Mary Magdalene

This might be a controversial one...
Who really was Mary Magdalene?
Biblically... Per Luke 8:1-3 Mary was the woman that Jesus sent seven demons out of. She, along with some other women, financially supported the ministry of Jesus and the disciples. It is also stated in all four of gospels that Mary Magdalene was at the cross when Jesus was crucified. It is stated that she went to the tomb the next morning to anoint the body of Christ with oils and spices and He was gone. She is the first person He appeared to. She tried to hug Him and He told her that she couldn't touch His body because He had not yet ascended to the Father. He told her to go tell the disciples that He has risen. That is what we know from the bible that we read.
Here is where the controversy could start. This is a woman that was with Jesus and the disciples much of the time. If you look closely at the picture done of the Lord's supper, the person next to Jesus, with the red on, appears to be a woman. Of course this could be just the artist's interpretation. And from my personal viewpoint, that woman looks as though she could be pregnant. That is just my opinion. When the bible was being put together, religious leaders were very selective in what they put into our bible. Their reasons might have been pure. Part of the reason stated is so that people do not have doubt in their faith. Part of the reason may have been to lead people in the way they 'see'. There are many other ancient manuscripts that can be read and much of them agree with our bible.
Mary Magdalene wrote such a manuscript and some of it was burned so that you cannot determine what is really said. I have read what is in this manuscript, or what is left of it. Some of it is conversation between her and Jesus before He ascended. Basically in this writing all that is said that He told her was to go and teach the teachings that He had taught them. Teaching people about God and teaching that Jesus was the Messiah. Peter was angry with her and told her that Jesus would not have appeared first to a mere woman and that He would not have told her to go tell the good news because she was a woman. That right there doesn't sound all that far fetched to me.
Now there are also writings stating that Mary and Jesus were married. There is supposedly documentation of a daughter born and that Mary Magdalene and Jesus are the parents. There is no biblical basis for this story or this belief. There are churches that are said to have ancient documentation of these things. People sometimes have a hard time believing this story to be possible. Somehow they feel it would make Jesus sinful. I am not really understanding that idea. Why would Jesus being married and having a child with his wife make him sinful? I think it might be the catholics that are against this as they also feel that priests are to be celibate. (we can see where that is getting them...) I don't know if any of this is true or if it is folklore. I don't have a problem with Jesus loving a woman and marrying her. I don't have a problem with him having a child. I don't think any of those things make Him wrong or less pure. If anything, that would be a sign to me that God really does not desire for any of us to be alone. The thing that makes that story somewhat believable to me is that she was at the tomb to anoint him. It is written that in those days the only one that could have gone to the tomb would have been the next of kin. Which would be the wife. Or the mother. If she saw Jesus first, then what would have made them let her into the tomb?
The thing that bothers me is that He told her to go and tell the story. Some people feel that is a basis for women to being called into ministry/preaching. I have a problem with that. I am not telling you that I am right, only that scripture tells me that women are not to be in a position of authority. I believe there are women who are called to evangelize and to teach. I just don't hear the whole pastor thing. Again, I am not saying I am right. I am just saying this is what I read biblically. Women tend to make emotional decisions, myself included and that can sometimes cause problems if you are in a position of authority.
One thing is certain. Mary Magdalene was a servant of Jesus. She put her money where her heart was, into His ministry. There is nothing written anywhere that would lead you to believe that she was not a good woman, a Christian woman.