(Mary, the Mother of Jesus - Part 1 | Part 2)
In the first part of this study we learned who Mary was and of the circumstances leading to Jesus' birth. In Part 2, we follow Mary's life until she witnesses Jesus' crucifixion and ascension.
The Scripture: Luke 2:22
"When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.”
1. Why did Joseph and Mary take the Baby to Jerusalem?
The Scripture: Luke 2:25-26
"There was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ."
2. Who was Simeon?
3. What had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 28-30, 32
"Simeon took him (Jesus) into his arms and praised God, saying, 'Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, now dismiss your servant in peace for my eyes have seen their salvation...the light for revelation the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
4. What was his prophecy?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 34-35
"This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
5. What did he prophesy to Mary?
The Scripture: Luke 2:36-37
"There was also a prophetess, Anna....She was very old....She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying."
6. Who was Anna?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 38
"She...spoke about the Child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."
7. What did she speak about?
The Scripture: Matthew 2:1
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."
8. What did the Magi ask?
9. What did they say they wanted to do?
The Scripture: Matthew 2: 7-8
"Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.'"
10. What did King Herod do?
Of course, this was a lie. Herod wanted to kill the baby whom he saw as a rival for the throne.
The Scripture: Matthew 2:9
"After they heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.”
11. How were the Magi led to Jesus?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 10-12
"They were overwhelmed. They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with the gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."
12. What did they do?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 32
"Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."
13. Why didn't they return to Herod?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 39-40
"Joseph and Mary returned to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him."
14. What did Joseph and Mary do next?
15. How is Jesus described?
The Bible is silent about this holy family during Jesus' younger childhood. Nothing more is known of them until Jesus was 12.
The Scripture: Luke 2:41-43
"Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When He was twelve years old, they went up to the feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind, but they were unaware of it."
16. Why was the family in Jerusalem?
17. What was the problem?
The Scripture: Luke 2: 44-45
"Thinking He was in their company, they traveled for a day. Then they began looking for Him, among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him."
18. What did Mary and Joseph do?
The Scripture: Luke 2:46-47
"After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers."
19. Where did his parents find Him?
20. What was the attitude of the teachers?
The Scripture: Luke 2:48-49
“His mother said to Him, 'Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’ ‘Why were you searching for me?' he asked. 'Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?’ ”
21. What did Mary do?
22. How did Jesus respond?
Then the family returned to Nazareth.
The Scripture: Luke 2:50-52
"They did not understand what He was saying to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men."
23. What does Luke tell us about Mary?
24. What does Luke tell us about Jesus?
We do not hear of Mary again until the wedding at Cana in Galilee. Tradition says that Joseph was considerably older than Mary and that he had probably died by this time. The wedding is probably well into Jesus' ministry because the scripture mentions His disciples. It tells us that Mary, Jesus, and the disciples had all been invited.
The Scripture: John 2:3-4
"When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, 'They have no more wine.' 'Dear woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. 'My time has not come.'”
25. What was the problem?
26. What did Jesus say to Mary?
Jesus' response to Mary sounds harsh, but it undoubtedly wasn't, when we consider Mary's error.
The Scripture: Luke 2:5
"His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever He tells you.’ Mary had come a long way toward understanding Jesus. In her instructions to the servants, she shows that by this time she was aware of Jesus' ability.”
27. What did Mary tell the servants?
Jesus told the servants to fill some large ceremonial jars, each holding 20-30 gallons with water and then to draw some out and give it to the banquet manager.
The Scripture: Luke 2:8-9
"They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine."
28. What happened when the master tasted the wine?
A later verse tells us that it was very choice wine.
Some biblical authorities believe that Mary always had perfect faith in her Son, but Scripture says otherwise. She seems to frequently be confounded by His behavior. One incident in particular, recorded in three gospels, stands out.
The Scripture: Mark 3: 31-35
"Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him and they told him, 'Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.' 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' He asked. Then He said, 'Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
29. Who came to see Jesus?
30. When Jesus was told they were outside, what did He say?
This comment seems to be a rebuke for their lack of faith in Him.
Nothing more is told us of Mary until Jesus' crucifixion.
The Scripture: John 19:25
"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.”
31. Who was one of those standing near the cross?
Simeon had prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary's soul. How she must have suffered seeing Jesus on the cross.
The Scripture: John 19-26, 27
"When Jesus saw His mother there and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby He said to His mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.'”
32. What did Jesus say to Mary?
33. And to John?
Scripture tells us that Mary went to live with John. It is comforting to know that in His final moments on the cross, Jesus' concern was for His mother's welfare. We have one final mention of Mary after Jesus' resurrection and ascension.
Scripture tells us that following Jesus' ascension, the disciples, some women, and Mary returned to Jerusalem and went to the upper room.
The Scripture: Acts 1:14
"They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers."
34. Why did they meet together?
This is largely what we know about Mary, a young peasant woman whom God chose to honor. Although she was mostly unknown to the people of her time, today a large part of the world honors her.
The Answers
- To present Him to the Lord
- A righteous devout man
- That he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Christ
- That he had seen God's salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory to His people Israel
- That Jesus was destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed and that a sword would pierce Mary's soul too.
- An elderly prophetess who never left the temple
- The Child, to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem
- "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?"
- Worship the child
- Sent for the Magi and told them to find the child and report back to him so he could worship him also
- By a star that went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where Jesus was
- They worshipped Jesus and then presented him with their treasures of gold, incense and myrrh.
- They were warned in a dream not to.
- They returned to their home in Nazareth
- He grew and became strong and was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him.
- For the Feast of Tabernacles
- Jesus stayed behind, but his parents were unaware of his absence.
- First they searched for Him among their relatives-and friends: When they did not find Him they returned to Jerusalem.
- In the temple, speaking to the teachers
- They were amazed at His understanding and answers.
- She rebuked Him.
- He said, "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
- That she did not understand what He was saying, but she treasured all these things in her heart
- He grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.
- There was no more wine.
- "Why do you involve me? My time has not come."
- "Do whatever he tells you."
- The water had turned into wine.
- His mother and brothers
- "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.”
- His mother
- "Dear woman, here is your son."
- "Here is your mother."
- For prayer
All scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible, New International Version
(unless otherwise indicated)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, New International Bible Society
Copyright © 2007 by JoAnne Sekowsky