What does "Magdalene" mean?

[Medicine*Woman]

*************
M*W: I looked up the translation of "Mag-da-lene" to see if it had a spiritual connotation, and lo and behold, it does. See below:

Mag (as in Magi, Magic, Magician) means "wise" or "full of wisdom"

de (from, of)

lene (inspiration of spirit, breath of inspiration, blessed spiritual state)

So, the name/title Magdalene means "wise woman of inspired spiritual state."

Names were titles and titles were names that had secret meanings.

Comments?

 

[MagiAwen]

Hmmm........

Similar to MagiAwen



For some reason I always thought it meant something like high tower...or similar.

 

[Medicine*Woman]

MagiAwen: Hmmm........ Similar to MagiAwen

For some reason I always thought it meant something like high tower...or similar.
*************
M*W: Yes, the name Magdala means "tower." Some scholars have related it to "castle." I've read where "Magi," or "Mag" is the root word for magic or secret knowledge, which would explain MM's name. Bethany is on the seacoast. MM was from Bethany. The "tower" as I see it was some sort of lighthouse in Bethany. Mary, Mery, Miriam, and Mer are the sea. A lighthouse by the sea. Was MM a beacon to sailors or ships or fishermen or fishers of men? Mary Magdalene wasn't simply a name, it was a title. "Mary" has been known to be "bitter woman," "independent woman," or "woman of independent means." "Mary" is also the title of the vestal virgins/temple prostitutes. "Prostitute" in those days doesn't mean what it does now. "Prostitute" was like a wise woman, a woman in service to the temple, a healer and educator. The Marys of the bible were influential women who were held in high esteem. The scripture about Jesus exorcising seven demons out of MM was just another story that meant something entirely different from the way it has been written. I believe the seven devils were the seven seas (mers). Of course, all life sprang from the seas. In another post, I related "de-mon" meaning "of the world." Could those seven demons mean the seven deadly sins of the world? In any event, MM was no harlot or whore. She was the Beloved Apostle and Jesus' bride. I believe MM was the greatest influence on Jesus' life.

 

[everneo]

..."Prostitute" in those days doesn't mean what it does now. "Prostitute" was like a wise woman, a woman in service to the temple, a healer and educator. ...
..MM was no harlot or whore...

What ever you say, Me-Dic-i-neW-o-Man.

 

[TheERK]

Your interpretations, while creative, are wrong.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Magdalene

That's all it means.

 

[Silas]

Mag for Magic and Magi equalling "wise" is a Latin root. Same for de or da meaning "of". Not likely for a Judaean woman.

Incidentally the two Magdalen(e) colleges at respectively Oxford and Cambridge are both pronounced "maudlin".

M*W I've seen your intelligent debunking of religion and other elements of irrationality, but when you say, 'I've read where "Magi," or "Mag" is the root word for magic or secret knowledge, which would explain MM's name.' you seem to be heading down dangerously irrational paths. Even without knowing that Magdalene is not derived from Magi, there simply is no logical connection. A name is a name. Without additional evidence how can you say that Magi being the root word for magic or secret knowledge explains Magdalene's name?

This is precisely the area where astrology (and other pseudosciences such as graphology and psychoanalysis) are derived from. Tauruses like me are suppoesd to be macho and bullish because the symbol is a bull. This is not evidence.

 

[Leo Volont]

Dear Medicine Woman,

Have you read any Anne Catherine Emmerich, the Catholic Seer and Visionary. She spoke extensively about Mary Magdalene. She was named for the Estate that she inhereted. She was not entirely Jewish. Her mother may have been Jewish, but her father was one of the Macedonian Generals that had fought to consolidate Judah into the Selucid Alexandrian Empire. His properties made him one of the wealthiest men in Judah. When he died the property was divided up between Martha, Lazarus and Mary Magdelene -- his children. Mary M was the youngest and was quite the wild child. There had been a fourth sibling, another Mary whom them called Silent Mary. She was crazy in an other worldly kind of way. The only person who could have a conversation with her was Jesus, but they would not speak of worldly things. Toward the end of Christ's Ministry, Silent Mary sensed, or foresaw, the violence and the hatred in Christ's way, and she was so distrought by it that she could no longer eat or sleep and she died from what could be termed a 'broken heart'.

