Mary The Mother of Jesus

Mary the mother of Jesus is one of the notable figures in the Bible. She was chosen by God to give birth to Jesus. A rear privilege indeed.

Once in a while, according to His divine plan, God chooses people to play specific roles in His plans. Abraham was chosen to be the father of faith; a man who would pioneer "righteousness by faith."

Moses was chosen to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Though he complained and tried to give God reasons why he is not the right candidate for the job, God made him go, and he did the job successfully.

Paul was ordained to start the huge task of preaching the gospel to the gentiles at a time when the Jewish believers see them as outcasts.

For Mary who was to be the mother of Jesus, her role was unique and very special. This was the reason why angel Gabriel who gave her the message called her the most blessed among women.

What Happened to Mary the Mother of Jesus?

Mary was a virgin betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter from the tribe of Judah. But the angel of God visited her to tell her that she will conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost and give birth to the son of God, who shall be called Jesus.

The angel's proclamation was a confirmation of what had been foretold by the prophets many years back. Mary was troubled by the sayings of the angel, but she took the courage to say, "be it unto.me according to your word."

According to the word of the angel, Mary became pregnant. Her husband-to-be got to hear about it and thought she had affair outside their relationship.

It was a very shameful and abominable act in those days for an unmarried woman to get pregnant. Such a woman would be stoned to death.

Joseph did not want Mary to suffer a painful death, hence he thought of secretly breaking off the relationship he had with her, but the angel of God visited him in a dream to tell him not to carry out the act.

The angel explained to him what had happened to Mary and that it was from God. Joseph accepted the message and took Mary as his wife.

Lessons from Mary the Mother of Jesus

We have a lot to learn from the life of Mary the mother of Jesus. She is an example of vessels unto honor in the Bible.

God needed a vessel He wants to use to bring the savior into the world. He found a ready one in Mary.

Mary was a virgin. Virginity was a virtue that all families uphold greatly in Israel. Spiritually, it represents purity. Just as a virgin is a woman that has not been defiled by any man, so is an individual without sin.

The Bible says, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit." Psalm 32 1

God's eyes are too pure to behold sin. Only a virgin would qualify to be the mother of Jesus. Mary was not the only virgin in the land. She was favored by God to play the role.

Mary was a woman of faith. She accepted all that the angel had said even though she must have been highly confused.

To further build up her faith, she visited her cousin, Elizabeth the mother of John, a barren who the angel said had been six months pregnant. What she met further confirmed what the angel had said.

Mary was a willing vessel. She knew the consequences of her being pregnant before getting married to her would-be husband.

 When Joseph heard about what happened to her and planned to secretly divorce her, Mary was ready to accept her fate until the angel of God convinced Joseph to accept her back.

Mary was a wonderful woman a mother indeed. She experienced the joy of being the vessel that conceived and gave birth to the Savior and witnessed all the shame persecutions, trials, and death that followed thereafter.

In all, she stood her ground, served God diligently, and lived worthy of the exalted position God has bestowed upon her.

What is The Role of Mary in The Life of Jesus?

The role of Mary in the life of Jesus was a very crucial one. God had ordained that Jesus would be born as a man so that He can carry the nature of man and by that have what it takes to save us from bondage to sin.

For that to be possible, a woman has to carry Jesus in her womb and give birth to him after nine months just like it is for all people born on earth.

That was the role that Mary played. Jesus did not have a biological father because Mary did not have any sexual relationship with a man before conceiving Jesus.

Mary also took care of Jesus as a baby, and fed,  and nurtured her. She and Joseph ensured that Jesus received all the care and training that was available in those days.

Mary continued to follow Jesus and support Him in His ministry. At the wedding of Cana of Galilee, she provoked Jesus to perform His first miracle.

Jesus saw her love and all her efforts, hence while He was on the cross, He instructed John, one of the disciples to take her to his home and take care of her.

What Happened to Mary and Joseph?

Mary and Joseph could be described as a blessed couple. Their simple life turned around and became a series of extraordinary events that people are still reading today.

Their relationship almost ended abruptly, but amid the confusion, God ensured that He perfected the situation and made their union stand strong.

The two of them teamed together to take care of Jesus as their son. They protected Him from being killed by King Herod and followed all the instructions God gave to them concerning Jesus' safety.

After giving birth to Jesus, they also gave birth to four sons and two daughters. Mark 6:3.

Strangely enough, Joseph's name was not mentioned after the childhood of Jesus, specifically, after Jesus grew to be 12 years old, and he went missing for three days during an annual feast in Jerusalem.

Mary's name continued to feature in the life and ministry of Jesus till after his death and resurrection.

How old Was Mary When She Married Joseph?

The Bible did not record Mary's age when she got married to Joseph, but flowing the old Jewish tradition, early marriage was a common occurrence in those days.

Young girls are usually betrothed to their future husbands at the age of between 12 and 15 and married off when they become 18 or 20.

Mary's age should fall within that range when she got married to Joseph.

How Old Was Mary When She Had Jesus?

The Bible was silent about Mary's age, both when she was betrothed to Joseph, and when she gave birth to Jesus.

Since she got pregnant through the visitation of the Holy Spirit before she got married to Joseph, and following Jewish early marriage tradition, she must have given birth to Jesus either in her late teens years or in her early twenties.

The Bible places much emphasis on the fact that Mary remained a virgin, up to the time that the angel visited her and when she became pregnant thereafter.

If she had been married to Joseph, or if they had been close to marriage, it would have been difficult to prove what the Bible recorded that she got pregnant without meeting a man.

What Does It Mean That Mary Is Full of Grave?

It means Mary received special help and favor from God to conceive Jesus, carried Him in her womb for nine months, and then deliver Him safely thereafter.

Though it was a special privilege for Mary to be the mother of Jesus the savior of the world. It was not an easy task either, because Jesus was not an ordinary child.

The physical formation of Jesus in her womb was different from that of mortal man. There was no coming together of the X and Y chromosomes as is usually the case when a baby is conceived in a woman's womb.

Mary's body has to be prepared to accept the new and unusual way Jesus was formed in her womb. She has to have the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional capacity to carry the child.

She needed the understanding, and faith not only to believe in the strange thing that happened to her but to explain it to people who would ask her questions.

She must also have the courage to face the shame that will come from rumors among the people that she had committed adultery, and was trying to hide it through the pregnancy from the Holy Ghost story.

All of these combined and many more were the reasons why God gave Mary the grace to be a perfect vessel for the all-important role she played.

Because God was involved, the whole thing went well. Joseph accepted the situation, and the people around them did not give them trouble. Mary gave birth to Jesus successfully in the manger, as foretold by the prophets of old.

How Can a Woman Be the Mother of God?

Is Mary the real mother of Jesus? That question is what many people have asked for a long time. Jesus did not have a human father, but He has a mother.

Jesus is God. That a woman can carry God in her womb is a mystery that many people still find difficult to understand and believe today.

It should not be a surprise to us because it is God's doing. Mary too didn't understand at first, but the angel told her, "For with God nothing shall be impossible." It is a sheer demonstration of the power of the Almighty.

The best explanation we can give to the reason why Jesus had to be born through a woman is that He has to be born as a full man.

He is God in heaven but has to come down to earth in the form of a man to save man from sin. Not only that He has to be born as a man.

Though He did not carry the sinful Adamic nature, a womb has to conceive Him, before He can be born.

If Jesus had missed any of these processes He will not be qualified to be our savior.