Mary Did You Know?

 

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And 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 go shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:26-33 ESV).

 

One of my favorite modern Christmas songs was written in 1991 by Buddy Greene and Mark Lowry. It has become a contemporary “classic.” In its short history, this song has been recorded by many contemporary artists, and sung in many church services. My favorite cover of it is done by Pentatonix. You can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE.

 

The song asks a simple rhetorical question: Mary, did you know who your Son was? The question is expanded throughout the song citing both the salvation Jesus would bring and the miracles He would work. Did Mary know while holding Him in Bethlehem’s barn who Jesus really was? This song is musically beautiful, but it also shines a spotlight on the paradox of the Sovereign God becoming a dependent baby.

 

It is a valid question. Did Mary know? If so, what did Mary know? From the very beginning, Mary certainly knew that Jesus was not a normal baby. Our reading today indicates that much. She finds out she is pregnant through a conversation with the angel Gabriel. In this conversation she would come to know: she had found favor with God (1:28-30); She was pregnant with a Son, even though she was a virgin (1:31); her Son would be the Son of God (1:32a, 35); her Son would be the promised Messiah (1:32b); and, her Son’s Kingdom would know no end (1:33).

 

For nine months Mary carried Jesus with the words of the Angel reverberating in her ears and echoing through her heart. Then, when Jesus was born, angels and shepherds, and Magi show up and remind her of the supernatural nature of her Son. As He grows up, she continued to know that Jesus was unique. So, based on these verses, did Mary know? Yes. I think she knew. However, let’s not make Mary into more than she was. She was certainly favored by God, but she was still human. At one point, she (and Jesus’ half brothers) openly questioned His methods (Matthew 12:46-50). After Jesus’ crucifixion, Mary was not sitting outside the tomb on the morning of the third day expecting to see the stone rolled away. She (like the other disciples) thought the dream died on the cross. So, in one sense Mary knew, but in another sense she didn’t.

 

So, the question asked in this song reminds us that at times we can KNOW a truth about God, but still have questions about how it looks in our lives. Allow this tension to encourage you today in the areas of your life where you know, but in another sense don’t know. Trust in what you know. Reject the temptation to base your hope on the things you don’t know!