Lazarus had funded the Ministry. Martha had arranged a network of hospices throughout Juda to house and support the traveling Apostotles and Disciples. People think that Jesus was advocating a strict poverty by telling the disciples to travel very lightly, when actually it was against the backdrop of the disciples going to where they would always be provided for by Martha's Hospices.

 

[Medicine*Woman]

everneo: What ever you say, Me-Dic-i-neW-o-Man.
*************
M*W: Back atcha e-ver-ne-o.

 

[Medicine*Woman]

Silas: Mag for Magic and Magi equalling "wise" is a Latin root. Same for de or da meaning "of". Not likely for a Judaean woman.
*************
M*W: Wow! I just answered your post and it disappeared! I'll try to capture my previous post.

"Mag" is a root word, but so are "Magi-Magus-Maga-Magna-Magma-Magellan-Magenta-Magnet-Magnificat-Magnolia-Magnum-Magritte-Simon Magus."

Let's take a look at the root word "mag."

1) magus "member of the ancient Persian priestly caste," c.1384, singular of magi (q.v.)."

2) simony-magus "c.1225, "the buying or selling of sacred things," from O.Fr. simonie, from L.L. simonia, from Simon Magus, the Samaritan magician who was rebuked by Peter when he tried to buy the power of confering the Holy Spirit (Acts viii:18-20)."

3) magi "c.1200, from L. magi, pl. of magus, from Gk. magos, word used for the Persian learned and priestly class as portrayed in the Bible (said by ancient historians to have been originally the name of a Median tribe), from O.Pers. magush "magician" (see magic)."

4) magna cum laude "1900, from L., lit. "with great praise."
magna mater"

5) "fertility goddess," 1728, from L., lit. "great mother."

6) Magna Carta "1568, from M.L., lit. "great charter" (of English personal and political liberty), attested in Anglo-L. from 1279, obtained from King John, June 15, 1215."

7) magnet "c.1440 (earlier magnes, 1398), from L. magnetum (nom. magnes) "lodestone," from Gk. ho Magnes lithos "the Magnesian stone," from Magnesia, region in Thessaly where magnetized ore was obtained. Spread from L. to most W. European languages (cf. Ger., Dan. magnet, Du. magneet, It., Sp., Port. magnete), but superseded in Fr. by aimant. Magnetism "personal charm" is from 1655; in the hypnotic sense it is from Mesmer (see mesmerize)."

8) Magnificat "c.1200, from L. third pers. sing. of magnificare (see magnificence), from first words of the Virgin's hymn (Luke i.46, in Vulgate Magnificat anima mea dominum "My soul doth magnify the Lord") used as a canticle."

9) magnesia "c.1386, in alchemy, "main ingredient of the philosopher's stone," from M.L. magnesia, from Gk. (he) Magnesia (lithos) "the lodestone," lit. "(the) Magnesian (stone)," from Magnesia, region in Thessaly. Perhaps manganese is meant. Connection with magnet is obscure. Main modern sense of "magnesium oxide" (1755) is perhaps an independent formation from L. magnes carneus "flesh-magnet" (c.1550), so called because it adheres strongly to the lips."

9) magnum "1788, "bottle containing two quarts of wine or spirits," from L. magnum, neut. of magnus "great" (see magnate). Registered 1935 by Smith & Wesson Inc., of Springfield, Mass., as the name of a powerful type of handgun. Magnum opus "masterpiece," is from L., lit. "great work."

10) maiden "O.E. mæden, mægden, dim. of mægð, mægeð "maid," from P.Gmc. *magadinom "young womanhood, sexually inexperienced female" (cf. O.S. magath, O.Fris. maged, O.H.G. magad, Ger. Magd "maid, maidservant," Ger. Mädchen "girl, maid," from Mägdchen "little maid"), fem. variant of PIE base"

11) *maghu "youngster of either sex, unmarried person" (cf. O.E. magu "child, son," Avestan magava- "unmarried," O.Ir. maug "slave"). Figurative sense of "new fresh, first" (cf. maiden voyage) first recorded 1555. For maidenhead (c.1300) see godhead."

