[Faith-talk] FW: [helpingothersgroup] MARY OF THE BIBLE

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: drena brown <ponytail6900 at yahoo.com>
To: undisclosedrecipient at yahoo.com
Subject: [helpingothersgroup] MARY OF THE BIBLE
Date: 
Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:37:55 -0800 (PST)

MARY 

[MAIR ee] (meaning unknown) - the name of six women in the New Testament:
1. Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1-2). We know nothing of Mary's
background 
other than that she was a peasant and a resident of Nazareth, a city of
Galilee. 
She must have been of the tribe of Judah and thus in the line of David
(Luke 
1:32), although the genealogies in Matt 1 and Luke 3 do not say so,
because they 
trace Joseph's genealogy rather than Mary's. We do know that Mary's
cousin, 
Elizabeth, was the mother of John the Baptist.
When Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph the carpenter, the angel
Gabriel 
appeared to her. Calling her "highly favored one" and "blessed...among
women" 
(Luke 1:28), the angel announced the birth of the Messiah. After Gabriel 
explained how such a thing could be possible, Mary said, "Let it be to me 
according to your word" (Luke 1:38). That Mary "found favor with God" and
was 
allowed to give birth to His child indicates she must have been of high 
character and faith.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, Mary "wrapped him in swaddling

cloths, and laid Him in a manger" (Luke 2:7). She witnessed the visits of
the 
shepherds and the Wise Men and "pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19)
and 
heard Simeon's prophecy of a sword that would pierce through her own soul
(Luke 
2:35). Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to escape Herod's murder of all
males under 
two years old (Matt 2:13-18). Neither Mary nor Joseph appear again until
Jesus 
is 12 years old, at which time He stayed behind in the Temple with the
teachers 
(Luke 2:41-52). Both Mary and Joseph accepted Jesus' explanation,
realizing He 
was Israel's Promised One.
Mary was present at Jesus' first miracle-the turning of water into wine
at the 
wedding feast in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-12). Mary seemed to be asking
her Son 
to use His power to meet the crisis. Jesus warned her that His time had
not yet 
come; nevertheless, He turned the water into wine. At another time Mary
and 
Jesus' brothers wished to see Jesus while He was teaching the
multitudes-perhaps 
to warn Him of impending danger. But again Jesus mildly rebuked her,
declaring 
that the bond between Him and His disciples was stronger than any family
ties 
(Luke 8:19-21).
The Scriptures do not mention Mary again until she stands at the foot of
the 
cross (John 19:25-27). No mention is made of Joseph; he had likely been
dead for 
some time. Jesus' brothers were not among His followers. Of His family,
only His 
mother held fast to her belief in His messiahship-even though it appeared
to be 
ending in tragedy. From the cross Jesus gave Mary over to the care of the

beloved disciple, John. The last mention of Mary is in the upper room in 
Jerusalem, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). We do not
know 
how or when Mary died. The Tomb of the Virgin is in the Valley of Kidron
in 
Jerusalem, southeast of the Temple area; but there is no historical basis
for 
this site.
According to Scripture, Jesus had four brothers-James, Joses, Judas, and 
Simon-and unnamed sisters (Matt 13:55-56; Mark 6:3). The Roman Catholic
Church, 
however, claims that Mary remained a virgin and that these "brothers" and

"sisters" were either Joseph's children by an earlier marriage or were
cousins 
of Jesus. Legends concerning Mary began circulating in written form as
early as 
the fifth century, but there is no valid historical evidence for them.
In reaction to the Roman Catholic teachings about Mary, many Protestants
almost 
totally neglect her and her contribution. What can be said of her that is

