Naravist

Person in the New Testament

Mary, Mother of Jesus

Mary: the mother of Jesus in the Gospels and the upper room

Portrait of Mary, Mother of Jesus. An AI-generated artistic interpretation, not a historical likeness.

Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how Mary, Mother of Jesus looked.

Who Mary, Mother of Jesus is

Matthew's line of descent reaches "Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus". Matthew says "his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph" and "she was found with child of the Holy Ghost", and the angel tells Joseph "fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife". Wise men see "the young child with Mary his mother". In Luke, Gabriel comes to Nazareth where "the virgin’s name was Mary", tells her "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God", and says "thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son". She asks "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" and answers "Behold the handmaid of the Lord". She goes into "the hill country with haste" to Elisabeth, and says "My soul doth magnify the Lord", staying "about three months". She is taxed with Joseph, "being great with child"; shepherds find her; she "kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart". Simeon speaks to her of a sword. John never prints her name, calling her "the mother of Jesus" at Cana and "his mother" at the cross. Acts lists "Mary the mother of Jesus" praying with the women and his brethren.

Cited passages: Matthew 1:16, Matthew 1:18, Matthew 1:20, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 2:13, Luke 1:27, Luke 1:28, Luke 1:30, Luke 1:31, Luke 1:34, Luke 1:38, Luke 1:39, Luke 1:41, Luke 1:46, Luke 1:56, Luke 2:5, Luke 2:16, Luke 2:19, Luke 2:34, Luke 2:35, John 2:1, John 19:25, Matthew 13:55, Acts 1:14

Historical setting

The texts name her Mary and give her no parents, no birthplace, no age and no death notice. The angel tells her "thy cousin Elisabeth" without stating the relation further. In Luke 1:27 the phrase "of the house of David" follows Joseph's name, and the verse says nothing about Mary's own descent. Matthew says Joseph "knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son", and Luke likewise calls Jesus "her firstborn son"; neither text says more. Nazareth's people name "his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas" and ask "And his sisters, are they not all with us?", with Mark calling Jesus "the carpenter, the son of Mary". Mark's crucifixion list names "Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses" and "Mary the mother of Joses" without saying she is Jesus' mother. John 19:25 sets "his mother" beside "his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas" and Mary Magdalene, keeping the women distinct. In her own speech at the temple she calls Joseph Jesus' father, "thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing", while the narrator says of the parents "they understood not the saying which he spake unto them". After Acts 1:14 these books do not mention her again.

Cited passages: Luke 1:36, Luke 1:27, Matthew 1:25, Luke 2:7, Matthew 13:55, Matthew 13:56, Mark 6:3, Mark 15:40, Mark 15:47, John 19:25, Luke 2:48, Luke 2:50, John 6:42, Acts 1:14

How the story is told

Matthew reports her and never quotes her: the angel speaks to Joseph, and Mary appears as the one Joseph must take and the one the wise men see. Luke gives her speech and sets her beside Zacharias. Both receive Gabriel, both raise a question, but Zacharias is told "thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak" while Mary is answered "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee". Elisabeth's greeting and Mary's song share the language of blessing and low estate: "Blessed art thou among women", then "he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden". The song states reversals, "put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree", and "filled the hungry with good things". Luke repeats a keeping verb twice around things she does not explain, at 2:19 and again in "his mother kept all these sayings in her heart". John withholds her name and has Jesus address her as "Woman" at Cana and again at the cross. Where the crowd reports "his mother and his brethren stood without", the reply redefines the family: "whosoever shall do the will of God". Acts places her in one list, named once and then silent.

Cited passages: Luke 1:20, Luke 1:35, Luke 1:42, Luke 1:43, Luke 1:48, Luke 1:52, Luke 1:53, Luke 2:51, John 2:4, John 19:26, Matthew 12:46, Mark 3:33, Mark 3:35, Luke 8:21, Luke 11:28

Story moments

  1. The handmaid of the Lord (Luke 1:38). Mary answers the angel, calling herself the handmaid of the Lord.
  2. Elisabeth's greeting (Luke 1:42). Elisabeth calls her blessed among women when Mary arrives in the hill country.
  3. Her song (Luke 1:46). Mary speaks the praise that begins with magnifying the Lord.
  4. She ponders the shepherds' news (Luke 2:19). After the shepherds report what they were told, Mary keeps the sayings in her heart.
  5. Simeon speaks of a sword (Luke 2:35). Simeon tells Mary a sword will pierce through her own soul.
  6. The wine at Cana (John 2:5). The mother of Jesus tells the servants to do whatever he says.
  7. Named in the upper room (Acts 1:14). Acts lists Mary the mother of Jesus praying with the women and his brethren.

Key passages

Matthew 1:16

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 1:20

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 2:11

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 13:55

Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Mark 6:3

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

King James Version. 20 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

Luke twice says she keeps these things in her heart, once adding that she pondered them, and in the same chapter says the parents did not understand what Jesus said to them. What does it look like to hold on to something you have been told before you understand it?

Books Mary, Mother of Jesus appears in

Related people

Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.