Mary and Jesus Birth & Temple Visit, Luke 2:1-52
1. Why might there be a need to repeat pledged to be married?
2. What effect does expecting a child have? How does that flow from 2:4?
3. Why is it important to note that this is her firstborn?
4. Why might Mary be noted first?
5. What things did Mary treasure? Why does she ponder?
6. What do 2:22,39 tell us about Mary?
7. What events might 2:35b anticipate? See Matthew 2:13-23; Matthew 12:46-50; and John 2:1-12, 19:25-27. What other possible interpretation of this passage is possible? See Isaiah 49:6 (Luke 2:32).
8. Why might it be that Mary speaks in 2:48? Why does Mary and Joseph misunderstand or not grasp what Jesus is saying in 2:50? See Luke 9:22; 9:44-45; 18:31-34.
9. To what might Luke be referring in 2:51?
Jesus Ministry
A. The First Sign, John 2:1-12
1. Why might John note that Jesus mother was attending the festivities?
2. Her prompting in 2:3,5 might imply what? How can Jesus address to her be seen as anticipating Mark 3:31-35? Whose will must Jesus follow (Luke 2:49; John 6:38).
3. Why might she have been excluded from the conclusion of John in 2:11?
4. That she traveled with the disciples to Capernaum and apparently did not accompany them to Jerusalem (2:13ff.) could indicate what? See Mark 6:3.
B. His Family, Mark 3:21,31-35 (Matthew 12:46-49)
1. What seems to be the most natural way to understand the terms brothers and sisters when first used in this passage? See additional notes below.
2. What seems to be the general consensus of the family concerning Jesus?
3. Is it Jesus intent to unloose the bonds of the physical family? What, then, is He stressing by defining His family as those who do Gods will (Mark 10:28-30)? What is Gods will?
A Note about the Family of Jesus
Two other views appeared in the 2nd century. One saw them as the children of Joseph by a former marriage and the other regarded them as Jesus cousins. This last-mentioned view is almost universally rejected; brother does not mean cousin (see Colossians 4:10). And though the first view is very ancient, that can scarcely outweigh the natural sense of Matthew 1:25 and Luke 2:7.
C. The Ministry of Jesus, Matthew 13:53-58 (Mark 6:1-6a; Luke 4:16-30)
What is the point of mentioning Mary at this incident?
A Note on "son of Mary"
It was contrary to Jewish usage to describe a man as the son of his mother, even when she was a widow, except in insulting terms (cf. Judges 11:1).
D. The Death of Jesus, John 19:25
1. That Jesus hands the care of His mother to John and not to the next eldest son might mean what? See John 7:1-10 (and Acts 1:14).
2. This conversation might receive special attention in this Gospel account for what reason?
Notes about the Marys in John 19:25
"But there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mothers sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene."
The mother of our Lord is never mentioned by name in this Gospel account.
It is unlikely that sisters should bear the same name. If the first two are distinct there are four believing women who stood by the cross standing over against the four unbelieving soldiers who crucified Jesus. it is probable that "his mothers sisters" here is to be equated with "Salome" (Mark 15:40) and that she was "the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56). If so, and if the beloved disciple is John the son of Zebedee a reason for the omission of her name appears. He never names himself no his brother nor any of his family; it would be quite in keeping that he does not name his mothers.
E. The Believers Pray, Acts 1:14
What is the significant last glimpse in Scripture that we have of Mary?
