UMariya Magdalena wayengumlandeli kaJesu Kristu othembekile. Igama lakhe elithi Magdalena cishe lithathelwe endaweni okuthiwa yiMagdala (kungenzeka kushiwo iMagadani), eyayiseduze koLwandle LwaseGalile. Cishe uMariya wake wahlala khona.

 UMariya Magdalena wayengomunye wabesifazane abaningi abahamba noJesu nabafundi bakhe futhi bamnakekela ngokumsekela ngezinto azidingayo. (Luka 8:1-3) Wazibonela ngawakhe lapho uJesu ebulawa futhi waba phakathi kwabokuqala abambona lapho esevusiwe.—Marku 15:40; Johane 20:11-18.

•  Ingabe uMariya Magdalena wayeyisifebe?

•  Ingabe uMariya Magdalena “wayengumphostoli kubaphostoli”?

•  Ingabe uMariya Magdalena wayengunkosikazi kaJesu Kristu?

•  Bangaki oMariya okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhelini?

 IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi uMariya Magdalena wayeyisifebe. Into eliyishoyo nje ngaye ukuthi uJesu wakhipha amademoni ayisikhombisa kuye.—Luka 8:2.

 Pho uvelaphi lo mbono wokuthi wayeyisifebe? Eminyakeni eyikhulu ngemva kokushona kwakhe, kwathiwa wayengowesifazane ofanayo nalona ongabizwanga ngegama (cishe owayeyisifebe) owageza izinyawo zikaJesu ngezinyembezi zakhe, wazisula ngezinwele zakhe. (Luka 7:36-38) Nokho, awukho umBhalo osekela le nkolelo.

 Cha. ISonto lamaKatolika libiza uMariya ngokuthi “uMariya Magdalena Ocwebileyo” nangokuthi “umphostoli kubaphostoli” ngenxa yokuthi waba owokuqala ukubikela abaphostoli ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe. (Johane 20:18) Kodwa lokhu akumenzi umphostoli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akukho lapho ebizwa khona ngomphostoli eBhayibhelini.—Luka 6:12-16.

 IBhayibheli laqedwa sekuzophela ikhulu lokuqala C.E. Ngekhulu lesithupha, izikhulu zesonto zabona kungcono ukuba zikhuphule isikhundla sikaMariya Magdalena sithi ukuphakama. Emibhalweni yangekhulu lesibili nelesithathu—engeyona ingxenye yemiBhalo Engcwele—uma kuchwazwa abanye abaphostoli bakaJesu, kuthiwa babenomona ngoMariya. Izindaba ezisunguliwe ezinjengalezi azisekelwe emiBhalweni.

 Cha. Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli likwenza kucace ukuthi uJesu wayengashadile. a