How old was Mary when Jesus was born?

[thistle]

In Orthodox Christian Tradition, she became pregnant Before she began menstrating because she lived in the Temple since she was 3 yrs old when she stopped breast feeding. They married her off to Joseph via a ‘drawing of lots’ among the Elders of the Temple because they knew she’d begin her period soon and no one menstrating could live in the Temple and her parents, Anna & Joachim, had long since died. A widowed Elder was chosen for her to marry, as opposed to a young bachelor, to maintain her virginity which she’d consecrated to God years earlier. Joseph’s children were all grown and married, except James who was 12 yrs old when they went to register in Bethlehem & Jesus was born. The ages for Mary’s pregnancy that I’ve heard in Orthodoxy is 12-13. From Catholic circles I usually hear 14-15. Either way, she was definitely a young Mom according to modern standards. I’m interested to read the 4 volume Mystical City of God written by a mystic Saint which may shed more light on the specifics through that private revelation.

This story is from the Protoevangelium of James which was written around 145 AD.
It is not considered an inspired writing by the Church.

 

[Cruciferi]

Whelp, at least we know, for certain, that it was somewhere between 12 and 30

 

[tafan2]

I have heard this of Mary, but have not seen any accounts if that being a practise among Jews.

 

[BartholomewB]

As @thistle pointed out, the Protevangelium of James includes a passage of this kind, in which the priests of the Temple arrange for prospective husbands, all widowers, to draw lots to decide which of them will marry the 12-year-old Mary. The idea of “consecrated virginity” is hinted at when a priest describes her as “a virgin of the Lord.” But the Protevangelium was written many years later – possibly as much as a hundred years later – than any of the books in the canonical NT. It looks as though the author of the Protevangelium knew about the Vestal Virgins in pagan Rome, and simply took it for granted, without questioning, that other religions would have had an institution of the same kind, including Caiaphas’ Temple in Jerusalem.

 

[SeraficLeo]

Joseph could not have had other sons or they would have had first claim to be king of Israel over Jesus. Grace and peace, Bruce

King David was the least of his brethren, including in seniority. Jews would have understood if God did not follow human custom or natural law in Jesus’s regard because God had the sovereign right to dispense with it if He saw fit.

 

[Gorgias]

Mary was twenty years old when Jesus was born … The reason for the seven year gap between betrothal and birth was because Mary was immaculately conceived she never had a period

 

[Nicky777]

Please continue… What is the correct age?

 

[prayerrider]

Yes, there are greatly increased physical risks with pregnancy younger than that. Not to mention psychological and emotional risks. Doesn’t seem logical that God would want that.

 

[Nicky777]

We are not talking about a natural birth here. This was a supernatural birth. As far as psychological affects, our blessed Mother was privileged to be in the presents of God several times during the course of her life prior to the incarnation. She was ready willing and able to fulfill Gods plan perfectly but didn’t know until the Angel Gabriel presented this to her And God delighted in her far more than all his creation combined. She is the second Eve and our Queen and Morher. JMJ.

 

[Dan_Defender]

This is true now but it wasn’t the norm 2,000 years ago. Besides that, nothing is impossible to God.

 

[Bruce_Killian]

If Joseph had other sons they would have at least been able to contest Jesus’ claim to the kingship. King David was selected by God and was the first king in his line. Typically the current king decided which son if not the first became king.

 

[prayerrider]

Nothing is impossible with God. Nor would he physically punish His most holy servant unnessarily.
If anything, girls today mature physically at younger, not older ages due to all the hormones in food.
I just don’t get the fixation on Mary being 12 years old at the time of her conception.

 

[BartholomewB]

If Joseph had other sons they would have at least been able to contest Jesus’ claim to the kingship.

“My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

Typically the current king decided which son if not the first became king.

Judea had been under Roman rule since the thirties BC. Since then, the only kings of any kind, including ethnarchs and tetrarchs, had been members of the Herodian family.

 

[Mary888]

I think Mary was underage when she was pregnant. Girls should never be underaged if they get pregnant, especially since pregnancy is so dangerous for them. Nevertheless, while God would’ve preferred Mary to be older when she got pregnant he permitted, just as he permitted his son to be crucified, for her to be pregnant while underage. This was so that Mary would be in solidarity with those who unjustly suffer the shame, & danger of underage pregnancies including unplanned pregnancies. This is also why she became pregnant before she got married.

Are you criticising God for getting too early made flesh in Mary"s womb? Because for modern moral standards it suffices to say that God will never be born again but instead come back in full glory and no woman will ever be like Mary able to receive Him. Ever.

 

[Gorgias]

Are you criticising God for getting too early made flesh in Mary"s womb?

This!

After all, we’re told in Scripture, “when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Gal 4:4).

Jesus didn’t come prematurely; He didn’t come too early. He came at precisely the right time – the time God had intended!

 

[Bruce_Killian]

“My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

Judea had been under Roman rule since the thirties BC. Since then, the only kings of any kind, including ethnarchs and tetrarchs, had been members of the Herodian family.

You need to brush up on your Bible. The Christ was to be the direct line son of David and would rule the entire world forever. Second although Joseph was of the kingly line, his ancestor before the Babylonian captivity would never rule as king. So because Mary was of the line of David by marring into Joseph’s line because she was of the house of David she could bring her inheritance as the seed of David see daughters of Zelophehad Numbers 27.

 

[BartholomewB]

The Christ was to be the direct line son of David and would rule the entire world forever.

Yes and no. A descendant of David, yes. Ruling forever, no. The Messiah, the Lord’s anointed, is invariably referred to in the OT as a man, not in any way a divine being. Sometimes, significantly, the word is found in the plural, as in 1 Chron 16:22, where the Lord warns Israel’s enemies to do no harm to “my anointed ones (my Messiahs, my Christs) and my prophets.” In the Vulgate, this verse reads, “Nolite tangere christos meos, et in prophetis meis nolite malignari.”

In the Herodian period the expected Messiah was thought of as a new David, a political leader who would “redeem” Israel from its subjection to foreign powers, whether Babylon, Egypt, or Rome. In passages such as Matt 22:41-46 and Luke 20:41-44 we see Jesus rejecting the idea of a political Messiah, asserting, instead, that he will be a more exalted figure: instead of sitting on the throne of David, he will share the throne of God (Psalm 110). He is warning the people of Judea that he is not the kind of Messiah, or Christ, or king that the Scriptures had led them to expect.

 

[thistle]

Please continue… What is the correct age?

NOBODY knows the age of Mary when she married Joseph. Haven’t you been following the posts in the this thread. If anyone says an age it is simply speculation.

 

[otjm]

Oh, I know a couple of ex-wives who think they were…

 

[Irishmom2]

You know, I have been reading this thread and reading all of the different ages… And I can’t help but wonder why it even matters. Does it change anything for anyone whether Mary was 12, 15, or 20? What would be the difference even if we knew for certain how old she was?