Reference: Mary, The Virgin
Fausets
(See GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST.) Probably Matthan of Matthew is Matthat of Luke, and Jacob and Heli were brothers; and Heli's son Joseph, and Jacob's daughter Mary, were first cousins. Joseph, as male heir of his uncle Jacob who had one only child Mary, would marry her according to the law (Nu 36:8). Thus the genealogy of the inheritance or succession to David's throne (Matthew's) and that of natural descent (Luke's) would be primarily Joseph's, then Mary's also (Ps 132:11; Lu 1:32; Ro 1:3). She was sister or half-sister to Mary (Joh 19:25), and related to Elisabeth who was of the tribe of Levi (Lu 1:36). (See MARY OF CLEOPHAS; ELISABETH.) In 5 B.C. (Lu 1:24, etc.) Mary was living at Nazareth, by this time betrothed to Joseph, when the angel Gabriel came from God to her in the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy. (See GABRIEL.)
He came in no form of overwhelming majesty, but seemingly in human form, as is implied by the expression "he came in," also by the fact that what she was "troubled at" was not his presence but "his saying" (compare Da 10:18-19). "Hail thou that art highly favored" (kecharitomenee) cannot mean as Rome teaches in her prayer to the Virgin, "Hail Mary full of grace"; that would be pleerees charitos as in Joh 1:14; the passive of the verb implies, as usually in verbs in -oo, she was made the object of God's grace, not a fountain from whence grace flows to others; as Joh 1:30 explains it, "thou hast found favor (charin) with God"; so Eph 1:6, echaritoosen, "He hath graciously accepted us." "The Lord is (or, BE) with thee (Jg 6:12), blessed art thou among women"; not among gods and goddesses.
As Jael (Jg 5:24); "blessed" in "believing" (Lu 1:45), more than in conceiving Christ (Lu 8:19-21; 11:27-28); compare her own practice, Lu 2:51; Mt 12:49-50. "Her relationship as mother would not at all have profited Mary if she had not borne Christ more happily in the heart than in the flesh" (Augustine, Tom. 4, De Sanct. Virg.). In Lu 11:27-28, during His last journey, a month before His crucifixion (A.D. 30), upon a woman of the company exclaiming, "blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked," He said, "yea, rather (menounge) blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it"; the blessedness even of Mary is not her motherhood towards Him, but her hearing and obeying Him.
The Spirit's prescience of the abuse of the words Lu 1:28 appears in the precautions taken subsequently in the same Gospel to guard against such abuse. The Virgin's words (Lu 1:48) "all generations shall call me blessed" mean not, shall call me by that name, "the Blessed Virgin," but shall count me blessed, as in Jas 5:11 (the same Greek). The nations shall count JESUS, not the Virgin, the fountain of all blessedness (Ps 72:17). When in "fear she cast in her mind what might the meaning of the salutation be," the angel reassured her by the promise, "behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus.
He shall be great (not merely as John Baptist 'in the sight of the Lord,' Lu 1:15, but as the Lord Himself), and shall be called (i.e. shall be really what the name means) the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David (not merely His throne in heaven whereon David never sat, but on Zion, Jer 3:17), and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shi all be no end." She asked, not incredulously as Zacharias (Lu 1:18), but in the simplicity of faith which sought instruction, taking for granted it shall be, only asking as to the manner, "how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"
The angel therefore explained, "the Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee (as with a cloud, denoting the mildest, gentlest operation of the divine power, coveting, quickening, but not consuming: Mr 9:7), therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (from whence our creed saith, "He was conceived by the Holy Spirit," etc.; compare Ge 1:2. "As the world was not created by the Holy Spirit, but by the Son, so the Son was not begotten by the Holy Spirit, but by the Father, and that before the worlds, Christ was made of the substance of the Virgin, not of the substance of the Holy Spirit, whose essence cannot be made. No more is attributed to the Spirit than what was necessary to cause the Virgin to perform the actions of a mother. And because the Holy Spirit did not beget Him by any communication of His essence, He is not the Father of Him." Pearson, Creed, 165-166.)
