The question is debated, but if one seeks to harmonize all the Gospel accounts, the most coherent solution seems to be that Mary Magdalene left very quickly after seeing that the stone had been rolled away, even before entering the tomb and before hearing the message of the angels.
The clues in John's account
John states:
“On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple...” (John 20.1-2)
It is remarkable that Mary then declares:
“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him” (John 20.2)
At this point, she does not seem to have heard any angelic announcement concerning the resurrection. She simply believes that the body has disappeared.
If she had already heard the angels announce:
“He is not here, for he has risen” (Matthew 28.5-7; Luke 24.5-7)
her reaction as reported by John would be difficult to explain.
The synoptic accounts
Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the women entering the tomb and then receiving the message of the angels:
- (Matthew 28.5-7)
- (Mark 16.5-7)
- (Luke 24.3-8)
Yet none of these texts states that all the women remained together from beginning to end.
Luke even mentions a group made up of several women:
“Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them” (Luke 24.10)
It is therefore possible that Mary Magdalene arrived with this group but separated from the others immediately after seeing the stone moved away.
Mary's return
When Peter and John come to the tomb, Mary accompanies them or follows them. After they leave, she remains alone near the sepulchre:
“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb” (John 20.11)
Only then does she see two angels:
“And she saw two angels in white” (John 20.12)
Then she meets the risen Jesus:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’” (John 20.16)
John therefore clearly presents a vision of the angels that came after her visit with Peter and John.
The most probable reconstruction
- Mary Magdalene arrives with the other women in the vicinity of the tomb (Matthew 28.1; Mark 16.1; Luke 24.1).
- She notes that the stone has already been rolled away (John 20.1).
- Thinking that the body has been taken away, she immediately goes back to tell Peter and John (John 20.2).
- The other women continue their visit, enter the tomb, and receive the message of the angels (Mark 16.5-7; Luke 24.4-8).
- Mary then returns with Peter and John (John 20.3-10).
- After they leave, she sees the angels and then the risen Jesus (John 20.11-18).
Conclusion
The most harmonious reading of the four Gospels leads us to think that Mary Magdalene probably did not hear the first message of the angels addressed to the other women. Having simply noted that the stone had been rolled away, she would have left immediately to tell Peter and John. Only on her return to the tomb would she have seen the angels and then personally met the risen Jesus (John 20.11-18). This hypothesis naturally explains why she continues to believe that the body has disappeared while the other women have already received the announcement of the resurrection.