12) magic (n.) "c.1384, "art of influencing events and producing marvels," from O.Fr. magique, from L. magice "sorcery, magic," from Gk. magike (presumably with tekhne "art"), fem. of magikos "magical," from magos "one of the members of the learned and priestly class," from O.Pers. magush, possibly from PIE *magh- "to be able, to have power" (see machine). Displaced O.E. wiccecræft (see witch); also drycræft, from dry "magician," from Ir. drui "priest, magician" (see druid). Transferred sense of "legerdemain, optical illusion, etc." is from 1811. Magic carpet first attested 1909. Magic lantern "optical instrument whereby a magnified image is thrown upon a wall or screen" is 1696, from Mod.L. laterna magica.

13) magma "c.1420, "dregs," from L. magma "dregs of an ointment," from Gk. magma "an ointment," from root of massein "to knead, mold," from PIE *mag- "kneading" (see macerate). Geological meaning "molten rock" is 1865."

The list goes on and on...
*************
Silas: Incidentally the two Magdalen(e) colleges at respectively Oxford and Cambridge are both pronounced "maudlin".
*************
M*W: Yes, this is correct.
*************
Silas: M*W I've seen your intelligent debunking of religion and other elements of irrationality, but when you say, 'I've read where "Magi," or "Mag" is the root word for magic or secret knowledge, which would explain MM's name.' you seem to be heading down dangerously irrational paths. Even without knowing that Magdalene is not derived from Magi, there simply is no logical connection. A name is a name. Without additional evidence how can you say that Magi being the root word for magic or secret knowledge explains Magdalene's name?
*************
M*W: Debunking religion is my greatest pass-time. What may seem "irrational" to you, may seem quite "rational" to others who have no fear of recrimination from the religionists. That "irrational path" you mention has been used by great leaders, scientists, archeologists, as well as those of us who know exactly where the "irrational path" leads -- to the truth.
*************
Silas: This is precisely the area where astrology (and other pseudosciences such as graphology and psychoanalysis) are derived from. Tauruses like me are suppoesd to be macho and bullish because the symbol is a bull. This is not evidence.
*************
M*W: Nor did I claim to have the evidence when I wrote this post, but I believe anyone who reads the 13 definitions above would conclude that the root word "Mag" is most definitely the root word meaning "magi-magick-magical-etc.... including the title of "Magdalene."

 

[Medicine*Woman]

*************
M*W: We shall save the word "ar-mag-ed-don" for another day.

 

[TheERK]

M*W, could you please learn how to use the quote feature? It would make your posts more legible.

 

[Silas]

M*W: Nor did I claim to have the evidence when I wrote this post, but I believe anyone who reads the 13 definitions above would conclude that the root word "Mag" is most definitely the root word meaning "magi-magick-magical-etc.... including the title of "Magdalene."

In fact I believe that anyone who read those 14 definitions (you counted 9 twice, btw) would not conclude that Magdelene "most definitely" comes from mag meaning magical.

Let's boil down those definitions:

1) magus - from Persian for magic
2) simony-magus - from Persian for magic
3) magi - from the Persian for magic
4) magna cum laude - from Latin for great
5) Don't know what word you were referring to, but clearly from Latin for great.
6) Magna Carta - from Latin for great
7) magnet - from Magnesia in Thessaly, a place name.
8) Magnificat - from Latin for great.
9) magnesia - from Magnesia in Thessaly, a place name.
10) magnum - from Latin for great.
11) maiden - from old Germanic languages meaning young girl.
12) *maghu - see above.
13) magic - from Persian for magic
14) magma - from Greek for ointment.

magic (old Persian) - 4 definitions.
great (Latin) - 5 definitions
Magnesia in Thessaly, where the first lodestones were found - 2 definitions
young girl or virgin (Old Germanic)- 2 definitions
ointment (Greek)- 1 definition

Now, Magdalene comes from Magdala, another place name. And what is the origin of Magdala? Magic? Greatness? Virginity? Something else entirely? The case for "Magdalene is derived from magic" is just not proved from what you've said here.

(Armageddon is another place name, Megiddo.)

M*W: Debunking religion is my greatest pass-time. What may seem "irrational" to you, may seem quite "rational" to others who have no fear of recrimination from the religionists.

This sounds like you're accusing me of being a believer or theist. Or that my beliefs are derived from some kind of fear of religionists?? What I see as irrational only seems rational to people who do not have a skeptical turn of thought.

That "irrational path" you mention has been used by great leaders, scientists, archeologists, as well as those of us who know exactly where the "irrational path" leads -- to the truth.

