Triplets of Womanhood: Three Marys

 

Just as God portrays His Triune nature in patterns of three throughout His Word, His nature, and His creation, it is not surprising that there are three women named Mary in close association to Christ in His earthly ministry. These are Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke 1-2), Mary Magdalene, Jesus’s disciple from the time He cast out seven demons from her (Mark 16:19), and His close friend Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:2). These women were bound to Jesus by love as His family, follower, and friend.

There are also three additional women named Mary described in less detail in Scripture, but also worthy of mention. One of these is referred to as "the other Mary" (Matthew 27:61), also known as the mother of the disciples James and Joses (Matthew 27:55-61); and as the wife of Cleophas (John 19:25). The second is the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12); and sister to Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), who opened her home to the disciples to meet for prayer (Acts 12:12). The third is Mary of Rome, whom Paul thanked for her "many labors" in support of his ministry to the Roman Christians (Romans 16:6).

These three women: the “other Mary,” the mother of John Mark, and Mary of Rome, are known for their association to Christianity by being relatives of the first missionaries and by their service to the early church. All six of these women have much to teach us about the Biblical ideal of womanhood.

“Mary” in the New Testament is the Greek equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew names “Miriam,” given to the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20-21), and “Mara,” the name Naomi adopted to reflect her great sorrow in bereavement (Ruth 1:20). The name means bitterness, sorrow, or trouble, reflecting the pain, grief and tribulation each woman bore, though in differing circumstances. 

The root word of this name is the same as for the spice known as myrrh, a bitter, fragrant and costly herb. In symbolic terms, myrrh may represent the bitterness of childbirth, mandated by the curse of sin (Genesis 3:16); the joys of motherhood (Proverbs 23:22-25); and the priceless value of Biblical womanhood, exemplified by the Proverbs 31 woman.

Myrrh was one of the gifts presented to Jesus as a young child to symbolize that He came to die (Matthew 2:11); it was offered to Him on the cross (Mark 15:23); and it was used to anoint His body for burial (John 19:39-40). And yet it was also included in the holy anointing oil used in Old Testament worship (Exodus 30:23; Psalm 45:7-8); it purified women such as Queen Esther (Esther 2:12); and it perfumed the marriage bed. (Proverbs 7:17-18; Song of Solomon 1:13,3:6;4:14).

In keeping with Divine triplets in Scripture, there were three Marys present at the crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:25).  Mary, mother of Jesus, came to the cross by submission to God’s calling her to carry His Son (Luke 1:28-38).  Mary Magdalene came by Christ’s mercy as He freed her from demonic possession (Mark 16:19); and Mary of Cleophas came by her relationship with Christ’s followers, for she was the close relative of two disciples.

These three Marys present at the cross of Christ therefore represent the three-step process by which every born-again believer (John 3:3-8) comes to know Christ and places their faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). First, we have some association with Christians who share the Gospel with us; then we ask Christ for His mercy to forgive us and spare us from eternal death that our sins deserve (Romans 3:23); and finally we submit to His perfect will for our life (James 4:7), all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Praise God that He gave us victory (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) over sin, death and hell! Three Marys witnessed the evidence of His resurrection firsthand as they came to anoint His body at the tomb, only to find that He had risen! These three were Mary Magdalene (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1), Mary the mother of James (the “other Mary;” Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1), and the mother of Jesus, as one of the women that were with Mary Magdalene at the cross (Luke 24:10).

Each of these women has a unique story, yet with common themes that illustrate how we can lead lives pleasing to Lord Jesus Christ. Like the three Marys, may we turn from the bitterness of sin to the joy of salvation and the blessings of serving Him!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Triplets of Prophecies Fulfilled: Mary, Mother of Jesus

Reflecting God’s Triune nature as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, patterns of three abound in Scripture. Three women named Mary were close to Jesus in His earthly ministry, beginning with His mother Mary, the willing handmaid of the Lord (Luke 1:38). God had orchestrated the details of Mary’s life to fulfill various Messianic prophecies through her son Jesus, including her genealogy, residence, and betrothal.

Mary’s genealogy (Luke 3:23-38) extends all the way back to God Himself, emphasizing that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16). It includes three noteworthy ancestors, Adam, Noah, and Enoch, who remind us of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

The disobedience of God’s first son Adam (and his wife Eve) brought the curse of sin, sorrow and death upon themselves, the earth and all mankind (Genesis 3:6-19). Had they not rebelled, there would have been no need for God to send His Son Jesus as the sinless Sacrifice to reconcile sinful man to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Hebrews 2:17), showing His perfect, infinite, self-sacrificing love (John 3:16; 15:13).

Wickedness continued to increase through the days of Noah, when God destroyed all the earth’s inhabitants by flood. Yet in His mercy, He saved the faithful remnant of Noah and his family who loved, believed and obeyed God (Genesis 6-8), just as He continues to save all sinners who call on His Name in faith (Acts 2:21; 15:11).