Gabriel instanced Elisabeth's being six months advanced in pregnancy, who once was barren, to confirm the Virgin's faith that "nothing is impossible with God" (Ro 4:17-21); she evinced her faith in the reply, "behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word," Her expression of humble, believing acceptance of and concurrence in the divine will (Lu 1:38,45) was required, and may be with reverence supposed to be recorded to mark the date of our Lord's conception. Mary then went in joyous haste to the hill country of Judah, to a city where Zacharias and Elisabeth lived, whether Jutta, (Jos 21:13-16) a priests' city, or Hebron, S. of Jerusalem and much further S. of Nazareth in Galilee. On Mary's saluting Elisabeth the latter hailed her as "mother of her Lord," inasmuch as at her salutation "the babe leaped in her womb for joy," adding, in contrast to Zacharias whose unbelief had brought its own punishment," blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things told her from the Lord."
Mary then under the Spirit uttered the hymn known as the "Magnificat," based on Hannah's hymn (1Sa 2:2). In it we see a spirit that drank deeply at the wells of Scripture, a humility that "magnified the Lord" not self, that "rejoiced" as a sinner in "her Savior" (disproving Rome's dogma of the immaculate conception), a lively sense of gratitude at the mighty favor which the Mighty One conferred on one so low, a privilege which countless Jewish mothers had desired (Da 11:37, "the desire of women"), and for which all generations should count ("call") her happy (makariousin, compare Ge 30:13), and an exemplification of God's eternal principle of abusing "the proud and exalting them of low degree," and a realization of God's faithfulness to His promises "to Abraham of mercy and help to Israel forever." Mary stayed with her cousin three months, and just before John the Baptist's birth returned to her own house at Nazareth.
Then followed Joseph's discovery of the conception and his tender dealing with her, and reception of her by God's command (Matthew 1), as being the virgin foretold who should bring forth Immanuel (Isa 7:14; Jer 31:22). (See JOSEPH.) Augustus' decree (Luke 2) obliged them to go to Bethlehem, God thereby causing His prophecy (Mic 5:2) to be fulfilled, Mary there giving birth to the Savior. The shepherds' account of the angels caused wonder to others, "but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart"; so again Lu 2:51, not superficial, but reflective and thoughtfully devout. The law regarded her as unclean until the presentation 40 days after the birth (Leviticus 12). Then she was bound to offer a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or turtle dove for a sin offering, to make atonement for her poverty compelled her to substitute for the lamb a pigeon or turtle dove.
Simeon's hymn followed, at the close of which he foretold, "a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed"; the anguish of her Son should pierce the mother's heart, and be a testing probation of character to her as well as to all others (Joh 9:39; 19:25; Ps 42:10); that she had misgivings and doubts is implied in her accompanying His brethren afterward, as if enthusiasm was carrying Him too far (Mt 12:46; Mr 3:21,31-35; Joh 7:5). The flight to Egypt followed; then the return, at first designed to be back to Bethlehem, but through fear of Archelaus to Nazareth of Galilee, their former home.
Then the visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was
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Now, the earth, had become waste and wild, and darkness, was on the face of the roaring deep, - but, the Spirit of God, was brooding on the face of the waters,
and Leah said, For my happiness, surely happy have daughters pronounced me. So she called his name, Asher.
And, every daughter possessing all inheritance from among the tribes of the sons of Israel, unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, shall become wife, - to the intent that the sons of Israel may possess each one the inheritance of his fathers;
But, unto the sons of Aaron the priest, gave they the city of refuge for the manslayer, even Hebron, with the pasture lands thereof, - Libnah also, with her pasture lands; and Jattir with her pasture land, and Eshtemoa with her pasture land; read more. and Holon, with her pasture land, and Debir, with her pasture land; and Ain, with her pasture land, and Juttah, with her pasture land, Beth-shemesh, with her pasture land, - nine cities, out of these two tribes.
