Table of Contents
Mary the Mother of Jesus
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is certainly a “blessed” woman and this was how the angel of the Lord greeted her when he announced that she was going to be the vessel through which the Savior would come. The angel also congratulated her faith in believing that she would be the mother of the Messiah: “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45).
Joseph “Knew Her”
As for the word “virgin,” the Bible tells us that Mary was certainly a virgin before Jesus was born. But she didn’t remain a virgin later on. In Matthew 1:25, we read, “And (Joseph) knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” This verse says that Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary until after she gave birth to Jesus.
The fact of the matter is that she could not have remained a virgin after going through the birth process. In addition, the Bible teaches that Jesus had brothers and sisters: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things” (Matthew 13:55, 56).
The Perpetual Virginity – A Catholic Doctrine
The Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary which means that Jesus’ mother remained a virgin for her entire life. Catholics regard Mary as “the Mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven.” They also teach that having sexual intercourse would not be right for her high position.
But the Bible teaches that God blessed the marriage union and commanded Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (before sin) to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Therefore, sexual intimacy in marriage is not sinful. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4).
Mary was not the mother of God Almighty for she is only a human. She was simply the mother of Jesus in the flesh. As a created being, Mary can’t be the mother of the Creator God. This is a blasphemy.
Bible Teaching
Therefore, according to the Bible, the word “blessed” is a biblical proper title for Mary whereas the word “virgin” is no longer a proper title for her after the birth of Jesus. Christians often call the apostles and prophets by their first name instead of attaching a title before their names. Titles are often omitted for the sake of brevity. Even with the Creator of the Universe “God” and “Jesus,” the Scriptures don’t always attach titles before their names for the same reason.
The best way we show our respect and love to the Lord is to walk in His path. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). The Lord endorsed the moral commands given in Sinai (Exodus 20:2-17; Matthew 5:17–19) and magnified them (Isaiah 42:21). He gave commands of His own, such as the new commandment (John 13:34), not to replace the Ten Commandments, which reflected the character of the loving God, but to reveal their true nature and to show how their principles should be applied in life.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
