Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as The Heart of a King, Star of Persia: Esther’s Story, Miriam’s Song, The Prince and the Prodigal, Daughter of Eden, and The Ark and the Dove. Her research has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in biblical times. Jill lives with her family in Michigan.
In this interview, Jill talks about her latest novel, Dawn of Grace.
FF: What inspired you to write about Mary Magdalene’s story?
I wanted to explore women in the New Testament, and her story is one that is well known but also very misunderstood.
FF: How did you approach researching the historical and cultural context of Mary’s time?
I searched for books and online resources about Mary Magdalene as well as life in the time of Christ. I spent a lot of time trying to mesh the four Gospels into a plausible timeline that included only the things I think Mary might have witnessed. If something was in Scripture but she would not have been included—as when Jesus was alone with the Twelve—I sometimes alluded to such times without her eyewitness account. Understanding the time of Christ, the religious ruling class, the Roman occupation, and the expectations the people had for a Messiah were crucial parts of research. I also did a fair amount of study about demon possession, which led me to books and a movie that depicted it pretty well. I also spoke to a man (and read his book) who had the experience of casting out demons. Scary stuff!
FF: What was the most challenging aspect of reimagining Mary Magdalene’s internal journey?
I wrote her story in first person, and the hardest parts were trying to imagine when and how she became demon possessed and what that was like, as well as where she got her wealth. The Bible tells us that she was one of several women who supported Jesus from their means. But imagining what it was like to have demons possess her was kind of creepy.
FF: Your story emphasizes Mary’s fear of returning to her former state. How does this theme resonate with modern readers?
I have never personally known anyone who was demon possessed. I do know a number of people who have suffered with mental illness, though that is not the same. Still, both issues can mess with your thoughts, particularly if a person hears voices or is easily terrified or paranoid. I think in our world today we are far more aware of evil than ever before, and if we lived with such suffering for years and suddenly found we were free, we might worry just a little bit that it might not stick.
Some people who come to faith in Jesus are immediately transformed and never doubt. Others find doubt very easy to give in to, such as “doubting Thomas.” But to take it a step further, how many believers struggle with anxiety or fear? Jesus tells us not to fear. “Fear not” is a common phrase in the Bible, and yet why would God need to tell us that if fear wasn’t something we often face? Courage, especially spiritual courage, does not come naturally. Fearing that we might fall back into the same things God delivered us from is definitely relevant to us today. Even the apostle Paul said that he did the things he didn’t want to do and didn’t do what he knew he should. We are all works in progress as we grow in our faith in the Lord.
FF: How do you balance historical accuracy with creative storytelling in your biblical fiction?
In all of my biblical novels, I make it a point not to tamper with or change what happened. In Mary’s case, we know certain things are true both historically and biblically, such as Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. We also know that Rome occupied the promised land and who the Roman rulers were at the time of Christ. We know some of the names of the religious leaders and the part they played in Jesus’ life and death. I don’t change those things. I also don’t change things that the Gospels said took place, like miracles or specific things Jesus said.
That said, I did have to put words in Jesus’ mouth for this to work as a story. I took great care to have Him say things He might have said elsewhere in Scripture, or things that were respectful as He interacted with his disciples, both male and female. I also changed when He said some things. I suspect that Jesus repeated some stories and statements more than once.
I placed the people who are in Scripture in the story and added a few lesser-known characters, like Matthias and Joseph Justus, who are named in Acts as having been with the disciples throughout their journey with Jesus. I also developed the characters of the women who followed Jesus, like Susanna, Joanna, and Mary, the wife of Clopas. I added fictional side characters where needed to give Mary Magdalene a complete picture of her life. It was a challenge, but satisfying when it finally came together.
FF: How does Mary’s story in your novel differ from traditional interpretations?
In ancient tradition, there is debate that Mary Magdalene was the penitent sinner who anointed Jesus’ feet, as did Mary of Bethany. Pope Saint Gregory concluded that these three women were the same, as did others before and after him. In the movie The Da Vinci Code, Mary Magdalene is considered the wife of Jesus, the mother of his child, one of the apostles at the Last Supper, Jesus’ prophetic successor, and a priestess. None of this heretical pseudo scholarship has any place in the Holy Scriptures.
The one tradition that seems to be what people most think true of Mary is that she was a prostitute. If you think of her as the penitent woman, you might draw that conclusion. However, the Bible never tells us what that woman is repentant of. She is simply called “a sinner.” But the Bible also doesn’t tell us her name, and I see no reason to think that she, Mary of Bethany, and Mary Magdalene are one and the same person. If they were, why list them differently?
In my novel, I follow what Scripture actually says of Mary. She was one out of whom Jesus cast seven demons, and she followed Him, supported Him, and stayed with Him all the way to the tomb. She was devoted to Him after He set her free from demon possession. That is the story I attempted to show.
FF: The book touches on themes of faith, fear, and love. How do you see these themes interacting in Mary’s story?
Mary starts her life already suffering hardship in the loss of her mother at her birth. Her father is distant, and her best friend entices her to a life of idol worship and the power of demons. Mary has no idea what she is truly getting into when she invites demons into her life, and she lives for years in what could only be described as hell on earth. She sees no escape. Until she meets Jesus.
Once He heals Mary and sets her free, faith blooms within her, and her love for Jesus is greater than her love for anyone else. Hers is almost a possessive love because it’s coupled with the fear of being away from Him or losing Him as she’s lost several others in her past. She sees a link between her freedom from the demons and Jesus and fears that if He leaves her, she could be easy prey for the demons again.
Eventually, she comes to truly trust what Jesus tells her, but it takes her to the point of losing Him physically to regain Him forever. She moves from fear to faith to fearful faith to loving trust—something I think we all face from time to time.
FF: As a bestselling author of biblical fiction, what do you think draws readers to these stories?
The Bible is the bestselling book of all time for a reason. It holds the very words of God, and the people He immortalized there fascinate us. I think part of the reason for that fascination is their very human flaws that God does not hide from us. The people in the Bible draw us to seek God, and they show us that even when we fail, as they did, God will not abandon us. He only asks us to love and trust Him. When we do that—love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength—we come to know Him. The stories He has given us to teach us become part of us. I think there is a yearning in the hearts of all of us for more than what we can see with human eyes. We long for the One who made us, and these stories point to Him.
FF: What are you working on next?
The story of the woman at the well.
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Dawn of Grace
Jill Eileen Smith
Revell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: February 18, 2025
ISBN-10: 0800744799
ISBN-13: 978-0800744793
Book Summary:
From her earliest days, Mary Magdalene battled fear and loss. Bound by the demons within her, she is incapable of freeing herself—until the day she encounters a healer, a rabbi whose philosophies and teachings are radically different from the religious rulers of her day. One touch from Jesus and Mary’s life is never the same.
Mary is determined to serve the one who freed her from bondage. When her savior is captured and executed, she is on the brink of despair. But she is about to discover that while the life of faith is never perfect, perfect love casts out fear—and Jesus makes all things new.
Dawn of Grace is a tale of redemption, unconditional love, and the power of faith to overcome our deepest fears. This biblical narrative reveals that hope can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.
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