What We Know About Mary

1-15-2025

What We Know About Mary

During a recent men’s breakfast the speaker gave us a new perspective on Mary and Joseph, Mary’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah who in their old age would give birth to a baby named John, we know him as “John the Baptist” just 3 months before Jesus was born. Our speaker phrased it in the context of the old Mission Impossible television series, as Mary’s “Mission Impossible” and more importantly the impossible mission of the Most High “Yhwh” who provided the way for man to be saved from sin, through His Son Jesus on the Cross at Calvary.

What we know about Mary is that she found favor with Yhwh and was chosen specifically for a special “one-off” mission going where no man or woman had gone before. Mary believed God and when called by name and in a vision, she unhesitatingly accepted the challenge. Going against social norms of her time, Mary could have been ridiculed and chastised and looked upon by the community around her because of what people “thought” she had done outside of wedlock.

Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, was a good man who considered doing what seemed right in the eyes of society, divorcing Mary privately and letting her deal with her pregnancy alone, except Joseph was called in a vision and told of his part in the birth and rising of this most unusual baby to be named by him, Jesus.

It would be up to Mary and Joseph to rise up their child (God’s Son) in the way and admonition of the Lord in preparation of the life he would lead, and the death he would suffer on the cross.

Mary knew God and put her trust and her faith in God’s plan to save mankind from itself.

Mary was the very first worshipper of the Messiah, way before it was cool.

Mary was there when 12 year old Jesus taught the scribes and priests in the temple, speaking as one in authority.

Mary was there when Jesus did his first miracle, turning water into wine at the wedding supper.

Mary was there during the 3 years of preaching, teaching and performing miracles.

Mary was there when Jesus was flogged and turned over to be crucified.

Mary was there when Jesus appeared outside the empty tomb.

Mary was there when Jesus ascended into heaven.

Mary was Jesus’ most ardent and faithful follower.

There are many misconceptions about the young Jewish girl who gave birth to baby Jesus. Some discount her as simply a virgin who conceived without “knowing” a man, while others elevate her to sainthood or a quazi-Goddess.

What we know about Mary is from two main gospels Luke 1 and Matthew 1.

Mary was an ordinary Jewish girl whom God saw. Her faith was in the promises of God contained in the Old Testament scriptures. When called by God, she believed. Mary was given the responsibility to be God’s caretaker on earth to nurture, guide and teach Jesus the ways of man until his purpose on this earth was fulfilled. Mary was the way from God to man but Mary cannot save anyone or forgive sin.

Only Jesus does that.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through Him. (John 14:6) – RTM