consistent with Holy Scripture?
God was in her womb. In conceiving and bearing the Lord Jesus Christ, she
gave 
earthly birth not to mere man but to the Son of God Himself.
She conceived as a virgin through the mysterious power of the Holy
Spirit.
We are to bless and honor her, for as she herself said under the
inspiration of 
the Holy Spirit "Henceforth all generations will call me blessed" (Luke
1:48).
As the first member of the human race to accept Christ, she stands as the
first 
of the redeemed and as the flagship of humanity itself. She is our
enduring 
example for faith, service to God, and a life of righteousness.
============
2. Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. The
name 
Magdalene indicates that she came from Magdala, a city on the southwest
coast of 
the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus cast seven demons from her, she became
one of 
His followers.
The Scriptures do not describe her illness. Mary Magdalene has been
associated 
with the "woman in the city who was a sinner" (Luke 7:37) who washed
Jesus' 
feet, but there is no scriptural basis for this. According to the TALMUD
(the 
collection of Rabbinic writings that make up the basis of religious
authority 
for traditional Judaism), the city of Magdala had a reputation for
prostitution. 
This information, coupled with the fact that Luke first mentions Mary
Magdalene 
immediately following his account of the sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50), has
led 
some to equate the two women.
Mary Magdalene is also often associated with the woman whom Jesus saved
from 
stoning after she had been taken in adultery (John 8:1-11) - again an 
association with no evidence. We do know that Mary Magdalene was one of
those 
women who having "been healed of evil spirits and infirmities," provided
for 
Jesus and His disciples "from their substance" (Luke 8:2-3).
Mary Magdalene witnessed most of the events surrounding the crucifixion.
She was 
present at the mock trial of Jesus; she heard Pontius Pilate pronounce
the death 
sentence; and she saw Jesus beaten and humiliated by the crowd. She was
one of 
the women who stood near Jesus during the crucifixion to try to comfort
Him. The 
earliest witness to the resurrection of Jesus, she was sent by Jesus to
tell the 
others (John 20:11-18). Although this is the last mention of her in the
Bible, 
she was probably among the women who gathered with the apostles to await
the 
promised coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14).
================
3. Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42). As with

Martha, we know nothing of Mary's family background. Martha was probably
older 
than Mary since the house is referred to as Martha's; but she could have 
inherited it from an unmentioned husband. All we really know is that Mary,

Martha, and Lazarus loved each other deeply. When Jesus visited their
house in 
Bethany, Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to His teachings while
Martha 
worked in the kitchen. When Martha complained that Mary was no help,
Jesus 
gently rebuked Martha. When Lazarus died, Mary's grief was deep. John
tells us 
that when Jesus came following Lazarus' death Mary stayed in the house.
After 
she was summoned by Martha, she went to Jesus, fell at His feet weeping,
and, 
like Martha, said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have
died" 
(John 11:21,32).
Following Lazarus' resurrection, Mary showed her gratitude by anointing
Jesus' 
feet with "a pound of very costly oil of spikenard" (John 12:3) and
wiping His 
feet with her hair. Judas called this anointing extravagant, but Jesus
answered, 
"Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial" (John 12:7).
Jesus 
called Mary's unselfish act "a memorial to her" (Mark 14:9).
============
4. Mary, the mother of the disciple James and Joses (Matt 27:55-61). In
light of 
her presence at Jesus' death and resurrection, it is likely that Mary was
one of 
the women who followed Jesus and His disciples and provided food for them
(Luke 
8:2-3). Since Mark 15:40 tells us that this Mary, along with Mary
Magdalene, 
observed Jesus' burial, the "other Mary" (Matt 27:61) must refer to this
mother 
of James and Joses. Mary was one of the women who went to the tomb on the
third 
day to anoint Jesus' body with spices and discovered that Jesus was no
longer 
among the dead (Mark 16:1-8).
============
5. Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12). The mother of the author
of the 
Gospel of Mark opened her home to the disciples to pray for the release
of 
Peter, who had been imprisoned by Herod Antipas. When Peter was
miraculously 
released, the angel immediately delivered him to Mary's house. Tradition
has it 
that Mary's house was a primary meeting place for the early Christians of

Jerusalem. We know that Barnabas and Mark were related (Col 4:10), but
whether 
through Mark's mother or through his father (who is never men tioned), we
do not 
know.
==============
6. Mary of Rome (Rom 16:6). All we know about this Christian woman of
Rome is 
found in Paul's salutation: "Greet Mary, who labored much for us."
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas
Nelson 
Publishers)

 B A BLESSING 2 SOMEONE 2DAY 4 JESUS!


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