Chapter 6
A Famous Mom: Mary, the Mother of Jesus
In This Chapter
Recounting the events of Mary’s life
Examining her relationship with her son
Understanding Mary’s relevance in biblical history
Reviewing Mary’s connection to women today
A ccording to Christian belief, God became man and lived among humans for 33 years. Now, God didn’t just pretend to be human, nor did he merely use a human body (like some sci-fi movie where aliens take on human form). Christians believe that divinity and humanity were united in one person known as Jesus of Nazareth. As God, he existed from all eternity, but as man, he was born in time and space like you. The God-Man Jesus Christ had a real, flesh-and-blood human mother who conceived him in her womb and nine months later gave birth to him. That woman was Mary.
Other than Jesus himself, Mary is one of the most important persons in the New Testament. The number of references to her in the Gospels alone merits attention, as well as her dynamic interaction with her son, Jesus.
Motherhood is but one dimension of Mary’s role in the Bible. She is also a disciple (a student and follower of Christ) and powerful symbol of the new Christian church. This chapter examines the various roles that Mary plays in Christian theology. We also look at the parallels that some Christian religions draw between Mary and Eve. (For the lowdown on Eve, go to Chapter 5.)
The Life and Times of Mary
No other woman of the Bible has captured imaginations or captivated millions as much as Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus. And neither has a biblical woman been the center of as much controversy as Mary. Her name in Hebrew is Miriam, but because the Gospels were written in Greek, she is known by her Hellenized name, Mary. Loved by many, she is also confusing to some and even problematic to others (see the nearby sidebar “Beliefs about Mary vary” for the scoop).
The earliest references to Mary are made in Luke’s Gospel. Luke wasn’t one of the original 12 apostles. He was a Gentile (that is, a non-Jew) before he accepted Christ, and he didn’t witness many of the events of Christ’s life as had the other Gospel writers who were apostles (like Matthew and John). Yet Luke’s book contains more details than any other Gospel regarding the miraculous Virgin Birth. Many scholars suspect Luke interviewed an excellent source — the mother of Jesus herself — to get his information. After all, who else would know and remember with such vivid details the events leading up to and including the birth of the Savior?
Her early life
The Bible is silent about the birth and background of Mary. She first appears in scripture (Matthew 1 and Luke 1) as a young maiden engaged to a man named Joseph, who was from the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of King David (back when there was a Kingdom of Israel). Nonbiblical sources like the Apocryphal Protoevangelium of James give the names Joachim and Anne for Mary’s parents (who would be Jesus’ maternal grandparents, of course). This text was written around AD 120 and attributed to James the Less or the Just, but most likely written by one of his pupils — this short document offers some peripheral information on the infancy of Jesus and on his mother as well. However, nothing is said in the officially accepted texts (those books that all Christian religions consider to be inspired) of sacred scripture about Mary’s past before the Annunciation — the day when the Angel Gabriel announced that she would become the mother of the Messiah.
Receiving the good news: You’re gonna’ have a baby!
According to the Gospel of Luke, when Mary is a young woman, the Angel Gabriel visits Mary in Nazareth, a city of Galilee. Luke describes Mary as a virgin (parthenos in Greek), and Gabriel greets her with these words: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Douay-Rheims Bible).
The angel’s phrase “full of grace” is kecharitomene in Greek from the root word charis (grace). Mary is full of grace because, as Gabriel says, “the Lord is with [her]” (kyrios meta sou). No one has ever said this to Mary before, nor has anyone in the entire Bible been addressed in such a fashion. Because of this special greeting, you already know that something’s up.
The words startle Mary, so the angel tells her not to be afraid, for she has found favor with God. Gabriel goes on to say:
And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
—Luke 1:31–33
Stop the presses: Mary wonders if she heard correctly. Conceive and bear a child? She asks Gabriel how this can happen. Although she’s officially engaged to Joseph the Carpenter, they don’t live together yet as husband and wife. Some translations, such as the Douay-Rheims Bible, say that Mary said, “How can this be since I know not man?” while others, such as the New Oxford Annotated Bible, render it “since I am a virgin?”
No problem, implies the angel. He tells Mary that the Holy Spirit (God) will come upon her and the power of the Most High (God again) will “overshadow” her. (Although the meaning of the word “overshadow” remains mysterious, Christian theologians explain it in terms of Mary becoming pregnant solely by divine intervention and without any human father.)
