In the fourth century Jerusalem Georgian Chantbook, we find that Mary the mother of Jesus was conflated with Mary Magdalene. In the “Hymns of the Resurrection: Fourth Plagal Mode,” for the hymn of praise, we read:
Mary stood at the
tomb, she was weeping,
By her tears she purified Eve’s transgression
. . .
Mary rose up early
To see the sealed tomb.
With spices and with tears,
She sought your body, Savior. (Stephen J. Shoemaker, The First Christian
Hymnal: The Songs of the Ancient Jerusalem Church [Eastern Christian Texts
10; Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 2018], 293)
Such a conflating of the two Marys can be
seen in the writings of Ephrem the Syrian (306-73). As Catholic Mariologist
Michael O’Carroll noted:
2) besides his poetic
hymns, he wrote a commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron, where confusing Mary
Magdalene with Mary the mother of Jesus (he does this very often, e.g. The
Homily on Our Lord 49, Selected Prose Works: Commentary on Genesis, Commentary
on Exodus, Homily on Our Lord, Letter to Publius, The Fathers of the Church,
Volume 91, p. 324), he attributes to Mary, Jesus’ mother, the guilt of unbelief
and doubt on the Resurrection (Michael O’Carroll, Theotokos: A Theological
Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2000],
132-133).
In The Homily on Our Lord 49, we read:
Mary anointed the
head of our Lord's body, as a symbol of the "better part" she had
chosen. The oil was a prophecy of what her mind had chosen. While Martha was
occupied with serving, Mary hungered to be satisfied with spiritual things from
the one who also satisfies bodily needs for us. So Mary refreshed Him with
precious oil, just as He had refreshed her with His most excellent teaching.
With her oil, Mary indicated a symbol of the death of Him who put to death her
carnal desire with His teaching. With the investment of her tears, the sinful
woman confidently gained the forgiveness of debts at His feet, while the woman
with a flow of blood received hearling from the hem of His garment. Mary openly
received the title "blessed" from His mouth in payment for the work
of her hands at His head. She poured precious oil on His head and received a
wonderful promise: from His mouth.
(2) This is the oil
that was planted on high but that put forth its fruit here below. (Mary)
planted at His head, and reaped fruit from His lips: "She will have
renown and this memorial everywhere my good news is proclaimed." What
she received from Him was allowed to pass down to all generations, nor can it
be kept from all generations. As the oil she poured on His head before all the
guests gave off its fragrance and pleased Him, so too the good name He gave her
spreads out to all generations and honors her. And just as all the banquet
guests were aware of her oil, so too all who enter this world should be aware
of her deed. This is the investment whose interest accrues throughout all
generations. (Homily on Our Lord XLIV in Edward G. Mathews, Jr., and Joseph P. Amar,
St. Ephrem the Syrian: Selected Prose Works [The Fathers of the Church 91;
Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1994], 324-25)
In a footnote to the above (p. 324 n. 247)
Mathews and Amar noted that:
Ephrem identifies
Mary (and Martha) who anoints the feet of Jesus (John 12.3) with the woman mentioned
in Matt 26.7 (Mark 14.3) who anointed the head of Jesus. On the fusing of Mary
the mother of Jesus with Mary Magdalene, see S. Brock, "Mary and the
Gardner," PdO 11 (1983):223-34; and Murray, Symbols, 146-48
and 329-35.