I'm not sure what you are talking about here. True, some great leaders, like Ronald Reagan, have used astrology. Business leaders use graphology. As Isaac Asimov or Carl Sagan would put it, the Armies of the Night are all around us and some of them are in positions of authority, like the Tennesseean legislators who continually wish to outlaw the teaching of evolution (so that as Bill Bryson put it, "The problem for Tennesseeans is not that they may be evolved from apes, but that they may be overtaken by them.") Appeals to authority are pointless when talking to me - see <a href="http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=41138">Russell's Liberal Decalogue</a>.

 

[Silas]

M*W, could you please learn how to use the quote feature? It would make your posts more legible.

M*W has over a thousand posts to her name, you think she doesn't know how to use the quote feature? I use it, but it's the worst forum quote system I've ever seen. Cited quotes are italicised in tiny letters - making them almost illegible, and if you press the "Reply" button to auto-quote a post, quotes within that quote are deleted, even though the system quite easily handles

quotes

within quotes

if you want it to. The whole quoting system needs rewriting imv, and I'm happy to read M*W's posts any way she wants to post them.

 

[WildBlueYonder]

*************
M*W: I looked up the translation of "Mag-da-lene" to see if it had a spiritual connotation, and lo and behold, it does. See below:

Mag (as in Magi, Magic, Magician) means "wise" or "full of wisdom"

de (from, of)

lene (inspiration of spirit, breath of inspiration, blessed spiritual state)

So, the name/title Magdalene means "wise woman of inspired spiritual state."

Names were titles and titles were names that had secret meanings.

Comments?

In what languages? Name names, what are the sources, you know that I don't trust you to get anything right, so at least be ready, otherwise. I'll think you made it up again, lying story-teller that you are
Why did you split most of the name into syllables, but not “lene”? why use the spanish, italian "da", for one syllable & whatever else for the rest?

why are you such a poor scholar, you are weak, biased, illogical

http://www.magdalene.org/faq.htm

Others tend to interpret the root of the word, "magdala," or "magdal" or "migdal" to "tower" or "fortress," and base the meaning of the name on the word rather than the town.

Mag=http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Magi
da=http://www.scuolaleonardo.com/
lene=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Lene

From:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig4/colalillo1.html

When words lose their meaning, people lose their freedom.
We do not often think of these two statements as reasons to study Latin, but they should at least be considered. The widespread misuse of words is a sign that a tyrant is manipulating the language. Orwell says, eventually language "becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thought." A tyrant wants nothing more than the sheep-like masses to readily accept foolish ideas.
When the meaning of a word is divorced from reality, it becomes meaningless, and the language decays. One way to spot corruption in language is to use the habit, which every Latin student learns and keeps with him, even after he has forgotten the endings of every declension. He cannot break the habit of asking, "What does this word mean? How is it being used?"

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Magdala

Magdala ("tower") a small village, apparently in Galilee (Hebrew הגליל, meaning circuit, is a large area currently in northern Israel,
...
, for it seems to have been the birthplace of Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene, which probably means "Mary of Magdala," a town on the western shore of the Lake of Tiberias, is described in the New Testament as a follower of Jesus. Nothing is known about her outside of Scripture, both in the canon and in the apocrypha. Her feast day is July 22.

 

[WildBlueYonder]

*************
M*W: Yes, the name Magdala means "tower." Some scholars have related it to "castle."

in hebrew, this is correct

I've read where "Magi," or "Mag" is the root word for magic or secret knowledge, which would explain MM's name.

in persian "Magupati," you're begnning to stray in red
http://pedia.nodeworks.com/M/MA/MAG/Magus/,

. Mary, Mery, Miriam, and Mer are the sea. .

as usual, you stray from the truth
Mary =english for maria
maria= latin for sea, latin for the hebrew name miriam
mer=french for sea
miriam=hebrew for bitter

see below:
http://baby-names.adoption.com/search/Miriam.html
http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/encyclopedia/l/lu/lunar_mare.html
http://www.nausicaa.fr/

now, since this was Galilee; Latin, Greek, Persian, Aramaic, Phoenician & Hebrew could all spoken languages there, but most names would have been one or the other, they were not as cosmopolitan as we are, not mismashed parts like "Persian-Latin-French, as in "Mag-da-lene". more like straight translations, or 2 parts, like; Peter or Simon Magnus

 

[WildBlueYonder]

*************
"Mag" is a root word, but so are "Magi-Magus-Maga-Magna-Magma-Magellan-Magenta-Magnet-Magnificat-Magnolia-Magnum-Magritte-Simon Magus."