Gabriel then reveals that Elizabeth, Mary’s 80-year-old cousin whom everyone thought was barren, is six months pregnant, “for nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Despite what was probably wonder, confusion, and awe about all this news, Mary nevertheless gives her consent: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1: 38).
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Beliefs about Mary vary
That Jesus had a real human mother has never been disputed among Christians. Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox all believe in the Incarnation (the doctrine that God became man, from the Latin word carne meaning “flesh,” as found in John 1:14: “and the Word became flesh”) and in the Virgin Birth (that Mary, the mother of Jesus, conceived him by the power of the Holy Spirit and without the assistance of any human father). Everything else about this woman is somewhat controversial. Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians believe that Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus (called perpetual virginity), whereas many Protestant Christians believe that she had other children with her husband, Joseph, before or after the miraculous Virgin Birth of Jesus.
The Catholic and Orthodox churches also believe that after her time on earth was finished, Mary was taken up body and soul (called the Assumption) into heaven by her son, Jesus, who had already died, resurrected, and ascended many years beforehand. Protestant churches believe that she died a normal death and awaits the resurrection of the body at the end of time with all the rest of humanity.
A Catholic dogma known as the Immaculate Conception maintains that Mary was given a special grace from God that preserved her from original sin at the very moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Anne (so as to be able to give Jesus an untainted human nature). All Christians do not share this belief; the same is true of belief in the Assumption and perpetual virginity.
Mary’s role and importance after giving birth to Jesus are a matter of theological debate among various denominations. Some claim that one side gives her too much attention and emphasis (which a few go so far as to call idolatry), while others claim that she is casually and disrespectfully dismissed as nothing more than a baby maker.
Visiting Elizabeth
As soon as Gabriel goes back to heaven, Mary goes “with haste” (meta spoudes in Greek; cum festinatione in Latin) to the hill country to see her pregnant cousin, Elizabeth. In the first chapter of his Gospel, Luke tells of Elizabeth’s conception. Her husband, Zechariah, it seems, had been visited by the Angel Gabriel, who told him that she would give birth to a son, John the Baptist.
The meeting of these two expectant mothers, also cousins, is called the Visitation. In Luke 1:42, Elizabeth greets Mary with these words: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” She continues her greeting with “And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” (Luke 1:43). Elizabeth makes this bold proclamation of faith because the very moment she heard Mary enter the house, the unborn baby in her womb leapt for joy. John the Baptist, only six months in the womb, already assumes the role of prophet and heralds the arrival of Christ — only a few days conceived in his mother’s womb. The meeting of these four — Mary with Jesus and Elizabeth with John — is what makes this a “pregnant” moment.
The phrase “the mother of my Lord” is important, too. Not only does the unborn John recognize the presence of the unborn Christ, but Elizabeth also discerns that something special is happening. The word “Lord” in English is the translation of the Greek word Kyrios, which in Hebrew is Adonai. Only God was addressed as Adonai by Jews. The Old Testament often uses the phrase “the Lord God” or just “LORD .” When Elizabeth addresses Mary as the “mother of my Lord,” she is affirming that the unborn child within Mary is of divine origin. (Read more about Elizabeth in Chapter 13.)
When Elizabeth gives birth to John three months later, Mary, now in her third month of pregnancy, goes back home. Her state of impending motherhood will soon be evident to anyone who sees her.
Mary’s fiat
“Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum” (Latin) or “genoito moi kata to re–ma sou” (Greek). Mary speaks these words, which literally translate to “let it be done unto me according to your word,” when Gabriel approaches her with the news of Jesus’ coming. Her acquiescence is often termed Mary’s fiat. Not to be confused with the Italian car, fiat is also a Latin word for “let it be.” It is a formal and polite way of saying yes, and an affirmation of God’s will. Those who see Mary as the new Eve see her submission to God’s will as a stark contrast to Eve’s disobedience: Mary said yes, and Eve said no. See the later section “As the new Eve” for a more in-depth comparison of Mary and Eve.