Enoch foreshadows God’s grace that awaits all His children still living when He returns for us at the Rapture. Because Enoch walked with God, God took Enoch to be with Him forever, without experiencing death (Genesis 5:24). Similarly, those us who are alive and remain will be caught up in our glorified bodies to meet the Lord in the air (1 Corinthians 15:21-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

Through these three ancestors of Jesus Christ, we have the promise that just God must punish sin, yet His mercy substituted His Son to pay our debt in full (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), and His grace gives all who trust Him eternal life with Him (Romans 3:20-24; 6:23);.

Mary’s lineage also includes three ancestors mentioned in Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah (Daniel 9:25), meaning Anointed One or Christ (John 4:25), Who would deliver His people from their sins. That Messiah was the Seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; Luke 3:34) and of his son Isaac (Genesis 17:19; 21:12; Luke 3:34; Romans 9:7; Hebrews 11:17-18) Who would bless all nations (Genesis 22:15-18; 26:1-4; Acts 3:25-26; Galatians 3:8,16), descending through the line of Isaac’s son, Jacob (Genesis 28:1-15; Luke 3:34).

Three additional ancestors in Mary’s lineage also point to her Son as being the promised Messiah, Who would be the Seed of Judah (Jacob’s son; Genesis 49:1,8:12; Luke 3:33), the Rod from Jesse (Isaiah 11:1; Luke 3:32) and the Light of David (1 Kings 11:36; 2 Chronicles 21:7; Luke 3:31).

Scripture further describes Jesus Christ as the Son (Matthew 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22, etc.), Seed (2 Samuel 7:12-13; 1 Chronicles 17:11-15), and Root and Offspring of David (Revelation 22:16). He will rule forever on David’s throne (Luke 1:32) as the Righteous Branch, King, and The Lord Our Righteousness Who will reign, prosper, and execute judgment and justice in the earth (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-15).

Through God’s preordained plan, Mary’s family tree therefore positioned her to give birth to the promised Messiah, as did her engagement and her dwelling places. She was betrothed to Joseph, a humble carpenter who was also in the lineage of David (Matthew 1: 1-16), so that Jesus’ claim to the throne when He comes again cannot be challenged (Luke 1:32-33).

Unlike Mary, who was the biological parent of Jesus, Joseph was not a blood relation, but was “grafted in” to the holy family by his marriage to Mary (Matthew 1:16). To me, this foreshadows God’s love, mercy, and grace in extending His plan of salvation to all people, and not just to His chosen nation of Israel (Luke 2:30-32), even though all have sinned against Him (Romans 3:23). Regardless of our heritage, all who have been grafted in to God’s family (Romans 11:17-24) by their faith in His Son (Ephesians 2:8) become part of the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-27).

God chose Joseph to be Mary’s betrothed not only because he was a descendant of David, but for his qualities of compassion, faith, and obedience to God. When Joseph learned of Mary’s pregnancy, he may have felt rejection, betrayal, and fear. His compassion for her led him to the just decision to put her away privately, rather than humiliating her publicly or even having her stoned, as would be required by the laws of Moses (Matthew 1:18-19).  

Yet he readily believed what the angel of God told him in a dream about Mary’s child, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, would be called Jesus, and would save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:20-21). Joseph followed God’s perfect plan by marrying her, refraining from sexual relations until after she had given birth, and naming the child Jesus (Matthew 1:24-25).

This was the first of three dreams in which the angel of God gave him special instructions, and each time Joseph listened, believed and obeyed (Matthew 2:13-14;19-21), protecting Jesus by removing Him from danger.

Through Mary’s birthplace, betrothal to Joseph, and submission to her husband’s direction as he followed God’s commands, God used the details of her life to carry out three prophecies concerning the geography of Jesus Christ’s life on earth, involving Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Egypt.

Mary was from Nazareth (Luke 1:26-27), thus enabling fulfillment of the prophecy that the Messiah would be a called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23; Isaiah 11:1). Before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph left Nazareth to be taxed in Bethlehem, city of David, following the decree of Caesar Augustus that everyone should be taxed in his own city  (Luke 2:1-7) This fulfilled the prophecy that the everlasting Ruler of Israel would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-6).

And yet then Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled to Egypt to escape the infanticide King Herod had ordered, fearing that the prophesied King of the Jews, born in Bethlehem, would usurp his power. This fulfilled the third prophecy concerning places important in Jesus’ early childhood, for He would be called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15) to return to live in Nazareth.

 
One of the most miraculous prophecies concerning Jesus Christ, and proving His divinity, was His virgin birth, also fulfilled by Mary who allowed herself to be used of God in this unique way, as we shall see next time. As we study the details of Messianic prophecy fulfilled by Jesus Christ, may we have no doubt that God is Who He says He is, that He works all things together for good (Romans 8:28); and that His true Word can be trusted as we look forward with sure hope to His second coming!  

© 2016 Laurie Collett