Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ.
She was a young Jewish virgin
living in Nazareth
who was chosen by God
to conceive and give birth to
the Son of God
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture presents her as
a woman of deep faith, humility,
and willing obedience.
Mary was betrothed to Joseph when the angel Gabriel appeared to her with the announcement that she would conceive and bear a son named Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). She remained a virgin until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:24-25).
Key events in her life recorded in Scripture include:
Mary’s response to Gabriel reveals a heart of humble trust:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Her song of praise, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), shows a deep knowledge of Scripture and a clear understanding of God’s mercy and faithfulness.
While Jesus honored Mary as His mother, He also taught that spiritual relationship to Him is more important than physical relationship (Matthew 12:46-50; Luke 11:27-28). Mary herself recognized her need for a Savior (Luke 1:47).
Mary holds a unique place in redemptive history as the one through whom the eternal Son of God took on human flesh. The virgin birth is a foundational truth of the Christian faith.
At the same time, Scripture does not present Mary as sinless, a mediator, or an object of prayer or worship.
All glory, prayer, and trust belong to God alone through Jesus Christ.
Mary is a beautiful example of humble faith and submission to God’s will. She was highly favored and uniquely used in God’s plan of salvation. While she is to be honored as the mother of the Lord Jesus, Scripture directs all worship and ultimate trust to God alone through His Son.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.