Blessed above women, shall be Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, - Above women in the tent, be blessed:
so the messenger of Yahweh appeared unto him, - and said unto him, Yahweh, is with thee, thou mighty man of valour!
There is none holy like Yahweh, Nay! there, is none, except Thee, Nor, is, there a rock, like our God.
And Amaziah said unto the man of God, What then shall be done as to the hundred talents, which I have given to the company of Israel? Then said the man of God, Yahweh is able to give thee much more than this.
With a crushing of my bones, have my adversaries reproached me, - While they keep saying unto me all the day, Where is thy God?
May his Name he age-abiding, In the presence of the sun, let his Name flourish, - And may all the families of the ground bless themselves in him, All nations, pronounce him happy!
Yahweh hath sworn unto David, in faithfulness, will he not turn from it, - Of the fruit of thy body, will I seat on thy throne.
Wherefore let My Lord Himself give you a sign, - Lo! a Virgin, being with child and giving birth to a son, thou wilt call his name Immanuel.
At that time, shall they call Jerusalem, The throne of Yahweh, and there shall be gathered unto her all the nations - to the Name of Yahweh, to Jerusalem; and they shall walk no more after the stubbornness of their own wicked heart.
How long wilt thou turn hither and thither, O apostate daughter? For Yahweh hath created a new thing in the earth, A female defendeth, a strong man!
Then again there touched me one like in appearance to a son of earth, and he strengthened me. And he said, Do not fear, O man greatly delighted in! peace to thee, be strong, yea be strong! And, as he spake with me, I gained strength, and said, Let my lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me.
and, for the god of his fathers, will he have no regard, nor, for the delight of women, nor for any god, will he have regard, - for, against all, will he magnify himself.
Thou, therefore, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though, little, to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee, shall Mine come forth, to be ruler in Israel, - whose comings forth, have been from of old, from the days of age-past time.
and lo! they cried aloud, saying, What have we in common with thee, O Son of God? Hast thou come hither, before the right time, to torment us?
While yet he was speaking unto the multitudes, lo! his mother and brethren, were standing without, seeking to speak with him.
And, stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said, Lo! my mother and my brethren! For, whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in the heavens, he, is my, brother, and sister, and mother.
For, whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in the heavens, he, is my, brother, and sister, and mother.
saying - What have we in common with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, The Holy One of God.
And they who were near to him, hearing of it, went out to secure him, - for they were saying - He is beside himself!
And they who were near to him, hearing of it, went out to secure him, - for they were saying - He is beside himself!
And there come his mother and his brethren, and, standing, outside, they sent unto him, calling him.
And there come his mother and his brethren, and, standing, outside, they sent unto him, calling him. And there was sitting around him a multitude, and they say unto him - Lo! thy mother and thy brethren, outside, are seeking thee!
And there was sitting around him a multitude, and they say unto him - Lo! thy mother and thy brethren, outside, are seeking thee! And, answering them, he saith - Who are my mother and my brethren?
And, answering them, he saith - Who are my mother and my brethren? And, looking around on them who, about him, in a circle, were sitting, he saith, See! my mother and my brethren!
And, looking around on them who, about him, in a circle, were sitting, he saith, See! my mother and my brethren! Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same, is my brother and sister and mother.
Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same, is my brother and sister and mother.
And there came a cloud, overshadowing them, and there came a voice, out of the cloud, - This is, my Son, the Beloved, Be hearkening unto him.
For he shall be great before the Lord, and, wine and strong drink, in nowise may he drink, and, with Holy Spirit, shall he be filled, already, from his mother's womb;
And Zachariah said unto the messenger - Whereby, shall I know this? for, I, am, aged, and, my wife, advanced in her days.
