it s a very open kind of movement and included women who a lot of the time might have felt themselves somewhat marginalized. being with jesus gave them identity and self-worth in a way that they often didn t find in ordinary society. mary magdalene seems atypical of a jewish woman for her time. most would have been in some kind of a domestic setting, either as a daughter or a mother or a wife. but to be out in the wilderness with a preacher with a name that does not link her to any man is unusual. but in the case of mary, it seems her role goes well beyond that of a simple spiritual follower. one of the things that mary brought to the jesus money was that she had money, she had resources.