Reacting to the news: Joseph
In Matthew’s Gospel, Joseph is the last one to find out about Mary’s pregnancy. At the time, he and Mary were engaged, probably by arrangement through their parents, as was the custom back then. Even though the wedding contract had been signed, they weren’t yet fully husband and wife because Joseph hadn’t taken Mary into his home and they hadn’t consummated the marriage. So when he learns his fiancée is with child, he knows he isn’t the father.
Joseph is a just man. Without recriminations and accusations, he decides to divorce Mary quietly and get on with his life. Matthew 1:19 says that Joseph could have exposed Mary (but was unwilling to do so) to public shame as an unwed mother of sorts, because even though they were legally united on paper, they were not yet united spiritually. He and Mary were betrothed (engaged) but not married by the rabbi. If he drew attention to her situation, someone might erroneously conclude that Mary had cheated on Joseph. So Joseph plans a discreet and gentlemanly way out — until, that is, he goes to sleep and has a dream. In his dream, an angel tells Joseph not be afraid to take Mary into his home as his wife, because she has conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20–23). Joseph complies.
Giving birth to Jesus
Every Christmas Eve around the world, children re-enact Luke 2:1–7 just before Christian worship services or Mass. In this passage, the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, orders a census that requires all the people to register in their native hometowns. For this reason, Joseph has to take his very pregnant wife all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem (about 90 miles) to comply with the order. Late in her pregnancy, Mary can’t travel easily, but when Caesar commands, people listen.
When Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem, the city of King David of old, there is literally no room at the inn; the town is packed with people who have also returned because of the census. So there they are: Mary is about to give birth, and Joseph can’t find them a decent place to stay the night. Finally, someone offers the use of a stable where the animals were protected from the elements. While the stable is certainly no four-star hotel (not even a one-star), it nevertheless provides much-needed shelter and privacy. There, Mary gives birth to a son, whom they name Jesus (Luke 2:7, 21).
Did the Virgin Mary stay a virgin forever?
Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians staunchly believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary — that is, that she had no sexual relations with any man before, during, or after the birth of Christ, and that he was her only child. Many Protestant Christians, however, believe that Joseph and Mary had children of their own who would be considered today the half brothers and half sisters of Jesus, but back then would simply be known as his brothers and sisters. There are a couple of reasons for the disparity of beliefs.
First is the interpretation of the term firstborn. The Bible says Mary gave birth to her “firstborn” son (Luke 2:7). Some people maintain that the word firstborn implies that Mary had other children after Jesus was born. In Greek, the word is prototokos, in Hebrew it’s bekor, and in Latin it’s primogenito.
However, this term was always given to the first son born, even if no other sons were born afterward. Firstborn in this context is a title of honor, privilege, and responsibility. It doesn’t imply or declare that there was a second, third, or fourth son born. Because no one back then planned their families, it was presumed that a couple would have as many children as God would bless them with. If only one child was born, that was by God’s design and not the explicit wish of mom and dad. You wouldn’t know at the time of the first child’s birth whether or not you were going to have more children. So even if only one boy was born, he was called the firstborn, because he inherited the birthright from his father.
Thus, the argument that Luke’s usage of firstborn implies that Mary had other children isn’t strong. However, there is also no unequivocal proof that she didn’t have other children afterward. What the Gospels do explicitly teach is that Mary gave birth to Jesus without the biological cooperation of a human father. That’s why it’s called the Virgin Birth. Nothing is said in favor of or against the possibility that she had any future children.
Second is the ambiguity of the phrases “his mother and his brothers” (Matthew 12:46–47 and Luke 8:19–20) or “your mother and your brothers and sisters” (Mark 3:32), which are found in the Gospels when Jesus meets up with his relatives on a few occasions. Whether you think Jesus had siblings or not depends on how you translate and interpret the Greek word adelphos (remember that the New Testament was originally written in Greek; see Chapter 2 for more details on the original writings).
Ancient Hebrew and Greek didn’t have separate words for specific relatives like uncle, aunt, niece, or nephew. Instead, ancient languages used an inclusive word such as ach (Hebrew) or adelphos (Greek) to indicate a familial bond. And adelphos can mean “brother” in the singular form and “brothers and sisters” when in the plural (adelphoi), but it can also mean “relative” or “kinsman.” The most obvious example of the use of adelphos meaning “kinsman” is in the Old Testament. Genesis 14 talks about Abram and his “brother” Lot. But Lot isn’t the biological brother of Abraham; he’s a nephew. Genesis 11:27 explains that Lot was the son of Haran, who was the brother of Abraham.
