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Eastern Orthodox icon of the
Myrrhbearing Women at the Tomb of
Christ (Kizhi, Russia, 18th century).

Icon of Mary Magdalene as a
Myrrhbearer.

Myrrhbearers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Eastern Orthodoxy the Myrrhbearers (Greek: Μυροφόροι,
Latin: Myrophorae; Slavonic: Жены́

-мѷроно́

сицы; Romanian:

mironosiţe) are the individuals mentioned in the New Testament who
were directly involved in the burial or who discovered the empty tomb
following the resurrection of Jesus. The term traditionally refers to the
women with myrrh who came to the tomb of Christ early in the
morning to find it empty. In the Western Church the two women at
the tomb, Three Marys or other variants are the terms normally used.
Also included are Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who took the
body of Jesus down from the cross, embalmed it with myrrh and
aloes, wrapped it in clean linen, and placed it in a new tomb.
(Matthew 27:55-61 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Matthew&verse=27:55-61&src=KJV) , Matthew 28:1-
10 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Matthew&verse=28:1-
10&src=KJV) , Mark 15:40-16:11 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Mark&verse=15:40-16:11&src=KJV) , Luke 23:50-
24:10 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Luke&verse=23:50-
24:10&src=KJV) , John 19:38-20:18 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20John&verse=19:38-20:18&src=KJV) ).

The women followed Jesus during his earthly ministry in Galilee,
providing for him and his followers out of their own means (Mark
15:41 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Mark&verse=15:41&src=KJV) ). They remained faithful
to him even during the most dangerous time of his arrest and
execution, and not only stood by the cross, but accompanied him to
his burial, noticing where the tomb was located. Because of the
impending Sabbath, it was necessary for the burial preparations to be
brief. Jewish custom at the time dictated that mourners return to the
tomb every day for three days. Once the Sabbath had passed, the
women returned at the earliest possible moment, bringing myrrh to
anoint the body. It was at this point that the Resurrection was
revealed to them, and they were commissioned to go and tell the
Apostles. They were, in effect, the apostles to the Apostles. For this
reason, the myrrhbearing women, especially Mary Magdalene, are
sometimes referred to as "Equal to the Apostles."

Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly (John 19:38
(http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20John&verse=19:38&src=KJV) ). He went to Pontius
Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus and, together with Nicodemus,
hurriedly prepared the body for burial. He donated his own new tomb for the burial. A native of Arimathea, he
was apparently a man of wealth, and probably a member of the Sanhedrin (which is the way the biblical Greek,
bouleutēs — literally, "counselor" — is often interpreted in Matthew 27:57 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Matthew&verse=27:57&src=KJV) and Luke 23:50 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Luke&verse=23:50&src=KJV) ). Joseph was an "honourable counselor, who waited (or "was
searching") for the kingdom of God" (Mark 15:43 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Mark&verse=15:43&src=KJV) ). Luke describes him as "a good man, and just" (Luke 23:50

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(http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Luke&verse=23:50&src=KJV) ).

Nicodemus (Greek: Νικόδημος) was a Pharisee and also a member of the Sanhedrin, who is first mentioned
early in the Gospel of John, when he visits Jesus to listen to his teachings, but he comes by night out of fear
(John 3:1-21 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20John&verse=3:1-21&src=KJV) ). He is mentioned again
when he states the teaching of the Law of Moses concerning the arrest of Jesus during the Feast of Tabernacles
(John 7:45-51 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20John&verse=7:45-51&src=KJV) ). He is last mentioned
following the Crucifixion, when he and Joseph of Arimathea prepare the body of Jesus for burial (John 19:39-42
(http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20John&verse=19:39-42&src=KJV) ). There is an apocryphal Gospel of
Nicodemus that purports to be written by him.

Contents

1 Names of the Myrrhbearers
2 Liturgical references
3 Role of the Myrrhbearers
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

Names of the Myrrhbearers

The Myrrhbearers are traditionally listed as:

[citation needed]

Mary Magdalene (in the medieval Catholic tradition regarded as the same as Mary of Bethany, Sister of
Lazarus)
Mary, the wife of Cleopas
Martha of Bethany, Sister of Lazarus
Joanna, the wife of Chuza the steward of Herod Antipas
Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee
Susanna
Joseph of Arimathea
Nicodemus

The Gospels also mention "Mary, the mother of James and Joses" (Matthew 27:56 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Matthew&verse=27:56&src=KJV) , Mark 15:40 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?
book=%20Mark&verse=15:40&src=KJV) ).

There are also generally accepted to be other Myrrhbearers, whose names are not known.

