Did Jesus Pick Mary Magdalene, or Did She Pick Him?
Mary Magdalene hugging Jesus in gratitude after her exorcism. Copyright 2025 Arabella Penrose. All Rights Reserved.
The sun rose over Jerusalem that Sunday morning. The tomb stood empty. And there she was: Alone, weeping, searching for her Lord.
As Mary Magdalene grieved in the garden, Jesus appeared. No, He didn't appear to Peter or to John. And He didn't show Himself first to His mother, Mary of Nazareth.
That fateful morning, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. This moment paints a picture merging the colors of devotion and divine appointment. It raises the question: Did Jesus deliberately choose Mary for this world-changing revelation? Or did Mary's faithful devotion put her in the position to receive it first?
The answer might surprise you, and hopefully it will challenge how you believe God works in your life.
Mary Magdalene weeping by the empty tomb. Copyright 2025 Arabella Penrose. All Rights Reserved.
Jesus Chose Mary Magdalene
The evidence is clear. Jesus appeared to the Magdalene by divine design.
He could have shown Himself to anyone after rising from the dead. The disciples were nearby. His mother was in the city. Yet Mark 16:9 tells us, "He appeared first to Mary Magdalene."
This wasn't random or coincidence. In John 20, Jesus gently calls her by name—"Mary"—with intimate recognition. Then He commissions her with the most important message in human history: "Go to my brothers and tell them..."
Think about that. In a culture where women's testimony held little weight in court, Jesus charged a woman to be the first messenger of His resurrection.
This wasn't just a reward for her faithfulness. It was a divine appointment that would forever place her in the story of redemption.
Mary Magdalene encountering the resurrected Jesus in the garden by the empty tomb. Copyright 2025 Arabella Penrose. All Rights Reserved.
Mary Chose Jesus
But there's another side to this story.
When Peter and John investigated the empty tomb, they saw it was empty and decided to leave. John 20:10 clearly states, "Then the disciples went back to where they were staying."
But Mary? She stayed. She wept. She searched. She refused to leave without an answer.
This was who she was. Mary Magdalene had always pursued Jesus with her whole heart. She met Him when He delivered her from seven demons (Luke 8:2). She had followed Him when others walked away. She had supported His ministry with all that she had, stood at the foot of the cross when most disciples fled, and came before dawn to care for His body.
Would Jesus have appeared to someone else if she hadn't stayed? We'll never know. But her actions put her in the right place at the right time.
Mary Magdalene stands at the crucifixion while Jesus is crucified. Copyright 2025 Arabella Penrose. All Rights Reserved.
The Truth: It Was Both
Here's where it gets interesting. This wasn’t just about God’s sovereignty or Mary’s devotion. It was both. Mary's steadfast heart positioned her for the encounter, but Jesus' deliberate choice proves she was selected for this role.
This is a pattern that appears throughout Scripture. God chooses, but He often selects those who are fully devoted to Him.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
"He rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)
Jesus chose Mary, and Mary sought Him and found Him. God's divine choice and Mary's devotion worked together to create the history-changing moment. It's an illustration of how God meets those who seek Him.
Mary Magdalene praises God for all He has done. Copyright 2025 Arabella Penrose. All Rights Reserved.
What This Means For You
Mary Magdalene's story isn't just another Bible story. It's a powerful challenge for us today. God still chooses whom He wills. His sovereignty hasn’t changed, but He also meets those who seek Him with Mary-like devotion.
So, ask yourself:
Are you positioning yourself to encounter Jesus?
Have you ever walked away from "the tomb" too soon because answers didn’t come fast enough?
What would happen if you pursued Jesus with the kind of devotion Mary had?
Mary Magdalene wasn’t just a passive recipient of grace. She actively pursued Jesus and found Him when others had given up.
So, the real question isn’t whether Jesus chose Mary or Mary chose Him.
The real question is: Are you choosing Jesus today with everything you have?
Want to share Mary Magdalene's story with the children in your life? My beautifully illustrated book, "Mary Magdalene: A Bible Rhyming Story of Healing, Devotion, and Witnessing," brings her journey to life in a way that speaks to young hearts, inspiring them to follow Jesus, just like Mary did.
Mary Magdalene children’s book by Arabella Penrose, 2025.