Using a broader interpretation for adelphoi to include cousins and other relatives, as well as brothers and sisters, doesn’t end the debate, but it gives a viable alternative interpretation to the brothers and sisters of Jesus mentioned in scripture.
Receiving visitors — kings and shepherds
After the birth of Jesus, Mary has some visitors. First to come are the shepherds, who were told by angels “to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The next guests are the Magi (also known as the three Wise Men or the Three Kings), who came from the East after having been guided by a star (Matthew 2:1–12). These visitors arrived to give homage to the child. Luke 2:19 says that Mary pondered (symballousa in Greek) all these things in her heart, meaning that she meditated and thought about the visitors and what they told her and often wondered what they meant.
Escaping King Herod
After the Magi come to pay their respects to Jesus, King Herod gets wind of it and feels threatened. He seeks to destroy the child, whom he sees as a potential rival. Like Pharaoh centuries before, Herod orders the massacre of all male infants 2 years of age and under. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph flee into Egypt to escape the bloodbath of King Herod (Matthew 2:16–18).
When Herod is dead, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus can return. They don’t go back to Bethlehem, however, because Herod’s son Archelaus now rules Judea. Instead, they settle in Nazareth, where Jesus grows up. He is hence sometimes called “the Nazarene” or “Jesus of Nazareth.” (See Matthew 2:19–23 for the account of these events in Mary’s life.)
Hearing a prophecy
Mary and Joseph were devout Jews and followed the laws and customs of the Hebrew religion. So eight days after his birth, Jesus was circumcised according to the Law of Moses, and 40 days after giving birth, Mary went to the Temple of Jerusalem to present her firstborn son and to receive the ritual purification required of all mothers (Luke 2:21–24). While in the Temple, two elderly people who had been patiently waiting for the arrival of this child greet Joseph and Mary.
Simeon is one of them. He says to Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:34–35). Bible scholars consider the last phrase, about a sword piercing her soul, to be a prophecy of the pain Mary will experience when she witnesses Jesus’ death, some 33 years later.
The second person to greet Mary at the Temple is Anna, the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. Her words to Mary aren’t recorded in scripture, but the Bible says that as a 104-year-old widow, Anna spent most of her time in the Temple fasting and praying in anticipation of the arrival of the Savior, Jesus (Luke 2:36–38).
Son of Joseph
Although Joseph isn’t the biological father of Jesus, he becomes the legal father as well as guardian to Jesus as the legal husband of Mary. That’s why even the Bible often refers to Jesus as the “son of Joseph” (John 1:45 and 6:42). They didn’t use terms such as stepfather or foster father like we do today. Yet because the scriptures also affirm that Mary had her son by the power of the Holy Spirit, Joseph would have failed any modern paternity blood test.
Trying times with a preteen
The period in Jesus’ life between birth and the age of 30, when he begins his public ministry, is often called the “hidden years.” Luke does record one story that occurs when Jesus is around 12 years old. The Bible jumps from Jesus’ presentation in the Temple as an infant to a dozen years later when he and Mary and Joseph are in Jerusalem for Passover.
As told in Luke 2:41–52, after the Passover religious festival, Jesus stays behind in the Temple while Mary and Joseph head back to Nazareth. Each one thinks that Jesus is with the other — an assumption that is easy to understand if you consider that the men and women were separated in the Temple and often traveled in segregated groups. Until Jesus is bar mitzvahed, he spent most of his time with his mother; after that rite of passage, he spent more time with Joseph and the other adult men. So because they didn’t travel as a family unit and because each thought Jesus was with the other, neither Mary nor Joseph initially panicked when he wasn’t with them when they left.
But then, of course, the mistake is realized, and Mary experiences a mother’s worst nightmare. She and Joseph search for their missing son for three days. Just as it would be today, a missing adolescent is no light matter. She must have worried herself sick wondering if he were alive or dead, hurt or injured, or even sold into slavery. Mary and Joseph finally find Jesus in the Temple, conversing with the scholars and teachers. When asked the typical questions that mothers pose to their children in situations like these — “Where in the world have you been?!” and “Don’t you know your father and I have been looking all over for you?!” — Jesus merely replies “Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).
