Smith's Bible Dictionary
 

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q    R    S    T    U    V    W    X    Y    Z   



Mary the virgin
        the mother of our Lord. There is no person perhaps in sacred or profane history around whom so many legends have been grouped a the Virgin Mary; and there are few whose authentic history is more concise. She was, like Joseph, of the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of David. Ps 132:11; Lu 1:32; Ro 1:3 She had a sister, named, like herself, Joh 19:25 and she was connected by marriage, Lu 1:36 with Elizabeth, who was of the tribe of Levi and of the lineage of Aaron. This is all that we know of her antecedents. She was betrothed to Joseph of Nazareth; but before her marriage she became with child by the Holy Ghost, and became the mother of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Her history at this time, her residence at Bethlehem, flight to Egypt, and return to her early home st Nazareth, are well known. Four times only does she appear after the commencement of Christ's ministry. These four occasions are--
        1. The marriage at Cana in Galilee took place in the three months which intervened between the baptism of Christ and the passover of the year 27. Mary was present, and witnessed the first miracle performed by Christ, when he turned the water into wine. She had probably become a widow before this time.
        2. Capernaum, Joh 2:12 and Nazareth, Mt 4:13; 13:54; Mr 6:1 appear to have been the residence of Mary for a considerable period. The next time that she is brought before us we find her at Capernaum, where she, with other relatives, had gone to inquire about the strange stories they had heard of her son Jesus. They sought an audience with our Lord, which was not granted, as he refused to admit any authority on the part of his relatives, or any privilege on account of their relationship.
        3. The next scene in Mary's life brings us to the foot of the cross. With almost his last words Christ commended his mother to the care of him who had borne the name of the disciple whom Jesus loved: "Woman, behold thy son." And front that hour St. John assures us that he took her to his own abode. So far as Mary is portrayed to us in Scripture, she is, as we should have expected the most tender, the most faithful humble, patient and loving of women, but a woman still.
        4. In the days succeeding the ascension of Christ Mary met with the disciples in the upper room, Ac 1:14 waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit with power.


Bibliography Information
Smith, William, Dr "Meaning and Definition for 'mary the virgin' in Smiths Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Smith's; 1901.

Copyright Information
© Smith's Bible Dictionary


Smith's Bible Dictionary Home
Bible History Online Home

 

Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
Online Bible (KJV)
Naves Topical Bible
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Schaff's Bible Dictionary
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary

Popular and Trending:

Meaning and Definition of Pharaoh, Who Was the Pharaoh of the Exodus, Did God Harden Pharaoh's Heart, Which Pharaoh Reigned during the Time of Joseph and Moses , How Many Watches of the Night, What were the Jewish Watches of the Night, What Is the Meaning of the Fourth Watch, Midnight and the Cock Crowing , What Were Thorns and Thistles in the Bible, What were the Different Thorns and Thistles, How Many Different Plants And Trees Had Thorns In the Time of Jesus , Where Was Nineveh, Definition and Meaning of Nineveh, Who Were the Assyrians, Which the Syrian King Made Nineveh Their Capital, Which Palaces Were Nineveh, Did Archaeologists Discovered Nineveh , What is the meaning of Edom and Idumea, Where the Edomites Descendents of Esau, Was Herod and Edomite, When was Petra A City of Edom, Why Did the Edomites Fail When They Attacked Israel After Jerusalem Fell , Why did Noah send a Raven? Was The Biblical Raven A Crow, Why Are Raven's Black, What Was the Raven in the Mosaic Law, Do Raven's Attack the Eyes , What was a Crown of Thorns, Which Thorny Shrub or Plant Was the Crown of Thorns Made from, What Color Was the Crown of Thorns, in Matthew 27:29 Why did the Roman soldiers mock Jesus using a Crown of Thorns , What was a Gergesenes, Where Was Gadara And What Is the Modern Name, Where Was the Place That Jesus Healed the Two Demon Possessed Man, What Is the Meaning of Gadarenes, What Is a Demoniac , What were the 10 Plagues, What Does the Bible Say about Each of the 10 Plagues, Did God Use the 10 Plagues to Mock the Gods of Egypt, in Exodus 3-12 How Are the Plagues Described, Was the Passover Part of the 10th Plague , Where was Zoar, What Is the Biblical Meaning of okaythe Land of Zoar, Has Zoar Been Discovered, Where Was Zoar in Relation to Sodom and Gomorrah