her with the “sinful woman” who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair in Luke. Whether this is true or not, we do know Mary Magdalene fought demonic oppression most of her life. This could have been literal demonic possession, or it may have been what we know today as psychosis. In either case, Mary is described as having seven demons Jesus drove out. Seven is a significant biblical number. It’s the number of completion and comes up often in the Old and New Testaments. For example, Naaman washed in the Jordan River seven times to be cured of leprosy. There are seven seals in Revelation. Some scholars believe Mary Magdalene’s seven demons are a mark of completion, too. In other words, Mary was completely oppressed. Outside of Jesus, there was no hope for her. However, Jesus drove out all seven of Mary Magdalene’s demons effortlessly. We don’t see her healing, but we are told she became one of His most devoted followers. Perhaps this was because she knew, deep in her soul, the joy of complete deliverance. She placed every ounce of hope in Jesus, knowing that with Him, she was free of oppression forever. Oppression is very real and comes in many forms. It may be a sin you can’t conquer or a lie you believe about yourself. Whatever it is, take heart that Jesus can and will deliver you. Then, like Mary Magdalene, follow Him as closely as possible.
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