What do you say to an answer like that? The Bible simply states that they didn’t understand what he said. Luke 2:51 does says that Mary kept (diete–rei in Greek) all these things (what her son said to her) in her heart, just like she did when Jesus was born and the shepherds and the Magi visited him. But after they were all reunited, Jesus went with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth and was obedient to them and grew in wisdom and age (Luke 2:50–52). We know nothing of the years he spent growing up, except that he must have learned some carpentry skills from Joseph. Jesus is not only called the carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55), but he’s also a carpenter himself (Mark 6:3).
Supporting Jesus’ mission
The next time Mary appears, she is at a wedding feast (John 2:1–11). Because Joseph is no longer mentioned, it’s presumed that he died sometime during those so-called hidden years, when Jesus was between the ages of 12 and 30. John says that Mary had been invited to a wedding in Cana, a little village in Galilee near Capernaum. Jesus and his disciples were also invited.
At one point, the wedding reception runs out of wine. Mary notices the fact and informs Jesus that they have no more wine. His response to her is very interesting and has been interpreted in different ways, depending on what translation and version of the Bible are being examined.
“Woman, what does this have to do with me” (English Standard Version).
“You must not tell me what to do” (Good News Translation).
“How does that concern us, woman” (International Standard Version).
“Dear woman, why do you involve me” (New International Version).
“Woman, what do you want from me” (New Jerusalem Bible).
“Woman, what have I to do with thee” (King James Version).
“What to thee and to me, woman” (Young’s Literal Translation).
Some of these translations sound like a sharp rebuke from Jesus. Yet the literal translation is much more benign, especially when taken in context of the very next verse in which Mary says to the servants “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Following this response, Jesus performs his first public miracle, changing water into wine.
This context — that Jesus actually responds to Mary’s request rather than ignoring it — tends to encourage a softer interpretation of John 2:4. It’s more likely that Jesus said to his mother something like, “What affects me, affects you, and vice versa.” If the fact that the groom was going to be embarrassed when they ran out of wine bothered Mary; then it would bother Jesus as well. Others speculate that Jesus may have meant that after he performs this miracle, the quiet life he and his mother have enjoyed up to now will be over. Word about the miracle does, in fact, spread, and Jesus is asked to do more miracles, mostly healings and exorcisms. His quiet life ceases, and so does hers, because he won’t be staying home anymore.
Witnessing Jesus’ death
Mary is conspicuously present at the Crucifixion of her son, Jesus. The “brothers” or “brethren” of the Lord, whether you believe them to be siblings or other relatives, are noticeably absent. The Bible says in John 19:25 that the following people are with Jesus as he dies: his mother, Mary; his mother’s sister (Mary, the wife of Clopas); and Mary Magdalene, whom we examine in Chapter 7. Verse 26 mentions the presence of only one of the 12 apostles, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” This was an affectionate term for John, the Gospel writer and the brother of James.
Affirming his mother
Alongside the one apostle (John) who attended Jesus’ crucifixion, Mary says nothing while she helplessly watches her son suffer for three hours before he finally dies. Just before his last breath, however, Jesus speaks to Mary: “Woman,” he says, “Here is your son” (John 19:26). Then he speaks to John: “Here is your mother” (John 19:27).
The act of entrusting Mary to John the Beloved is both practical (if there are no siblings to care for her) and spiritual. Because they are present at the crucifixion while the rest fled, these two will have to continue their discipleship and thus preserve the infant church until the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4).
One heck of a barkeep
After Jesus transforms six stone water jars into wine, each containing 20 to 30 gallons, the headwaiter remarks how good the wine tastes. He comments in John 2:9–10 that usually people serve the good (and expensive) wine first, followed by the cheaper and lesser vintage wine after the guests have been drinking awhile. He is amazed, however, that the best wine was saved for last. The water turned into wine by Jesus was the best wine anyone ever drank.
Grieving for her son
When Jesus finally dies and is taken down from the cross, his body is placed in Mary’s arms. This heart-wrenching scene is poignantly portrayed in the Pietà (from the Italian word for pity or sorrow ), a marble sculpture by Michelangelo (AD 1499). Whether you believe Mary had other children or that Jesus was her only son, no doubt she felt the pain that only a mother can know at the death of a child.