Let's take a look at the root word "mag."

1) magus "member of the ancient Persian priestly caste," c.1384, singular of magi (q.v.)."

2) simony-magus "c.1225,

your source words are indo-european, Magdala is hebrew (a semitic language)

*************
M*W: Debunking religion is my greatest pass-time. What may seem "irrational" to you, may seem quite "rational" to others who have no fear of recrimination from the religionists. That "irrational path" you mention has been used by great leaders, scientists, archeologists, as well as those of us who know exactly where the "irrational path" leads -- to the truth.
*************

debunking you has now become my favorite pass-time, you're too easy though, you're weak, biased, a slovenly so-called scholar, irrational
oh I'm so bored

*************
M*W: Nor did I claim to have the evidence when I wrote this post, but I believe anyone who reads the 13 definitions above would conclude that the root word "Mag" is most definitely the root word meaning "magi-magick-magical-etc.... including the title of "Magdalene."

why do you use indo-european words for a hebrew name? if she was named in hebrew & latin, it would be something like; " Maria Magnus", or "Maria Gnosis". try not to force your modern western, english thinking, into an ancient milieu, that you are not even familiar with, nor understand

 

[TheERK]

M*W has over a thousand posts to her name, you think she doesn't know how to use the quote feature?

Yes, this is what I think. I have not seen her use it once in her many, many posts.

I use it, but it's the worst forum quote system I've ever seen.

It's not the best, but it's far better than what M*W does.

...if you press the "Reply" button to auto-quote a post, quotes within that quote are deleted

I think you'd agree that this is a good feature if you witnessed a single ongoing thread where this was *not* applied. It's redundant, messy, and a massive waste of space to quote the entire history of exchange. Only once in a while is it necessary to backtrack up two levels rather than one, and in this case you can manually do quote within quote. However, if quote within quote was not deleted, you'd get a huge stack of the last 50 replies if discussion went back and forth for 50 posts.

 

[Medicine*Woman]

TheERK: I have not seen her use it once in her many, many posts.
It's not the best, but it's far better than what M*W does.
I think you'd agree that this is a good feature if you witnessed a single ongoing thread where this was *not* applied. It's redundant, messy, and a massive waste of space to quote the entire history of exchange. Only once in a while is it necessary to backtrack up two levels rather than one, and in this case you can manually do quote within quote. However, if quote within quote was not deleted, you'd get a huge stack of the last 50 replies if discussion went back and forth for 50 posts.
*************
M*W: I use whatever I feel like using. It so happens that I don't like the quote system that sciforums uses, so I have created my own. If you don't like the way I quote, simply don't read what I post. It's that easy!

 

[TheERK]

M*W: I use whatever I feel like using. It so happens that I don't like the quote system that sciforums uses, so I have created my own. If you don't like the way I quote, simply don't read what I post. It's that easy!

Do you post so that you can re-read your own posts, or would you rather that your contribution to the forums be read by other people? Consider: the way you quote isn't exactly the best way to express your style--rather, it's the actual content of posts that matter. I'm sure that most people reading your posts prefer the regular way.

Also, you're not the one how has to put up with manually editing out stuff from two posts ago. For example, I had to edit out my own words when I quoted you for this post.

 

[Medicine*Woman]

TheERK: Do you post so that you can re-read your own posts, or would you rather that your contribution to the forums be read by other people? Consider: the way you quote isn't exactly the best way to express your style--rather, it's the actual content of posts that matter. I'm sure that most people reading your posts prefer the regular way.
*************
M*W: I don't usually re-read my own posts. I try to get the spelling and grammar down the first time. If other people want to read my posts, that's fine. If they don't, that's fine. I like to have my own individual style. I've tried the quoting system, but I didn't like it.
*************
TheERK: Also, you're not the one how has to put up with manually editing out stuff from two posts ago. For example, I had to edit out my own words when I quoted you for this post.
*************
M*W: I try to use good English grammar and punctuation. I edit as I go. I have a problem with poor English, grammar and punctuation. I'd rather not read a post that is sloppy, regardless of the content.