The Thirteenth Disciple: The Life of Mary Magdalene [Paperback]

Gordon Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

"She was the vivacious, high-priced hooker who fell for Jesus. And Jesus love her in return."

The Thirteenth Disciple is the first full-length biography for thirteen centuries of the woman who loved Jesus. The closest of Jesus' followers, the name of Mary Magdalene conjures images of a woman both passionate and devoted, both sinner and saint. Speculation, often wild and lurid, about the exact nature of her relationship with Jesus has filled volumes. Detailed research and informed speculation offer a vivid and compelling account of her life. Thomas brings all his writing skill and investigative experience to bear on the gospel narratives, and the archaeology and anthropology of first-century Palestine, in creating this compelling and vivid narrative.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A vivid narrative, and the archaeology and anthropology of 1st century Palestine, portray the life Mary Magdalene..." -- Peter's Way, Oxford, UK

"One can almost smell the cattle in the market place, taste the simple and unappetizing food..." -- Manchester Evening News, U.K. - Mick Middles:

...a tribute to one of the more controversial characters who was a part of Christ's life, Mary Magdalene. -- The Irish Times, Dublin

Eunice Irvine: "THE THIRTEENTH DISCIPLE brings (Gordon Thomas's feminist sympathies)churning to the surface with relevant quotes and striking allusions." -- Methodist Recorder, U.K.

From the Publisher

"At the risk of paraphrasing Paul Simon, one can almost smell the cattle in the market place, taste the simple and unappetizing food, sense the power of the ignorance and bigotry that surrounded this story. (Some things, alas, never change.) Inside all this is Mary. Thomas sees her as a strong, vivacious character, stretching herself dangerously beyond the traditions that her society allowed a woman of her time."

"Thomas is hardly offering an anarchic vision here - this is no Last Temptation of Christ - he is refreshingly unbound by the chains of doctrine. This is basically a portrait of a woman, a whore, a lover, a saint and evocation of the extraordinary times she lived in."

Best selling author Gordon Thomas has created a brand new dramatization based on one of the most controversial relationships in history - that of Mary Magdalene with Jesus Christ.

The story surrounds Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, who repented her sins by washing the feet of Jesus with her tears. He forgave her and they went on to form a special relationship which led to Mary being the first to see Jesus on the day of his resurrection.

The biography of Magdalene is the first to be published for more than a thousand years. This is due to the Church's long silence concerning the saint who became a feminist icon. The book questions ancient prejudices that have condemned women as second-class Christians. It also tells of how Mary Magdalene became one of Jesus' followers - and how she was a direct challenge to the patriarchal society into which Jesus had been born. To Jesus himself, women were persons in their own right, to be treated as equals. However, Thomas asserts that Christians have used Magdalene's early career as a prostitute to exercise control over women throughout the ages.

The story has also caused a stir in the movie world. German's leading producer/director, Martin Lettmayer has snapped up the film rights for a six-figure sum, said to represent a new record for factual religious publishing. He has ensured that an advance copy is already on the desk of Hollywood star, Patricia Arquette. Lettmayer has plans for a multi-million pound movie with Arquette as the controversial Magdalene as he believes that she has the right look for a Mediterranean working girl of Magdalene's age.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Dandelion Enterprises (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893302172
• ISBN-13: 978-1893302174
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,623,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gordon Thomas is a political and investigative journalist and the author of 53 books, published in more than 30 countries and in dozens of languages. The total sales of his works exceed 45 million copies.

Thomas' most recent bestseller is Gideon's Spies: Mossad's Secret Warriors. Published in 16 languages and 40 countries Gideon's Spies is known throughout the world as the leading resource on Israeli intelligence. An updated edition will be published in 2012 by St. Martin's Press. Gideon's Spies was made into a major documentary for Channel Four in Britain, which Thomas wrote and narrated, called The Spy Machine. The Observer called The Spy Machine a "clear" picture of Israeli intelligence operations, and The Times called it "impressive," and "chilling."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mary Magdalene, prostitute with depth, October 7, 2008

By 

Rebecca J. Reed "warrior student struggling f... (Hamilton and Anaconda, MT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Thirteenth Disciple: The Life of Mary Magdalene (Paperback)

The Thirteenth Disciple, The Life of Mary Magdalene - Gordon Thomas

A most learned presentation of ideas regarding the importance of Mary Magdalene in the Scriptures, The Thirteenth Disciple, offers an erudite approach to be enjoyed from the comfort of one's armchair. Gordon Thomas espouses the concept that Mary Magdalene as the thirteenth disciple brings intuition and a depth of spirituality into Christianity that cannot be found within the patriarchal church - both in those times and today. Mary Magdalene represents the ultimate change in status from the wanton who becomes a saint.

Whether she exists in one person or as some believe her to be, an amalgam of unrelated episodes dealing with women in earlier Judaic tradition, the Christ persona treats her with respect and His attitude toward women comes across in accepting them as persons in their own right, to be treated as equals and allowed a place at His side. As the fallen woman, Christ first revealed Himself to her following the crucifixion. This highlighted the importance that repentance came not only from renouncing sin, but by turning to God. Her life serves as a parable of the best of Christian reality.

Thomas brings the characters within the last days of Christ in physical form to life in this most interesting thesis about the role of faith in life, choice, and working toward a future - despite social reluctance to accept the role of women. He fleshes out the presence of Mary Magdalene with astute evaluations derived from knowledge of the time period. With the life span being approximately 40 years, Mary Magdalene must have been a relatively young prostitute. Her complexion would most probably have been olive in color with brown eyes as she came from Galilee. The wealth attributed to her also implies that she must have been attractive to be successful in her work arena. Her personality reveals a woman with a strong will, determination, possessed of considerable insight, and yielding an indomitable faith.

The work reminds us that forgiveness is the ultimate loving and that Mary Magdalene taught the disciples of Christ the meaning of faith. Patriarchy does not have God on its side as evidenced in the New Testament which promulgates salvation though love and redemption. It is clear that this major player of the period has great importance today. Within the Christian faith, women have been subtly denigrated for almost two thousand years. And yet, Christ chose a woman, this woman, whose salvation epitomized the deepest tenets of Christianity. "She provides every woman a chance to liberate herself from the constraints man continues to impose on the feminine role in Christian worship. The woman of Magdala could have asked for no more, or wished for no less."