Despite Jesus’ divine nature, he was also her son, her flesh and blood. She bore him in her womb for nine months, gave birth to him, nursed him, and fed, clothed, and educated him. Mary loved and cared for Jesus like any normal mom. Perhaps, while she mournfully held his body in her arms, she remembered Simeon’s prophecy spoken to her 33 years earlier: “A sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35).
Examining further references
Although no other obvious references to Mary appear in the New Testament, some Christian scripture scholars see her indirectly or typologically (symbolically; see Chapter 2) in the last book of the Bible, the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation. Chapter 12 begins with “A great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth.”
Just as the possibility of Jesus’ siblings is still being debated, so is the preceding passage. Some Christians (Catholic and Orthodox) see this sign as a symbol of Mary because her son was “destined to rule all the nations.” Protestant Christians say that the woman is the kingdom or nation of Israel, or perhaps she is the Christian church. The 12 stars seem to represent the 12 tribes of Israel or the 12 apostles. The sun and moon could be Jacob and Rachel, and thus the woman would be the nation of Israel, formed from the 12 tribes that originated from the 12 sons of this couple. Alternatively, the sun could symbolize the Son of God (Jesus, who calls himself the Light of the World) and the moon his mother, Mary. A moon gives off no light on its own; instead, it reflects the light of the sun, as Mary reflects not herself but the light of her son. Interestingly, this same image of a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and wearing a crown of 12 stars and obviously with child, is depicted in the 1531 image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico.
Serving the early Church
The last explicit reference to Mary, the mother of Jesus, is in the Acts of the Apostles. She is in the upper room with the apostles on the day of Pentecost (50 days after Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday). “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers” (Acts 1:14). This same upper room is where Jesus had his Last Supper with the 12 apostles on what some refer to as Holy Thursday, the day before his death (the day called Good Friday).
The Importance of Mary
Mary’s role in the Christian faith is both instrumental (she was the real and true human mother of Jesus the Savior) and educational (she shows how to be a disciple of the Lord). She is a woman, a wife, a mother, and a disciple. As a woman, she shares in being made in the image and likeness of God (see Chapter 3), and she possesses the strength, courage, and faithfulness of the woman in the Bible who preceded her.
As the mother of Jesus, Mary embodies these traditional characteristics:
Humility: Mary’s humility is exemplified when she accepts the will of God after the Angel Gabriel tells her she is to be the mother of the Messiah. Her submission is not a surrender of her personal dignity, however. She freely allows God’s will to replace her own will and thus becomes a humble servant of the Lord.
Obedience: Mary obeys the Word of God, but her submission isn’t a surrender of her personal dignity. She isn’t an unwilling slave but a willing and faithful servant of the Lord who does what she is asked to do.
Service: Mary serves the Word made Flesh by caring for and loving Jesus, from the time he was a baby who nursed at her breasts to the time his lifeless adult body lay in her sorrowful arms the day he died. She is a servant in good times and in bad, in joy and in sorrow.
Mary’s role isn’t incidental or peripheral; it’s always contingent and secondary to the unique and singular work of her son, the Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ. She shows that a woman can play an important part in salvation history as did Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Deborah, Miriam, Esther, Judith, Ruth, and so on.
As a pillar of faith
Most of all, Mary demonstrates the ability to trust the Lord even when she didn’t understand what was going on or how things were going to happen later on. Reverend Benedict Groeschel, CFR (a spiritual writer), has often said that Mary had a lot of unanswered questions like any human being. Why did she have to give birth in a stable rather than a clean hotel? Why did she have to take the baby and flee into Egypt? Why couldn’t something happen to Herod to prevent such a journey? Why would an old man tell her that a sword will pierce her heart, or why did Jesus go missing for three days when he was only 12 years old? Mary “pondered in her heart” all these unanswered questions but never found the answers.
Mary’s claim to fame wasn’t that she had insider information, as if God had whispered the secrets of the universe into her ears; rather, it was that she had the courage and strength to trust enough to live with those unanswered questions.
As a disciple of Christ
Mary relates to Jesus in both his human and divine natures. She is his mother in terms of his humanity, and she is his obedient servant and disciple in terms of his divinity. She loves him as her son, and she loves him as God. Her love for him, in fact, is just as powerful as his love for her. The best description of Mary is that she was faithful to the Word, especially the Word made Flesh (Jesus).
