Is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Historically Insignificant?

[josh]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I lifted this little quote from "The Jesus I Never Knew," by Philip Yancey

"The virgin Mary though, whose parenthood was unplanned, had a different response. She heard the angel out, pondered the repercussions, and replied, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Often a work of God comes with two edges, great joy and great pain, and in that matter-of-fact response Mary embraced both.

She was the first person to accept Jesus on His own terms, regardless of the personal cost."

I found Yancey's thought about Mary strikingly beautiful in it's truthfulness. Upon reading it, I wondered if we Pentecostals - because of our opposition to the fictitious doctrinal view of Mary taught by Catholics - have relegated Mary to insignificance.

I offer three questions to those interested in the topic at hand.

1. Why did God choose Mary as the incubator for His Son?

2. Is Mary, the mother of Jesus, historically insignificant?

3. Is Mary, the mother of Jesus, the most important bible character - other than her Son?

PP, was this just handy phraeology? You don't really believe she just the incubator, do you?

And, I agree. Her experience is significantly important to us.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by josh

PP, was this just handy phraeology? You don't really believe she just the incubator, do you?

And, I agree. Her experience is significantly important to us.

Of course I don't, but I wonder if some do?

It must be really important, as this is the least responded to thread I have ever started.

[Kutless]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amoung women.....etc etc

[LadyRev]

Originally Posted by Kutless

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amoung women.....etc etc

Seeing as this traditional catholic prayer ends with "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death", I hardly think this prayer is a good thing.

I think Mary would say DON'T PRAY TO ME!

[Mosby48]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Would anyone care to address this post?

I can see the symbolism he refers to. But most things in the Bible are pointing to the events of the New Testament. Tradition holds that Mary was only 16 or so when she conceived so probably she didn't realize all of the consequences of what she was agreeing to, simply went by faith. In Acts, she is among the 120 in the upper room, so God didn't treat her any more special than any of the disciples. One thing sometimes overlooked is Mary forced Jesus into performing his first miracle. At the wedding at Cana, she told Jesus they were out of wine. He protested his time was not yet but she ignored that and told the servants, "Do what he tells you to!" (typical mother) The rest is history.

[anapko]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I lifted this little quote from "The Jesus I Never Knew," by Philip Yancey
I offer three questions to those interested in the topic at hand.

1. Why did God choose Mary as the incubator for His Son?

2. Is Mary, the mother of Jesus, historically insignificant?

3. Is Mary, the mother of Jesus, the most important bible character - other than her Son?

Great Post!

1. To answer this is pure speculation. Why she was chosen is never mentioned in Scripture. What is clear is that she was highly favored. She was highly favored in the time that God highly favored to bring forth His only begotten Son.

2. Historically?? It may not be as important as compared to Biblical history. To negate her as significant to history would mean, from a Bible view, that all pre-Mary births were insignificant. From Sarah on typed a bringing forth of Christ, yet after these births, not much is made of the mother.

3. Again, reference comment 2. Not much is said of the mother after the birth of the son. It would stand to reason that God in His omnipotent wisdom knew that to continually focus on mama would lessen the Son's purpose, hence when Mary urged Jesus to do something about the wine issue, she never saw Him change water to wine before, but she knew who He was, Jesus placated to her answering her request. After the miracle, no mention of Mary as the intercessor of the miracle. Her mention becomes less and less. So is she the most important bible character in the bible, not according to Jesus who said that John was the greatest of all the prophets. Yet, Mary is blessed of all women.

Again, great post!

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I lifted this little quote from "The Jesus I Never Knew," by Philip Yancey

"The virgin Mary though, whose parenthood was unplanned, had a different response. She heard the angel out, pondered the repercussions, and replied, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Often a work of God comes with two edges, great joy and great pain, and in that matter-of-fact response Mary embraced both.

She was the first person to accept Jesus on His own terms, regardless of the personal cost."

I found Yancey's thought about Mary strikingly beautiful in it's truthfulness. Upon reading it, I wondered if we Pentecostals - because of our opposition to the fictitious doctrinal view of Mary taught by Catholics - have relegated Mary to insignificance.

I offer three questions to those interested in the topic at hand.

1. Why did God choose Mary as the incubator for His Son?

2. Is Mary, the mother of Jesus, historically insignificant?

3. Is Mary, the mother of Jesus, the most important bible character - other than her Son?

The question should be would you be who you are with a different mother?

You would just be someone else...

So yes the Mary is very important.

It took her faith to allow the Holy Spirit to over shadow her....

She is not to be worshipped but respected.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by anapko81

Great Post!

1. To answer this is pure speculation. Why she was chosen is never mentioned in Scripture. What is clear is that she was highly favored. She was highly favored in the time that God highly favored to bring forth His only begotten Son.

2. Historically?? It may not be as important as compared to Biblical history. To negate her as significant to history would mean, from a Bible view, that all pre-Mary births were insignificant. From Sarah on typed a bringing forth of Christ, yet after these births, not much is made of the mother.

3. Again, reference comment 2. Not much is said of the mother after the birth of the son. It would stand to reason that God in His omnipotent wisdom knew that to continually focus on mama would lessen the Son's purpose, hence when Mary urged Jesus to do something about the wine issue, she never saw Him change water to wine before, but she knew who He was, Jesus placated to her answering her request. After the miracle, no mention of Mary as the intercessor of the miracle. Her mention becomes less and less. So is she the most important bible character in the bible, not according to Jesus who said that John was the greatest of all the prophets. Yet, Mary is blessed of all women.

Again, great post!

I will try to pull up all references to Mary in the N.T.

I can think of a few without research.

1. Bringing Jesus to the Temple as an infant.
2. Searching for Him, and finding Him in the temple, as an adolescent.
3. Wedding at Cana.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Coffee99

.
...
If one looks at how she was/is regarded by the Orthodox, from whom the RCC pulled away, it seems there may be a clearer picture of her place. The RCC's doctrine on Mary is recent in the historical church - it wasn't put in place as it is today until the mid-1800's and then expanded at Vatican II, I believe. And they continue to revise it. Some of the Orthodox teachings are that she was the first human to experience the life-changing power of Jesus. They also teach that her life is an example of the kind of life God wants us to lead. They believe that the RCC teaching is heresey and that it demeans the life-changing power that Jesus offers. The Orthodox give her tremendous honor, on the level that they give the Apostles. They do, however, they believe that the RCC has tried to put her on par with God.

If you notice, the Orthodox icons of Mary do not show her alone, but with Jesus. She is known to them as the Theotokos or God bearer.

[anapko]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I will try to pull up all references to Mary in the N.T.

I can think of a few without research.

1. Bringing Jesus to the Temple as an infant.
2. Searching for Him, and finding Him in the temple, as an adolescent.
3. Wedding at Cana.

4. Coming with His brothers to see Him. He says that blessed are those that hear the Word
5. At the cross, Jesus tells John to take care of her.
6. The upper room is the last mention of her.

Still, great Thread!!!!

I don't believe she's mentioned beyond this. I do believe she is important simply because she, of all women, did bear the Savior. Beyond that, not much is made of her. Once Jesus becomes a man entering into His ministry, Mary is relegated to simply a mother.