Okay, so maybe I jumped the gun a little since I’m listening to Christmas music before celebrating Thanksgiving, but I have a limited window and a lot of music to get through so I started early. It’s that time of year when every popular artist starts asking, “Mary Did You Know?” Maybe it’s just me, but I usually whisper the answer, no. Now, theologically this could be up to debate, so why don’t we take this question to the ultimate authority, God’s word. Let’s start at the beginning:
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:26-38
Mary knew what she agreed to, which was to bear the son of God. However, the details of what this entails were rather broad. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” that was what Mary knew. A lot was left out there, which is probably why we see Mary doing a LOT of thinking.
For example, when the shepherds showed up at Christ’s birth, Mary had to think about things.
“But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
When Jesus was presented at the temple and Simeon took Jesus in his arms:
“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,And the glory of Your people Israel.” And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.” Luke 2:29-33
Mary and Joseph were amazed at what was being said about Jesus.
How about when they left Jerusalem, thinking Jesus was with them, only to have to go back and look for Him:
“When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.” And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Luke 2:48-51
Mary didn’t understand the statement, that Jesus was in His Father’s house when He was in the temple. Once again Mary had to treasure all this in her heart. She had to think about it. That word “treasured” in the Greek is diatēreō – to keep, to watch thoroughly, observe carefully. Mary was watching Jesus very closely, because she knew what the angel told her but she didn’t really know the future held. Jesus kept surprising her and doing things she didn’t understand.
Mary didn’t know what was going to happen in Jesus’ life. She was discovering everything as it happened, just like everyone who was around Jesus at the time. Even after His death and resurrection, His disciple John was still ministering to Mary. Remember this:
“When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” John 19:26-27
The eldest son was the one who was responsible for taking care of his parents in their old age. Jesus was passing on that responsibly to John, and we see in 2 John that he took the responsibility seriously.
“The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” 2 John 1:1-3
John writes this to Mary:
“Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.” 2 John 1:5-8
Mary was still subject to Christ’s commandments AND she was being warned not to be deceived or to fall away. Mary was blessed, but she was also just another faulty human like the rest of us. She didn’t know what was in her future when she had Jesus. She didn’t fully understand everything she was witnessing when it happened. Mary was a careful thinker. She watched Jesus closely. She kept everything that happened in her memory, in her heart, to be mulled over and thought about deeply.
The answer to the song “Mary Did You Know” is no, no she didn’t.
None of us know what God has planned for us. I’m sure there are plenty of things that have happened in your life that you find yourself pondering. Mary, however, was a good servant. She didn’t NEED to know to submit herself to God’s plan. She just submitted. “Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Sometimes we have to accept that we don’t know, and still say, “I am your bondservant, Lord, Your will be done.”
Training to be Batgirl 