Many different theories abound as to the source of wealth that enabled Mary
Magdalene and other women to “provide for them (Jesus and his disciples) out of their means” (Luke 8:3). It is best to quote the entire passage here:

“and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means” (Luke 8:2-3).

Within the Jerusalem Temple complex built by Herod, there stood a tower in honour of his wife Mary Anna. The Goddess worshipped there close to the Jewish Temple was probably Ishtar. Ishtar is an ancient Goddess known from “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, which contains a very similar account of the flood under the name of a different hero; a hero who serves the exact same function as Noah in the more familiar Biblical story. The name “Magdalene” perhaps could mean “Tower of the Flock” and have nothing to do with the town of Magdala. Luke mentions “Chuza” as being Herod’s steward indicating that Mary Magdalene is also related in some way to Herod. Furthermore, he cites “seven demons had gone out” from Mary. Luke does not say Jesus performed an exorcism on Mary. So who. or what were the “seven demons (that) had gone out”? In the ancient ceremony of the “Descent of Anna”, a women must pass through the seven layers of the underworld before coming to “true life”. Could Luke be referring to this ceremony as the “seven demons”? Did Jesus first meet Mary Magdalene and convert her to his ministry at Herod’s Temple to the Goddess Mari-Anna-Ishtar? Josephus tells us Herod did in fact build a tower to a Goddess in honour of his wife. The role of the Goddess was also known to annoint kings with nard, as a woman named Mary does in John 12:1-8; cf. Mark 14:3-9; Matt 26:6-13; Luke 7:36-50.

If anyone can shed more light on this hypothesis please contact me. The idea of Mary being an uneducated, prostitute, sinner, etc. is perhaps, a notion that is outdated and just plain wrong! The notion of her as a wealthy and educated priestess accounts much better for her prominence as a “Tower of the Flock” in early Christian faith and other ideas about Mary Magdalene
being associated with the Beloved Disciple in the Fourth Gospel. Not to mention the esoteric prominence and leadership granted her in the gnostic writings found at Nag Hammadi.

John Mitrosky
gm.jm@sympatico.ca