Question 7.- In Help and Food for April, page 101, It is said that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, was not at the cross, neither at the tomb. If Mary Magdalene was not the sister of Lazarus, then there is a difficulty to my mind. I have examined Scripture, and the Word seems to say she is. Are there two Mary’s who anointed the Lord ?

Answer.- Mary was a favorite and common name among the Jews,- doubtless from Moses' sister Miriam,- so much so that in the same family the name was given twice (John 19:25). Possibly, however, Mary of Cleophas was a half-sister, or even a cousin, called from intimacy a sister,- a usage not uncommon among the Jews.

Be this as it may, there is no scripture to Identify Mary, sister of Lazarus, with Mary Magdalene. Indeed it is impossible, for the one came from Magdala, a town in Galilee, and the other from Bethany, a town near Jerusalem (John 11:1,18).

There are three passages which speak of Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus – Luke 10:38-42; John 11:; John 12:1-9. Matt. 26:6-14 gives the parallel passage to this last, without her name, but only that of the town, Bethany.

Mary Magdalene had been delivered from seven devils, and had devoted herself to ministering to the Lord (Luke 8:1-3). She followed Him from Galilee, and was present at the cross (Matt, 27:55, 50). She was early at the tomb, and was the first to see the arisen Lord (Mark 16:9); John 20:1-18). Her history is therefore entirely distinct from that of the sister of Lazarus.

Neither must " the woman that was a sinner " (Luke 7:36-50) be confounded with either of the women mentioned. Her name is not given, and the summary at the head of the chapter in our authorized version which calls her Mary Magdalene has not the slightest foundation for so doing. On the other hand, the anointing by this woman must not be confounded with that by Mary the sister of Lazarus. The first was during the earlier part of our Lord's ministry in Galilee; the last was just at the close, and at Bethany. Their objects, too, were different:the first was the worship of a penitent sinner; the last the anointing for His burial, by one who had long known and loved Him and entered into His thoughts.

To recapitulate:Mary Magdalene and Mary the sister of Lazarus were two distinct persons; so were Mary Magdalene and the woman in Luke 7:; there were two anointings of our Lord.