And, after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she disguised herself five months, saying -
and entering in unto her, he said - Joy to thee, favoured one! The Lord, be with thee!
the same, shall be great, and, Son of the Most High, shall be called, and the Lord God, will give unto him, the throne of David his father, -
And lo! Elizabeth thy kinswoman, even she, hath conceived a son in, her old-age; - and, this month, is, the sixth, to her, the so-called barren one;
And Mary said - Lo! the handmaid of the Lord! Might it come to pass unto me, according to thy declaration. And the messenger departed from her.
And Mary said - Lo! the handmaid of the Lord! Might it come to pass unto me, according to thy declaration. And the messenger departed from her. And Mary, arising, in these days, journeyed into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, -
And, happy, is she who hath believed, that there shall be a perfecting of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!
And, happy, is she who hath believed, that there shall be a perfecting of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord! And Mary said - My soul doth magnify the Lord,
Because he hath looked upon the humbling of his handmaid; for lo! from the present time, all the generations, will pronounce me happy.
Because he hath looked upon the humbling of his handmaid; for lo! from the present time, all the generations, will pronounce me happy.
but, Mary, was closely observing, all, these things, putting them together in her heart.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was submitting himself unto them. And, his mother, was closely observing all these things in her heart.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was submitting himself unto them. And, his mother, was closely observing all these things in her heart.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was submitting himself unto them. And, his mother, was closely observing all these things in her heart.
And his mother and brethren came near unto him, and were unable to reach him, because of the multitude. And it was reported to him - Thy mother and thy brethren, are standing outside, desiring, to see, thee. read more. But, he, answering, said unto them - My mother and my brethren, are, these - they who, the word of God, are hearing and doing.
Now it came to pass, while he was saying these things, that a certain woman out of the multitude, lifting up her voice, said unto him - Happy the womb that bare thee! And the breasts which thou didst suck!
Now it came to pass, while he was saying these things, that a certain woman out of the multitude, lifting up her voice, said unto him - Happy the womb that bare thee! And the breasts which thou didst suck! But, he, said - Yea rather! - Happy they who hear the word of God, and observe it!
But, he, said - Yea rather! - Happy they who hear the word of God, and observe it!
And, the Word, became, flesh, and pitched his tent among us, and we gazed upon his glory, - a glory, as an Only-begotten from his Father. Full of favour and truth.
This, is he, of whom, I, said - After me, cometh a man, who, before me, hath advanced, because, my Chief, was he.
His mother saith unto them who are ministering - Whatsoever he may say to you, do!
After this, he came down into Capernaum, - he, and his mother and brethren, and his disciples; and, there, they abode, not many days.
For, not even his brethren, were believing on him.
And Jesus said - For judgment, I, unto this world, came: that, they who were not seeing, might see, and, they who were seeing, might become, blind.
And there were standing by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary the Magdalene.
And there were standing by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary the Magdalene. Jesus, therefore, seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved, saith unto his mother - O woman, see! thy son! read more. Afterwards, he saith unto the disciple - See! thy mother! And, from that hour, the disciple took her unto his own home.
These all were giving constant attention with one accord unto the prayer, with certainwomen, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Concerning his Son, - who came to be of the seed of David, according to flesh,
Even as it is written - Father of many nations, have I appointed thee: before him whom he believed - God, who causeth the dead to live, and calleth the things that are not as things that are: - Who, past hope, upon hope believed, so that he became father of many nations, - according to what had been said - So shall be thy seed; - read more. And, without becoming weak in his faith, he attentively considered his own body, already deadened - he being a hundred years old, the deadening also of Sarah's womb; In respect, however, of the promise of God, he was not led to hesitate by unbelief, but received power by his faith, giving glory unto God, And being fully persuaded (that), - what he hath promised, able is he also to perform:
Unto the praise of the glory of his favour wherewith he favoured us in the Beloved One, -
Lo! we pronounce them happy who have endured; - Of the endurance of Job, ye have heard, and, the end of the Lord, have ye seen, - that, of much tender affection, is the Lord, and full of compassion,