Mary in the Bible
This book provides an excellent presentation because it smoothes out the Bible and provides a coherent, easily comprehensible, linear framework of understanding. The most helpful aspect of this arrangement of material is that in the section covering the Gospel books, it presents selected chapters in chronological order
Mary number one
I have found six different Mary in the Bible. The root of the name comes from Hebrew Miriam, and can mean “Rebellious”.I start with the most known one, the mother of Jesus. She gave birth to a baby boy that was going to be Messiah. Her father´s name was Heli. Mary was a young Jewish, virgin and born in the tribe of Judah and a descendant of David. This was important since it was prophesied that Messiah was going to be from such. Tradition says that Mary had a sister, Salome, whose two sons, James and John, were numbered among Jesus’ apostles. This means that they were Jesus´cousines
About the year 3 BCE, the angel Gabriel was sent to the virgin girl Mary in the town of Nazareth. When he
told her that she would conceive and give birth to a son called Jesus. Mary was at this time engaged to Joseph, but they were still not fully married. She was concerned about how this would be possible. The Angel assured her that her baby was going to be conceived by Holy Spirit and be called God´s son. Joseph got help to understand this, and this humble man took Mary as his wife, “but he had no intercourse with her until she gave birth to a son; and he called his name Jesus.”. When Mary was almost in the ninth month, they had to travel from Nazareth to Betlehem because of the decree of Caesar Augustus, compelling everyone to register. Since all hotels were full, they stayed in a stable, and Maria gave birth to her baby boy there. She put him into a manger.
The family returned and settled in Nazareth, where, during the ensuing years, Joseph and Mary now got other children, at least four sons as well as daughters.
Mary´s around Jesus
Mentioned after Jesus death
Mary the mother of Jesus
Luke 1:26 - 38; 2: 1 - 7; 13 :55, 56
Acts 1:13 ,14
Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus
Luke 10: 38, 42; John 11: 1- 45; Matthew 26: 1-13
Luke 8: 1 - 3; John 19: 25
Matthew 28: 1; John 20:11 - 18
“The other Mary"
Matthew 27 : 56, 61;
Matthew 28: 10-07
. Mary the mother of John Mark
(Luke 22: 12)
Acts 12 : 12
Mary of Rome
Romans 16: 6
Mary number two
Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She lived at Bethany, to the east of Jerusalem. Jesus visited the home of these friends for whom he had special affection. Later, Lazarus became sick, near to death. The two sisters sent for Jesus. Mary hasten out to meet him. At his feet she sobbed, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw how sad she was, he was moved to weep. After Jesus performed the stupendous miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, mary came faith.
Five days before Jesus’ last Passover, he and his disciples were guests at the home of Simon the leper, where Mary and her family also were. Martha was serving the evening meal; Mary again gave her attention to the Son of God. As Jesus was reclining, Mary took a pound of perfumed oil, genuine nard, very costly and poured it on his head and feet. Mary did this as a preparation for Jesus’ death and burial so near.
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Mary number three
Mary Magdalene. The name Magdalene likely shows that she came from the town of Magdala. There is no record of Jesus’ ever visiting this town, though he spent a great deal of time in the surrounding area.
She is first mentioned in the account of Jesus’ second year of preaching, when he and his apostles were traveling from city to city and from a village to a village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God. Mary Magdalene continued ministering to the needs of Jesus and his apostles out of her own belongings.
Mary Magdalene is known as one of the women that went to Jesus's grave at sundown. Mary and the other women brought the perfumed oil to the tomb. When Mary saw the tomb was open and apparently empty, she rushed off to tell the startling news to the apostles. They all ran to see this. By the time Mary got back to the tomb, Peter and John had left, and it was now that she checked inside and was stunned at seeing two angels in white. Then she turned back and saw Jesus standing. Thinking him to be the gardener, she asked where the body was, that she might care for it. When he used her name "Mary" she recognized him, and she impulsively embraced him.
Mary number four
She is mentioned as “The other Mary.” She was the wife of Clopas and the mother of James the Less and Joses. Tradition, though without any Scriptural support, says that Clopas and Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, were brothers. If true, that would make this Mary Jesus’ aunt, and her sons his cousins.
Mary was not only among the women “who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee to minister to him” but was also one who witnessed his death. Together with Mary Magdalene, she lingered outside his tomb that bitter afternoon. Later an angel explained that Christ had risen from the dead, hence he commanded, “Go, tell his disciples.” While they were on their way, the resurrected Jesus appeared to this Mary and the others.
Mary number five and six
Mary the mother of John Mark. She was also the aunt of Barnabas.
Her home was used for a meeting place by the early Christian congregation in Jerusalem. In the Bible we can read about a house with an upper big room where Jesus and later the first Christians gathered. The house must have been of considerable size, and the presence of a servant girl suggests that Mary was a woman of means. Since it was referred to as her home, and not her husband’s, she probably was a widow.
Mary of Rome. She was sent greetings by Paul in his letter to the Romans and was commended for her “many labors” in behalf of the Roman congregation.