Mary Magdalene and Seven Demon
Question
Mark 16:9 "...
he appeared first
to
Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had cast seven devils." In J.B. Phillips
the interpretation of the seven devils are
seven evil spirits.
Is there any record of or conjecture
as to what these seven devils might be?
Answer
Most scholars agree that the verses 9-16 at the end of Mark were probably not written by the original author. Mark's gospel, for whatever reason, ended abruptly at 16:8. Someone found that totally unsatisfactory and added a better ending, borrowing most of the ideas from others. If this is true, then the author borrowed this idea from Luke 8:1,2 where it states: 1 "And it came to pass afterward, that [Jesus] went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him," 2 "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils."
(KJV)
Because these verses come immediately after the story of the dinner at Simon the Pharisee's house, where a woman washed Jesus' feet with her tears, people have long connected them. Many assume that the woman who washed Jesus' feet, though unnamed, is really Mary Magdalene. It's a stretch and one that scholars are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with. So for now, let's assume that all we know about Mary Magdalene is that seven devils were cast out of her.
Most commentators agree that this is an indication of the severity of her problem, whatever her problem was. Usually demon possession related to mental illness or aberrant physical behavior, but was not necessarily a morality issue. So there is no reason to suggest that she had previously been immoral. It's simply a way of saying her problem was severe. Now, in point of fact, the "seven" could suggest that she had been cured of seven different illnesses either all at once or on seven different occasions. And sometimes "seven" refers symbolically to "completeness." In that case, the author would be saying that she was totally filled up with demons, and he is then highlighting the remarkable nature of Jesus' cure. We can rejoice in that and be grateful for it, but to go beyond that would be to engage in sheer speculation.
Revelation 17:1-2 tells us,
“Then one of the seven angels who had the
seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘
Come, I will show you the judgment of
the great harlot who sits on many waters,
with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication,
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”
Revelation 17:5 goes on to say, “And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Who is this “whore of Babylon” and what
is “mystery Babylon”?
Revelation 17:3 gives this description:
“Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert.
There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with
blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.”
The beast mentioned in this verse is the same
beast as in Revelation chapter 13:1,
“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea.
He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” The beast in Revelation chapter 13 is understood to refer to the Antichrist, the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Daniel 9:27). So, the whore of Babylon, whoever it is, is closely affiliated with the end-times Antichrist.
The fact that the whore of Babylon is referred to as a
mystery means that we cannot be completely
certain as to her identity.
The passage does give us some clues, however. Revelation 17:9 explains,
“This calls for a mind with wisdom.
The seven heads are seven hills
on which the woman sits.”
Many commentators link this passage with the Roman Catholic Church because in ancient times, the city of Rome was known as “the city on seven hills” because there are seven prominent hills that surround the city. However, verse 10 goes on to explain that the seven hills represent 7 kings or kingdoms, five of which have fallen, one that is and one that is to come. Therefore, the "whore of Babylon" cannot refer exclusively to Rome. Revelation 17:15 tells us, “Then the angel said to me,
‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.’” The whore of Babylon will have great worldwide influence over people and nations. Verses 10-14 describe a series of eight and then ten kings who affiliate with the beast.
The whore of Babylon will at one time have control over these kings (Revelation 17:18), but at some point the kings will turn on her and destroy her (Revelation 17:16).
So, can the mystery of the whore of Babylon be solved?
Yes, at least partially. The whore of Babylon is an evil world system, controlled by the Antichrist, during the last days before Jesus’ return. The whore of Babylon also has religious connotations – spiritual adultery with the beast being the focus of an ungodly, end-times religious system.
Paul, in his prayers “for saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV), asks that God “may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (verse 17).
Prior to his prayer for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of the blessings God has bestowed upon them (Ephesians 1:3), their adoption as children through Christ (verse 4), the wisdom and insight they have been given (verse 8), and “the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ” (verse 9). He also reminds them that they have been “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (verses 13–14). Now he desires for them to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Since Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (John 14:17), the spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul prays for cannot refer to the initial gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s reference could easily be to an attitude or frame of mind (although the NIV and ESV capitalize Spirit, other translations such as the NASB and BSB translate it as “a spirit,” and the NLT simply has “spiritual wisdom and insight”). If not the Holy Spirit, then what does Paul ask for in his request for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”? The key is in the phrase that follows, “in the knowledge of him” (ESV), or “so that you may know him better” (NIV).
Paul had commended the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints (Ephesians 1:15), but now he is asking God to give them a deeper and greater understanding of the mysteries of His character and will, to know Him more thoroughly and intimately. Now that they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts, Paul desires Him to grant them more understanding and greater insight. The “wisdom” is a better understanding of the doctrines of God, and the “revelation” is a clearer picture of the divine character and will. In the NLT, the prayer is that believers would have “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” The AMP translation has Paul asking that God “may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him.”
God is infinite, and He can never be fully known by finite creatures. We all need wisdom from above. No matter how far we may advance in our understanding of God, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge that remains to be explored. Scripture is full of admonitions to grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15).
Paul outlines some of the mysteries he wants the Ephesians to understand through this spirit of wisdom and revelation. He desires them to grasp “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). This is the hope of eternal life, which Paul refers to as the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). We inherit the riches of eternal life through Him who saved us and called us to holiness in Christ before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul also prays the Spirit will reveal God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—power so great it raised Jesus from the dead. It’s a power that we can only comprehend as we possess the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
The spirit of wisdom and revelation is not some mysterious blessing given to a special few, and it is not the ability to speak as a prophet. Rather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to help the people of God understand the things of God more fully and completely.
