Mary, The Mother Of Jesus

by K.H. Riley, Wembley | Category: Some Women Of Scripture | Nov 1976

It has been rightly said that Roman Catholicism has put Mary on too high a pedestal whereas non-conformity has given her too low a place. Rome has taught its adherents many dogmas not to be found in the Scriptures, including the Immaculate Conception, Mary's perpetual virginity and her bodily assumption. They have also given her the title of Mother of God and ascribed to her worship and an intercessory function. In revulsion against this the non-established churches have relegated Mary to a lower place than God has given her. It is, therefore, necessary to read afresh what the Scriptures say of her in order to value her aright.

Mary is introduced to us by Matthew and Luke who alone record the circumstances of the birth of the Lord Jesus. Luke "having traced the course of all things accurately from the first", tells us of the Lord's birth from Mary's viewpoint having, in all probability, obtained the information from Mary herself. He tells us of the visit of Gabriel to Mary and records her humble submission to the will of God. It is from Gabriel's words that we have God's assessment of Mary - "highly favoured" (1:28) - "thou hast found favour with God" (1:30). Personally she has found favour and God is now bestowing on her this immense favour, that she should be the mother of the Lord. And the highly favoured one, well knowing that this could mean the end of her natural longing to be the wife of Joseph, or indeed, of any man, assented "Behold the Lord's bondmaid".

Whilst Luke tells us the story from Mary's viewpoint, Matthew tells us the story from Joseph's. This "righteous man" (what a commendation!) was not willing that the girl should be made a public shame but whilst he meditated, the angel of the Lord revealed to him that he was to be the provider for the family into which the Son of God was to be born. The Holy Spirit tells us that this was to fulfil that which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, "Behold the virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son" (Matt. 1:23). Reference to Isaiah (7:14) shows us that the prophet used the term almah - unmarried female - instead of the more commonly used word bethulah -virgin. Much has been written about the choice of words and some have seen the passage as no more than a reference to an unmarried girl or a young wife giving birth to a child and that if the prophet had meant otherwise he would have used bethulah. Joel 1:8, however, speaks of a virgin who had been married and here bethulah is used. It is, therefore, likely that the meaning of the word had changed since its first use in Genesis 24:16 but the context of Isaiah's prophecy makes it clear that the virgin birth was a miracle beyond any sign that they could have asked for, and was nothing so sadly commonplace as an unmarried female giving birth to a child. Ahaz could have asked for a sign from the Lord, "in the depth or in the height above". The sun going backward on the sundial could have been requested, but when he refused to ask, God gave him the sign that was to be fulfilled only once - at the birth of Lord Jesus.

Matthew, presenting the Lord to us as King, gives us as it were His "legal" genealogy in chapter 1 tracing His, claim back to David through Joseph into whose family, Matthew is careful to note, He was born in wedlock (Matt. 1:24,25). Luke, presenting Him as the Son of Man, traces I suggest His "biological" genealogy in chapter 3. Although Mary was a kinswoman of Elizabeth who was of the tribe of Levi, she herself would be of the tribe of Judah as was her husband. This united pair, humble and poor in circumstances - they could only bring the cheapest of the offerings for the sacrifice (Luke 2:24) - regularly went every year to Jerusalem (2:41). Matthew tells us that Joseph "knew her not till she had brought forth a Son" (Matt. 1:25) and later tells us the names of His brothers and that He also had sisters (Matt. 13:55,56). Despite, therefore, being so often in childbearing, Mary regularly made the long, arduous journey to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. Truly the "righteous man" and the "favoured woman" were amongst the few families who, although straitened in circumstances, fulfilled the law of the Lord amidst so much that was formal and lifeless.

After the visit to Jerusalem in the Lord's twelfth year, the Word is silent about the family in Nazareth until the Lord's thirtieth year and during this time it would appear that Joseph has died leaving Mary a widow with at least seven children to care for. Joseph had fulfilled the function for which he had been fitted, and the Lord as the eldest Son, would have taken over as wage-earner (Mark 6:3) until the family was self-sufficient. It is possible that some time after the death of Joseph, Mary and the family moved to Capernaum (Mark 2:1). Whether the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John was Mary's sister is not completely certain from Scripture although a comparison of the records of the women who were around the Cross would seem to indicate it as a strong possibility. Now that the family is settled, the Lord begins that work of healing and ministry which was to end so soon on the Cross. It was during that ministry that a woman called out to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the breasts which Thou didst suck" (Luke 11:27). The Lord acknowledges this but teaches also, "Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it". This was also His message when Mary and the family came to the house and asked for Him - "Whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother" (Matt. 12:50; Mark 3:21, 34,35).

One of our first glimpses of Mary, however, at the commencement of His ministry is at the wedding in Cana. It is possible that this was the wedding of one of the Lord's brothers (see 1 Cor. 9:5) or sisters. This would account for Mary's presence and for the obedience of the servants to Mary's suggestion. It may also account for the belated invitation to the Lord and His disciples, for His brethren were not completely in sympathy with their elder Brother (John 7:5) and it may be that it was at Mary's insistence that the invitation was extended. The presence of a number of additional guests brought its own problems. The wine ran out, but no problem caused by the Lord's presence will go unresolved by Him. Mary's words in John 2:3 seem to be designed to move the Lord Jesus to act and as such were unwise and drew His rebuke, "What have I to do with thee?" He Himself said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself but what be seeth the Father doing" (John 5:19). Any motivation by Mary was out of order as she was not in the divine counsels of Father and Son. It was at the Council of Ehpesus in AD431 that Mary was given the title "Mother of God". This term was first coined to safeguard the truth of the Lord's deity which then, as now, was under attack. It was later, when the Church of Rome gave it a devotional rather than a theological emphasis and laid the emphasis on "the mother" aspect of the title, that the term became unacceptable to others. Even in the sacred family relationship, Mary must take her proper place. In Matthew 2 the word comes five times, "the young Child and His mother" not "the mother and her Child" or "Virgin and Child", so beloved by artists. In all things, even in His relationship to His mother, He must have the pre-eminence.

The sad, forlorn figure of Mary at the cross is well known. It was here that Mary knew the fulfilment of Simeon's words, "Yea and a sword shall

pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2:35). The faces of the priests and rulers around the Cross betrayed the thoughts of their hearts towards the One in the centre, whilst a weeping mother, comforted by her sister and other godly women, was committed to the care of the beloved disciple who took her to his own home.

The last picture we have of Mary is with the church in Jerusalem. The Lord had been raised in glory and had appeared to many, but there is no record of any appearance to Mary, and in the absence of any hint in Scripture we must assume that no such visit took place. Her work had been completed when she had brought the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15) into the world and nurtured Him through the years of infancy. But now, not only Mary but also the previously unbelieving brethren are there and numbered with the church of God in Jerusalem. Her death is unrecorded, but the dust of that beloved woman lies somewhere in Asia awaiting the call that will come when: "the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven ... and the dead in Christ shall rise first".

K.H. Riley, Wembley | Nov 1976
Some Women Of Scripture