Let us now proceed to,
II. Inquire, Why he appeared first to Mary Magda- lene in particular ?
It is said of Mary Magdalene, that " he had cast
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out of her seven devils." And if she was, as she is generally supposed to be, that Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus in the Pharisee's house f, she had been, not like the common demoniacs, a mere object of pity, but a vile, notorious, abandoned sinner. In this view, the mention of Jesus having cast seven devils out of her, gives singular importance to the text ; and most forcible reasons may be assigned, why he appeared to herjirst, in preference to all other persons. He did so,
1. To display the exceeding riches of his grace—
[This was the chief design of God in that plan which he formed for the redemption of mankind s. The same glorious design also may be seen in a variety of incidents, which, though apparently perhaps of small importance, are deserving of very attentive consideration. The command, for instance, respecting the publishing of the Gospel first in Jerusalem, where all ranks of people had so recently united in crucifying the Lord of glory h, is a most astonishing display of grace and mercy: one would rather have thought that the Apostles should have been ordered to pass them by for ever, than to make them the first offers of salvation. The instruments employed to propagate the Gospel, yet further illustrate this point. The person chosen to minister the Gospel to the cir- cumcision, and to convert thousands of them to the faith, was Peter, who had just before denied his Lord with oaths and curses. Yea, to him was such peculiar attention shewn, that he was selected by the angel, as the person to whom, above all others, the knowledge of our Saviour's resurrection was to be instantly conveyed1. And our blessed Lord him- self thrice renewed his call to the Apostleship, in the presence of the other Disciples, lest his past denial of his Lord should be construed as a renunciation of it, or a dismission from itk. In like manner, the person who was commissioned to go unto the Gentiles, was Saul, the persecutor; who was arrested in his murderous career, and made the most honoured, and most useful, of all the Apostles.
In the same light we view the preference shewn to Mary Magdalene above all others : in manifesting himself first of all to her, our Saviour may well be considered as declaring, that " where sin has abounded, grace shall much more abound1."]
2. To reward her pious assiduity — .
f Luke vii. 36—38. s Eph. i. 6. and ii. 7. h Luke xxiv. 47. i ver. 7. k John xxi. 15 — 17. J Rom. v. 20.
1460. J Christ's appearance to mary magdalene. 195
[Mary having purchased ointments and spices for the purpose of embalming our Lord's body, went early, while it was yet dark, to the sepulchre, to perform that last and mournful office. Though her prospects with respect to his establishing a temporal kingdom were altogether blasted, her regard for him was not in the least diminished. She was anxious to testify her respect in the only way that now remained to her: nor did any considerations of expense, or trouble, or danger, operate for a moment to impede her efforts. Such expressions of undissembled love could not escape the notice of an omniscient and gracious God. Our adorable Emmanuel would have accounted himself " unrighteous, if he could have overlooked such works and labours of love as she now shewed towards his namem." It had long before been announced by him to the world, ." Him that honoureth me, I will honour :" and now he fulfilled that word to this highly- favoured handmaid : nor will he ever suffer even a cup of cold water, given to a person for his sake, to lose its reward.]