After bringing Zachariah the news that he and his wife Elizabeth would become parents in their old age, Gabriel brought news to Mary, a young virgin who was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. God Himself would cause her to conceive and give birth to His own Son (see Luke 1:31-33); thus the boy would have no biological father.
Although obviously amazed, Mary joyfully submitted to God’s plan. Apparently for encouragement and support, she stayed three months with Elizabeth, her aging relative who soon would become a mother herself. Mary vocalized a song of praise to God (see vv. 46-55) that we now call “The Magnificat,” from the Latin word for “magnify.”
After the shepherds, who had heard from angels that Jesus had been born, came to see the child, “Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them” (2:19). Eight days later, when Jesus was dedicated at the temple, a servant of God named Simeon, speaking to Mary, offered prophetic words about Jesus that involved her: “a sword will pierce your own soul” (vv. 34-35).
The family resided in Bethlehem until a bit later when the wise men came to offer Jesus gifts and to worship Him (see Matt. 2:1-12). After fleeing to Egypt, the couple took Jesus back to Nazareth (vv. 13-15,19-23; Luke 2:39), where they had lived before they were married (see 1:26-27; 2:4). Other children would be born into the family (see Matt. 13:54-56).
We see Mary again in the account of the trip the family made to Jerusalem during the Passover Festival when Jesus was 12 (see Luke 2:41-51). Years later, at the onset of Jesus’ ministry, Mary was present at the wedding at Cana where Jesus turned water into wine (see John 2:1-12). Mary is mentioned again in Luke 8:19-21. She also was present at Jesus’ crucifixion (see John 19:25-27). Finally, after Jesus’ ascension, we see Mary praying with Jesus’ disciples, with His brothers, and with several other women (see Acts 1:12-14). Contrary to some religious traditions, Mary was a sinner in need of a Savior just like all other human beings, even though God used her as He has used no other woman in history.
Copyright © 2015 B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations in this article are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.