Liturgical references

In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches, the Third Sunday of Pascha (i.e. the second Sunday
after Easter) is called the 'Sunday of the Myrrhbearers'. The Scripture readings appointed for the services on
this day emphasize the role of these individuals in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus: Matins Gospel—Mark
16:9-20 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Mark&verse=16:9-20&src=KJV) , Divine Liturgy
Epistle—Acts 6:1-7 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Acts&verse=6:1-7&src=KJV) and Gospel

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Icon used on the Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers. The two Marys are in
the center with the two angels at
either side, in the foreground is the
Holy Sepulchre with the winding
sheet and napkin.

—Mark 15:43-16:8 (http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Mark&verse=15:43-16:8&src=KJV) .

Since this day commemorates events surrounding not only the Resurrection, but also the entombment of Christ,
some of the hymns from Holy Saturday are repeated. These include the Troparion of the Day: "The noble
Joseph..." (but with a new line added at the end, commemorating the
Resurrection), and the Doxastikhon at the Vespers Aposticha:
"Joseph together with Nicodemus..."

The week that follows is called the Week of the Myrrhbearers and
the Troparion mentioned above is used every day at the Canonical
Hours and the Divine Liturgy. The Doxastikhon is repeated again at
Vespers on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Many of the Myrrhbearers also have separate feast days on which
they are commemorated individually in the Menaion.

There are numerous liturgical hymns which speak of the
Myrrhbearers, especially in the Sunday Octoechos and in the
Pentecostarion. Every Sunday, there is a special hymn that is chanted
at Matins and the Midnight Office, called the Hypakoë, (Greek:
Ύπακοί, Slavonic: Ўпаκои), which means, "sent", and refers to the
Myrrhbearing women being sent to announce the Resurrection to the
Apostles.

There are several prominent Orthodox cathedrals and churches
named after the Myrrhbearers. They celebrate their patronal feast day
on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers.

Role of the Myrrhbearers

In the Gospels, especially the synoptics, women play a central role as eyewitness at Jesus' death, entombment,
and in the discovery of the empty tomb. All three synoptics repeatedly make women the subject of verbs of
seeing,

[1]

clearly presenting them as eyewitnesses.

[2]

The presence of women as the key witnesses who discover the empty tomb has been seen as increasing the
credibility of the testimony, since, in the contemporary culture (Jewish and Greco-Roman), one might expect a
fabrication to place men, and especially numerous and important men, at this critical place, rather than just
"some grieving women."

[3]

C. H. Dodd considered the narrative in John to be "self-authenticating", arguing that

no one would make up the notion that Jesus had appeared to the "little known woman" Mary Magdalene.

[4]

However, some passages in the Mishnah (Yebamoth 16:7; Ketubot 2:5; Eduyot 3:6) indicate that women could
give testimony if there was no male witness available. Also, Josephus

[5]

and Pliny the Younger

[6]

have used

women as witnesses to their claims. In addition, Paul does not mention the women. Bart D. Ehrman argues:
"One of Mark's overarching themes is that virtually no one during the ministry of Jesus could understand who he
was. His family didn't understand. His townspeople didn't understand. The leaders of his own people didn't
understand. Not even the disciples understood in Mark—especially not the disciples! For Mark, only outsiders
have an inkling of who Jesus was: the unnamed woman who anointed him, the centurion at the cross. Who
understands at the end? Not the family of Jesus! Not the disciples! It's a group of previously unknown
women…the women at the tomb…."

[7]

All three Synoptics name two or three women on each occasion in the passion-resurrection narratives where
they are cited as eyewitnesses: the Torah's required two or three witnesses

[Deuteronomy 19:15

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(http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Deuteronomy%2019:15;&version=ESV;) ]

in a statute that had exerted

influence beyond legal courts and into situations in everyday life where accurate evidence was needed.

[8]

Among

the named women (and some are left anonymous), Mary Magdalene is present in all four Gospel accounts, and
Mary the mother of James is present in all three synoptics; however, variations exist in the lists of each Gospel
concerning the women present at the death, entombment, and discovery. For example, Mark names three
women at the cross and the same three who go to the tomb, but only two are observed to be witnesses at the
burial. Based on this, and similar examples in Matthew and Luke, Richard Bauckham argued that the evangelists
showed "scrupulous care" and "were careful to name precisely the women who were known to them as
witnesses to these crucial events" since there would be no other reason, besides interest in historical accuracy,
not to simply use the same set of characters from one scene to another.

