Mystery and intrigue have surrounded the maiden from Magdala. Many have believed her to be . . .

Jesus’s wife . . . and . . . or . . .

The chief of the apostles . . . and . . . or . . .

An unfortunate victim of a male power play in early Church politics . . . and . . . or

A converted prostitute.

Take your pick. Mix and match. The probability is that you, like most, will fail to decipher the mystery if you rely upon sensational articles that have grabbed headlines and sold millions of books in our lifetime. Yet, since the Gospels were written, never have so many believed so much about one person with so little evidence!