Page Range
190-201
Keywords
resurrection, mary magdalene, rabboni, apologetics, evidences, passional reason
Abstract
In John 20:1-18, Mary Magdalene (hereafter, Mary) holds a significant place in the resurrection narrative. She is the first to tell the disciples of the empty tomb (vv. 1-10), and she experiences a direct encounter with the resurrected Jesus (vv. 11-18). Given the significance of these events, the purpose of this essay is to explore John’s record of Mary’s report of the empty tomb and her dialogue with the risen Jesus. The discussion entails a brief overview of each encounter with special consideration for their apologetic significance. The relevance of Mary’s testimony in these matters is also considered from the vantage point of how beliefs form based on rational and affective evidence. What this discussion hopes to demonstrate is that John’s account of Mary’s finding the empty tomb and later encountering the risen Jesus offers important apologetic content as well as keen insights into the role of an expansive epistemology in faith formation rooted in Jesus’s victory over death.
Recommended Citation
Gentry, Thomas J.. 2021. "Rabboni: Christ's Resurrection Through the Eyes of Mary Magdalene." Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal 5, (2). https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/eleu/vol5/iss2/12