Matthew twice mentions “the other Mary.” Who is this other woman named Mary?
Since he also mentions Mary Magdalene in those verses, we know it’s not her. It’s also doubtful that he would refer to Jesus’s mother with such a vague reference. It’s also unlikely that she’s Mary the mother of James and Joseph because Matthew mentions that Mary elsewhere in his writings.
A possibility is that “the other Mary” could refer to Mary the wife of Clopas, whom Matthew doesn’t mention. The same applies for Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, or she could be Mary the mother of John Mark.
It’s also possible she’s another Mary altogether.
What we do know is this Mary, along with Mary Magdalene, watches Joseph entomb Jesus. The next day they return to his grave.
Why do we bother to have all these considerations over someone we can’t identify?
“The other Mary” reminds us that sometimes we don’t receive credit for the things we do. Or that our actions may receive only a vague nod. But Jesus knows. That’s what matters.
How willing are we to serve Jesus if no one else were to know what we do?
[Discover more about this Mary in Matthew 27:61 and Matthew 28:1.]
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
