who is the other mary in matthew 28
The “other Mary” in Matthew 28:1 is most widely identified as Mary, the mother of James and Joseph (also called Joses).
Quick facts about her identity
Attribute| Detail
---|---
Biblical reference| Called “the other Mary” in Matthew 28:1; named as
“Mary the mother of James and Joseph” in Matthew 27:56 18
Witness role| She watched Jesus’ crucifixion from a distance 3
Burial witness| She saw where Joseph of Arimathea laid Jesus’ body (Mark
15:47) 1
Resurrection witness| She was one of the first people to see the empty
tomb and hear the angel's message 13
Relationship to Jesus| Most scholars identify her as the mother of Jesus’
brothers James and Joseph, mentioned in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 37
Why Matthew calls her “the other Mary”
Matthew’s Gospel mentions two Marys at the tomb:
- Mary Magdalene – a devoted follower of Jesus, clearly identified by name
- The other Mary – to distinguish her from Mary Magdalene and from Mary, the mother of Jesus
Matthew had already introduced her earlier as “Mary the mother of James and Joseph” (Matthew 27:56), so when he writes “the other Mary” in 27:61 and 28:1, readers can connect the two references.
Significance
- These two women were the first witnesses to the resurrection in Matthew’s account
- Their role highlights Jesus’ “upside-down kingdom” principle: God chooses humble followers (including women, whose testimony was often undervalued culturally) to announce the greatest news
- Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are commissioned by Jesus to tell the disciples He has risen
“God chooses these women—not the Twelve—to be first witnesses… This fulfills Jesus’ upside-down kingdom principle that ‘the last will be first’ (Matthew 20:16).”
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