Mary Magdalene and Seven Demon
Question
Mark 16:9 "...
he appeared first
to
Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had cast seven devils." In J.B. Phillips
the interpretation of the seven devils are
seven evil spirits.
Is there any record of or conjecture
as to what these seven devils might be?
Answer
Most scholars agree that the verses 9-16 at the end of Mark were probably not written by the original author. Mark's gospel, for whatever reason, ended abruptly at 16:8. Someone found that totally unsatisfactory and added a better ending, borrowing most of the ideas from others. If this is true, then the author borrowed this idea from Luke 8:1,2 where it states: 1 "And it came to pass afterward, that [Jesus] went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him," 2 "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils."
(KJV)
Because these verses come immediately after the story of the dinner at Simon the Pharisee's house, where a woman washed Jesus' feet with her tears, people have long connected them. Many assume that the woman who washed Jesus' feet, though unnamed, is really Mary Magdalene. It's a stretch and one that scholars are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with. So for now, let's assume that all we know about Mary Magdalene is that seven devils were cast out of her.
Most commentators agree that this is an indication of the severity of her problem, whatever her problem was. Usually demon possession related to mental illness or aberrant physical behavior, but was not necessarily a morality issue. So there is no reason to suggest that she had previously been immoral. It's simply a way of saying her problem was severe. Now, in point of fact, the "seven" could suggest that she had been cured of seven different illnesses either all at once or on seven different occasions. And sometimes "seven" refers symbolically to "completeness." In that case, the author would be saying that she was totally filled up with demons, and he is then highlighting the remarkable nature of Jesus' cure. We can rejoice in that and be grateful for it, but to go beyond that would be to engage in sheer speculation.
Revelation 17:1-2 tells us,
“Then one of the seven angels who had the
seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘
Come, I will show you the judgment of
the great harlot who sits on many waters,
with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication,
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”
Revelation 17:5 goes on to say, “And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Who is this “whore of Babylon” and what
is “mystery Babylon”?
Revelation 17:3 gives this description:
“Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert.
There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with
blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.”
The beast mentioned in this verse is the same
beast as in Revelation chapter 13:1,
“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea.
He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” The beast in Revelation chapter 13 is understood to refer to the Antichrist, the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Daniel 9:27). So, the whore of Babylon, whoever it is, is closely affiliated with the end-times Antichrist.
The fact that the whore of Babylon is referred to as a
mystery means that we cannot be completely
certain as to her identity.
The passage does give us some clues, however. Revelation 17:9 explains,
“This calls for a mind with wisdom.
The seven heads are seven hills
on which the woman sits.”
Many commentators link this passage with the Roman Catholic Church because in ancient times, the city of Rome was known as “the city on seven hills” because there are seven prominent hills that surround the city. However, verse 10 goes on to explain that the seven hills represent 7 kings or kingdoms, five of which have fallen, one that is and one that is to come. Therefore, the "whore of Babylon" cannot refer exclusively to Rome. Revelation 17:15 tells us, “Then the angel said to me,
‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.’” The whore of Babylon will have great worldwide influence over people and nations. Verses 10-14 describe a series of eight and then ten kings who affiliate with the beast.
The whore of Babylon will at one time have control over these kings (Revelation 17:18), but at some point the kings will turn on her and destroy her (Revelation 17:16).
So, can the mystery of the whore of Babylon be solved?
Yes, at least partially. The whore of Babylon is an evil world system, controlled by the Antichrist, during the last days before Jesus’ return. The whore of Babylon also has religious connotations – spiritual adultery with the beast being the focus of an ungodly, end-times religious system.
Paul, in his prayers “for saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV), asks that God “may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (verse 17).
Prior to his prayer for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of the blessings God has bestowed upon them (Ephesians 1:3), their adoption as children through Christ (verse 4), the wisdom and insight they have been given (verse 8), and “the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ” (verse 9). He also reminds them that they have been “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (verses 13–14). Now he desires for them to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Since Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (John 14:17), the spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul prays for cannot refer to the initial gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s reference could easily be to an attitude or frame of mind (although the NIV and ESV capitalize Spirit, other translations such as the NASB and BSB translate it as “a spirit,” and the NLT simply has “spiritual wisdom and insight”). If not the Holy Spirit, then what does Paul ask for in his request for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”? The key is in the phrase that follows, “in the knowledge of him” (ESV), or “so that you may know him better” (NIV).
Paul had commended the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints (Ephesians 1:15), but now he is asking God to give them a deeper and greater understanding of the mysteries of His character and will, to know Him more thoroughly and intimately. Now that they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts, Paul desires Him to grant them more understanding and greater insight. The “wisdom” is a better understanding of the doctrines of God, and the “revelation” is a clearer picture of the divine character and will. In the NLT, the prayer is that believers would have “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” The AMP translation has Paul asking that God “may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him.”
God is infinite, and He can never be fully known by finite creatures. We all need wisdom from above. No matter how far we may advance in our understanding of God, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge that remains to be explored. Scripture is full of admonitions to grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15).
Paul outlines some of the mysteries he wants the Ephesians to understand through this spirit of wisdom and revelation. He desires them to grasp “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). This is the hope of eternal life, which Paul refers to as the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). We inherit the riches of eternal life through Him who saved us and called us to holiness in Christ before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul also prays the Spirit will reveal God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—power so great it raised Jesus from the dead. It’s a power that we can only comprehend as we possess the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
The spirit of wisdom and revelation is not some mysterious blessing given to a special few, and it is not the ability to speak as a prophet. Rather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to help the people of God understand the things of God more fully and completely.
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