Trusting completely and totally in God and especially in Jesus Christ, Mary epitomizes what it means to be a disciple. Her words to the servants at the wedding feast in Cana are succinct and profound: “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Her existence isn’t limited nor is it totally defined by her role as wife to Joseph, as daughter to Joachim and Anne, or even as mother to Jesus. She is first and foremost a child of God — like the rest of us. She is human with a heart and soul made of flesh and blood. She is no goddess or superhero from another planet.
As a symbol of the church
The early Church always saw itself not as a neutral, abstract institution or organization, but as a living and mystical body of believers. The assembly, or ekklesia as it was called in Greek, cannot exist separate from its founder, Jesus Christ. Like Mary, the church is always in a relationship with Jesus. Mary is his mother in terms of his humanity, and she is a disciple in terms of his divinity. The church, too, is both disciple (one who studies and learns from the teacher) and simultaneously is also the bride of Christ (the beloved spouse whom he is willing to die for). Mary symbolizes the church in that both hear the Word (Mary hears it from Gabriel; the church hears it from the lips of Jesus himself) and both obey the Word. Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message is “Let it be with me according to your word.” The church likewise is expected to do what Jesus commands: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), “proclaim the good news” (Mark 16:15), and “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
As the new Eve
In Romans 5:14, Paul says that Adam is a “type,” meaning that he typologically references or symbolically predicts Christ, the one who was to come. This typology is so strong that Christian scholars often say Jesus is the new or last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). If there is a new Adam, it makes sense that there would be a new Eve. This new Eve, according to Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians, is Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The reason Mary is called the new Eve is because of the comparisons that can be drawn between the women’s stories:
Each woman launches a different Testament (Old and New).
Each had a choice to make: submit to God’s will or not. Although Eve, in Genesis, disobeyed God’s request to avoid eating from the tree of knowledge, Mary embraced God’s word when told she would be the mother of the savior: “Let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
According to some Christians, the connection between Eve and Mary is most evident in Genesis 3. The passage tells the story of God cursing the serpent for tempting Eve, when he makes this prophecy, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
The point of the story is this: Although the serpent was successful in tempting Adam and Eve, humankind’s first parents, he will ultimately lose and be conquered. And the offspring who will conquer the serpent is Christ. Although the devil will try to strike at Christ’s heel in myriad ways — Judas’s betrayal, the disciples’ abandonment of Jesus at the Crucifixion, and so on — Jesus, who is Mary’s offspring in his human nature, will nevertheless vanquish Satan.
Other Christians do not readily accept nor embrace the connection between Mary and Eve. The connection is subtle to be sure. Depending on your faith tradition, you may appreciate or disregard the typological aspect of Mary as the new Eve, but at least you now know where it came from.
What she represents to Christian women then and now
To Christian women of the past and present, Mary represents the idea of active participation in the life of grace. The universal call to holiness embraces men and women. Sanctity isn’t a male or female pursuit; it is a human one for both genders. Mary’s journey of faith leads her down a path of uncertainty, sorrow, and joy; it leads to more questions than answers, but it ultimately ends in eternal happiness. She is no spectator; she is an active participant. She has a conversation with the Angel Gabriel, whereas her cousin Zechariah argues with him. She accepts, consents to, and practices the Word of God as revealed to her, instead of just passively listening. Mary “goes in haste” to serve her elderly cousin Elizabeth for her last three months of pregnancy. She intercedes for her friends at their wedding when an embarrassing moment occurs (they ran out of wine).
Mary shows that God chooses and uses women to accomplish his will and to fulfill his plan as much as he uses men. Divine Grace filled Mary, and that same grace is available to all men and women who seek God. Her greatest virtue is her ability to say yes when she doesn’t know all the consequences and circumstances that response will bring. She does know that no matter what happens, the grace of God will enable her to overcome obstacles and persevere to the end. Mary knows that her son, Jesus, means what he says and keeps his word, so she trusts him completely. The men to whom Jesus entrusted his church don’t intimidate her, and she doesn’t slip into the shadows — she is present at the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in the upper room. Mary isn’t an apostle, and she doesn’t lead a local community, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a disciple. Mary is certainly a disciple of Christ.