Mary the Mother of Jesus: 4 Interesting Facts

Mary the mother of Jesus is mentioned 19 times in the Bible. Imagine if there were only 19 statements to describe you.

But in these verses we learn alot of information about Mary the mother of Jesus and uncover interesting facts.

Studying characters in the Bible strengthens our faith and helps us become more connected to Jesus and His story.

Being connected to Jesus helps our faith take on new meaning, impacting every part of our lives.

So, let’s dive in and study Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Bible Verses about Mary the Mother of Jesus

These nine Bible verses about Mary the Mother of Jesus teach us about her family, role, and the birth of Christ.

Mary’s Family

“Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.”

Matthew 1:16 NLT

Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.

Matthew 13:55

Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon.

And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Mark 6:3 NLT

Mary’s Role

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:18 NLT

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:20 NLT

“He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.”

Luke 2:5 NLT

The Birth of Christ

They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11 NLT

“They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.”

Luke 2:16 NLT

Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.

Luke 2:34 NLT

The Character of Mary the Mother of Jesus

The book of Luke offers several key scriptures about the character of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

^“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. 

He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”

 Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.

You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God.

The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!”

 Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason, the holy child will be called the Son of God.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.”

Luke 1:26-35, 38 GNT

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.

At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  

When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Luke 1:39-45 NLT

“All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.”

Luke 2:18-19 NLT

“According to the book of Luke, Mary was visited by an angel as a young woman, while she was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter and also a descendant of Abraham.

The angel told her that she had found favor with God and would give birth to his son, who would be called Jesus. Mary asked how this was possible, as she was a virgin, and the angel replied that the Holy Spirit would come upon her.

Mary’s obedience to God as well as the virgin birth led to her being venerated across the world.”

Katie Barclay Women’s History Network

4 Interesting Facts About Mary the Mother of Jesus

From the scriptures mentioning Mary the Mother of Jesus, we know three things about her background.

-We know she lived in Nazareth and was betrothed to Joseph.

-We know Mary is Jewish and in the lineage of Abraham.

-We know Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit and is the mother of Jesus the Messiah.

The scriptures also reveal these three interesting facts about her faith.

Mary the Mother of Jesus Overcame Doubt

Mary asked the angel how it was possible that she could conceive since she was a virgin. She expressed her doubt and then believed the angel’s answer.

Mary doubted her assignment was possible, but overcame her doubt and responded that she was the Lord’s servant.

Doubt is being uncertain about an opinion or outcome.

It is ok to doubt. It is not ok to stay doubting. That is how we get stuck in our faith.

Ask God to help you overcome your doubt. The Holy Spirit will guide you to a place of trust and acceptance.

Your job is to step out in faith and believe.

Mary the Mother of Jesus Overcame Rejection

Mary had to endure rejection from Joseph and probably others because of her pregnancy.

We all want to be loved, valued, and accepted. Rejection intersects with these desires and leaves us feeling forgotten.

Rejection’s destructive power can change the way you see yourself.

Rejection is real but its message is a lie.

Rejection leaves scars and can accumulate in your spirit.

Rejection leads to isolation and alters your ability to have positive, healthy relationships.

How did Mary overcome feeling rejected? She found confidence in her call from God.

God’s mission for her life was more powerful than the opinions of others and her feelings.

To God, you have incredible value and He loves you. Confidently walking in your identity in Christ helps you overcome rejection.

Overcoming rejection can take a lifetime on your own, but with Jesus, we grow in confidence and strength to deflect its power.

“The Lord heals those who have a broken heart. He heals their sorrows.”

Psalm 147:3 NLV

Mary the Mother of Jesus Overcame Fear

It is powerful watching someone overcome fear while enduring a difficult circumstance.

Mary the mother of Jesus faced fears but her trust in God helped her overcome her fear.

How do we know? Because of her purposeful life and what she was able to accomplish.

We all wrestle with overcoming a spirit of fear and replacing it with a spirit of faith.

Although some fear is necessary fear interferes with your connection with God, your peace and the joy-filled life He intends for you.

Fear is a distraction and an all-consuming force.

If overcoming the spirit of fear is your goal, you will have to reprogram your thoughts.

Knowing fear is an emotion, helps us embrace the fact that we have some control over fear—you can choose how you respond to things that cause fear.

God used Mary the mother of Jesus to deliver the world’s Savior.

She had to choose to obey and overcome her struggles to fulfill God’s plan.

Mary the Mother of Jesus was Faithful

The last mention of Mary, the Mother of Jesus is in Acts 1:14 where she devoted herself to prayer after Jesus ascended into heaven.

This verse is a testament to her faithfulness and courage in overcoming doubt, rejection, and fear!

“All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

Acts 1:14 AMP

The Prayer of Mary the Mother of Jesus

I cannot fathom the pain Mary experienced knowing her son was unjustly killed. But this painful chapter in her story did not transform her into a victim.

Mary remained faithful to God and devoted herself to prayer.

The prayer of Mary the Mother of Jesus is called her song of praise.

This prayer is an inspiration for believers elevating Jesus who loves us, forgives us, and promises us eternal life with Him.

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.

His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.

For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

Luke 1:46-55 NLT

Author

Mary Rooney Armand

Mary is the creator and writer for the faith-based blog ButterflyLiving.org. Her writing is featured on multiple websites, and she is the author of Identity, Understanding, and Accepting Who I am in Christ and Life Changing Stories, a devotional collection available on Amazon.