On Day #30 of Counting the Omer, we recognize the deep biblical significance of the number 30
in scripture. The Aaronic priests were dedicated at the age of
30
to serve in the Temple. Both Jesus Christ and John the Baptist began their ministries at the age of 30
. Thus,
30
symbolizes vessels that are ready to be used for the ministry work of the Lord.
There is an important concept in evaluating antiques and antiquities known as "provenance." What exactly is provenance? Provenance is the concept by which items, even those that may ordinarily be considered seemingly worthless, become a valuable treasure through association with history or a famous person. The item gains luster or value, over and above its inherent value, because of this association. Collectors want to know if an item was ever touched by a great man or woman or used in an important historical context.
Michael Flanagan, a Baltimore dealer of antique American furniture and one of the appraisers on the popular ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, has this to say about the concept of Provenance:
"Provenance is important because objects are almost never singular, Provenance separates the special, almost sacred objects of the past from the ordinary ones."
He describes provenance as an object's "itinerary through time." For instance, pens and inkwells from the 1860's may be readily found, but the exact one used by Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation is on display in the Massachusetts Historical Society. It is of inestimable value.
The Bible has a similar concept. God has created all of us as potential vessels for use in His Kingdom. We can choose to live our lives in a very ordinary, non-descript manner OR we can align ourselves and our lives with Christ and gain His luster.
When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? ~Romans 9:21 (New Living Translation)
I think Mary Magdalene is a prime example of someone who started out very ordinary but ended up with great "provenance" due to her association with Christ. Was she the Woman caught in the act of adultery? While the Bible does not specifically state this, many theologians believe this may have been Mary Magdalene. Mary may have also been the woman depicted in the Bible who anointed Jesus with precious perfume oils.
When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, He would know who is touching Him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."
~ Luke 7:39
He knew. She was a "crackpot", an earthen jug, discarded by society. Possibly she was the woman caught in adultery. Other theories postulate that Mary was the daughter of the Gentile woman who only asked Jesus for "the crumbs under the table" like a dog. Like a dog, she was content to be at the feet of the Master. Jesus had mercy on her and cast a demon out of her daughter
.
She loved much because she was forgiven much. Scripture tells us that Mary Magdalene ultimately had seven demons cast out of her (Mark 16:9). I think this number was also highly significant as there are Seven Deadly Sins. In order to be a follower of Christ, we need to have these sins expunged from us. Her face down posture at Jesus' feet is reminiscent of repentance prostration.
She became an "Apostle to the Apostles." She was the very first person to witness Jesus' resurrection and then commissioned by the Lord Himself to go and spread the Good News. What an incredible honor! Yet when she went to embrace Jesus, He said "Don't cling to me." It's similar to the word "cleave" or in a modern translation "Don't touch me."
"Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'"
~John 20:17
At first, this Bible story always bothered me. Why did Jesus tell Mary Magdalene not to touch Him yet in the very next scene we see Thomas sticking his hands and fingers all over Jesus?
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe."
~John 20:27
Obviously, something deeper, much deeper is going on here. Mary Magdalene is a shadow-type of the True & Faithful Church which is always depicted as a woman in Bible revelatory knowledge. She literally followed Jesus to the Grave (Cross and Tomb) and BACK (Resurrection). She remained a "loyal dog" even when everyone else, including the disciples, scattered like lost sheep. She was clearly a favored, close companion of Christ.
Now, I'm not going off into some wacky DaVinci code apostasy or blasphemy claiming she was married to Jesus. Yet, the Devil always has a seed of Truth when he spreads his blasphemous lies. I believe that Mary Magdalene was the first flesh and blood representative of the Bride of Christ in the New Testament. As such, she, as the very first representative of the gospel-preaching Church, was symbolically betrothed to Jesus.
As the first flesh and blood representative of the Bride of Christ, Jesus had very good reason for saying "Don't cling to Me yet." It was not yet time for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It is reminiscent of His comment to His mother Mary:
And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."
~ John 2:4
He had not ascended yet, and like any good Jewish husband, He needed to first go and prepare a place for His Bride which is shown in a shadow-type through Jewish wedding customs.
Thomas, on the other hand (pun intended), was a doubter. Doubters poke their hands or pierce Christ's Body (heart). This too describes the Church...the unbelieving Church. Jesus admonished Thomas that he had lost out on an important blessing due to his unbelief:
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
~ John 20:29
The "wedding night" is coming soon. Soon Mary (aka the Bride of Christ) will get her fondest desire...to join with Christ in an ecstatic union. Some will be like Mary Magdalene the Bride, those invited to finally cleave in this ecstatic union. Some will be guests, heavenly witnesses to this ecstatic union. Sadly, others will be locked out of the party, weeping, wailing and gnashing their teeth.
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the Kingdom of God."
~ Luke 13:28-29
Interestingly, the relic bones of Mary Magdalene are believed to reside in a small Benedictine Chapel in the South of France. They are treasured possessions there. The location you may ask? The region known as Provence. It is comprised of the same Latin Root as...
Provenance.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
~ 2 Corinthians 4:7
Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
~ Psalm 68:13
