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ArchivesMagdalen(e/a)
Most of my searches claim that Magadalen/Magdalene/Magdalena derive from the meaning "of Magdala", which is a town in Galilee. Thus Mary Magdalene was called because she was Mary of Magdala.
However, I'm currently reading a book where Mary Magdalene's name is depicted as Mariamne (as she is called in some Gnostic texts) and the book alludes that she receives the title Magdal-eder or Migdal-eder. From my additional research I have found this passage:
Micah 4:8:
And you, O Magdal-eder,
hillock of daughter Zion!
Unto you shall it come;
the former dominion shall be restored,
the kingdom of daughter Jerusalem.
This source states that Mary Magdalene’s name means the tower derived from the Hebrew root word Magdal. "In some translations we find her also called “Mary of Magdala”, but this does not appear to be a correct designation. The Jewish scholar Hayyim ben Yehoshua informs us that the town called Magdala was known as Taricheae until second century Christians renamed it, believing that the town may have been the Magdalene’s home, since in ancient times the town of Taricheae had been known as “Migdal Nunayya” - Tower of the Fishermen, so named because it was a place where fish was salted for trade.
The name Magdalene contains the Greek ending ‘n’ which does not render into ‘of Magdala’. Magdalene then, appears to be a discipleship appellation given by Jesus in the same manner as other known titles Jesus assigned, such as Peter designating Simon bar Jonah as a stone. The designation of this Mary as the tower implies that she was being honored with the title of “Mary the Great.” Iconographers have demonstrated this obliquely by portraying Mary Magdalene as taller than the apostles, which is indeed fitting for the one who was chosen to be witness to the resurrected Christ and the first sent apostle to deliver the Good News to the world."
Any thoughts? Do you think Magdalen refers to "of Magdala" (thus, of the tower) or a reference to Mary Magdalene BEING the tower of the disciple, the apostle to the apostles?
However, I'm currently reading a book where Mary Magdalene's name is depicted as Mariamne (as she is called in some Gnostic texts) and the book alludes that she receives the title Magdal-eder or Migdal-eder. From my additional research I have found this passage:
Micah 4:8:
And you, O Magdal-eder,
hillock of daughter Zion!
Unto you shall it come;
the former dominion shall be restored,
the kingdom of daughter Jerusalem.
This source states that Mary Magdalene’s name means the tower derived from the Hebrew root word Magdal. "In some translations we find her also called “Mary of Magdala”, but this does not appear to be a correct designation. The Jewish scholar Hayyim ben Yehoshua informs us that the town called Magdala was known as Taricheae until second century Christians renamed it, believing that the town may have been the Magdalene’s home, since in ancient times the town of Taricheae had been known as “Migdal Nunayya” - Tower of the Fishermen, so named because it was a place where fish was salted for trade.
The name Magdalene contains the Greek ending ‘n’ which does not render into ‘of Magdala’. Magdalene then, appears to be a discipleship appellation given by Jesus in the same manner as other known titles Jesus assigned, such as Peter designating Simon bar Jonah as a stone. The designation of this Mary as the tower implies that she was being honored with the title of “Mary the Great.” Iconographers have demonstrated this obliquely by portraying Mary Magdalene as taller than the apostles, which is indeed fitting for the one who was chosen to be witness to the resurrected Christ and the first sent apostle to deliver the Good News to the world."
Any thoughts? Do you think Magdalen refers to "of Magdala" (thus, of the tower) or a reference to Mary Magdalene BEING the tower of the disciple, the apostle to the apostles?
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