[9]

Mark's account (which in the earliest extant manuscripts) ends abruptly and claims that the women told no one.
The Gospels of Matthew and Mark do not present any further involvement at the tomb. Luke describes Peter as
running to the tomb to check for himself, and John adds that the Beloved Disciple did so too, the beloved
disciple outrunning Peter.

[10][11]

Curiously, Mary also addresses Jesus as “Lord.”

[12][citation needed]

See also

Life of Jesus in the New Testament
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

External links

Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women (http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?
SID=4&ID=1&FSID=36) Icon and Synaxarion

References

1. ^ Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Eerdmans Publishing Company: Cambridge, 2006), p. 48.
2. ^ B. Gerhardsson, 'Mark and the Female Witnesses', in H. Behrens, D. Loding, and M. T. Roth, eds., Dumu-

E2-Dub-Ba-A (A. W. Sjöberg FS; Occasional Papers of the Samuel Noah Kramer Fund 11; Philadelphia: The
University Museum, 1989), pp. 219–220, 222–223; S. Byrskog, Story as History—History as Story
(Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament Jerusalem Talmud 123; Tübingen: Mohr, 2000;
remprinted Leiden: Brill, 2002), pp. 75–78; Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Eerdmans
Publishing Company: Cambridge, 2006), p. 48.

3. ^ Ben Witherington III, What have they done with Jesus (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 2006), p. 50.
4. ^ C. H. Dodd, The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1953)
5. ^ Jewish War, 7.389 and 4.81
6. ^ Pliny the Younger, Epistles, X.96.
7. ^ Bart Erhmann http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/p96.htm#EhrmanFirst
8. ^ B. Gerhardsson, “Mark and the Female Witnesses,” in H. Behrens, D. Loding, and M. T. Roth, eds., Dumu-

E2-Dub-Ba-A (A. W. Sjöberg FS; Occasional Papers of the Samuel Noah Kramer Fund 11; Philadelphia: The
University Museum, 1989), p. 218; Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Eerdmans Publishing
Company: Cambridge, 2006), p. 49.

9. ^ Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Eerdmans Publishing Company: Cambridge, 2006), pp. 50–

51.

10. ^ To answer the question of running speed: It is never explained why the disciple(s) move(s) from merely

traveling to running, and it has often been speculated that running only occurred on the last stretch once the
tomb had come within sight. John Calvin instead speculated that the rush was due to religious zeal. In
particular, John describes the Beloved Disciple as outracing Peter, though waiting for Peter to arrive before
entering the tomb, with some scholars seeing the out-racing as a metaphoric elevation of the Beloved Disciple

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above Peter. However, many Christian scholars object to this interpretation, instead arguing that since the
Beloved Disciple is usually interpreted as a reference to the author of John, it would be necessary for him to be
considerably younger than Peter, and hence his speed could be due simply to youthful vigour. Another question
is why John the Beloved Disciple pauses outside the tomb. While many view it as being due to his not wanting
to violate death ritual by entering a tomb, in contrast to Peter who has no such qualm and instead enters
immediately, most scholars believe John is simply deferring to Peter, particularly since the Beloved Disciple
enters the tomb once Peter is inside. There is some scriptural variation as to whom the women told and in what
order.

11. ^ What happens once Mary (and Mary) has seen the occupier(s)/empty tomb is again one of the more variant

parts of this narrative. According to Mark, even though the man in the tomb instructs Mary and Mary to inform
the disciples ‘‘and’‘ Peter, they flee in fear and do ‘‘not’‘ tell anything to any man. Like Mark, Matthew
presents Mary and Mary as being instructed by the tomb's occupant to inform the disciples, but unlike Mark's
account they happily do so, and Peter has no special status amongst the others. Luke, again, merely presents
Mary and Mary as telling the eleven and the rest, but presents them as doing so apparently without being
instructed. John's account is quite different: John only describes Mary as informing two people—Peter and the
Beloved Disciple, an individual that is usually considered to be a self-reference by the author of the gospel John.

12. ^ John had not previously described any of the followers as using this title, and Mary also states that ‘‘we’‘

don't know where they put him, even though at this point only Mary is described as having been to the tomb. To
those who believe in inerrancy, Lord is used here because Jesus only gained the title on dying, and that we is
evidence that John actually agrees with the Synoptics and merely didn't regard the other women as worth
mentioning. However, most textual scholars see this as a typical contradiction by John of the synoptic gospels,
arguing that we is a later modification to hide the discrepancy, as evidenced by some ancient manuscripts of
John which have I instead of we at this point. Brown, on the other hand, has proposed that as the remainder of
the passage wasn't subjected to such harmonising, the speech by Mary must have been written by a different
author from the rest of the gospel.

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