What did Mary know and when did she know it?

[mommy]

This is a conversation I had the other day, and none of us really knew the answer, but it got me thinking. ( none of us are Bible scholars)

Mary obviously knew she was the mother the Lord.

But did she know that he would have to die for our sins? Think about being a mother, now add on that you are the Mother of God, ok, my comprehension on that one alone would be difficult. But then add in that she knew that ultimately he would be put to a brutal death. Did she know?

One lady said maybe she did, because at the wedding, when Jesus said ‘woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come’ meaning that ‘my time has not yet come’ was referred to his ministry, and that once his ministry was started, and put in motion it couldn’t be stopped. The implication that she may know what in store for Jesus.

So I was just curious if there’s anything in the Bible that shows us she did or didn’t know, or what your thoughts are on this.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Two things suggest to me that she knew on some level what her Son would go through. First, she was told that a sword would pierce her heart as a result of Jesus’ life, so she knew that something ultimately would happen. Second, being a devout Jewish woman, she would have known the prophecies regarding the Messiah, especially

:bible1: Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. Psalm 22:16-18

And

:bible1: But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. Isaiah 53:5

 

[tuopaolo]

mommy:

But did she know that he would have to die for our sins?

I’m sure she did.

Think about being a mother, now add on that you are the Mother of God, ok, my comprehension on that one alone would be difficult.

No kidding!

But then add in that she knew that ultimately he would be put to a brutal death. Did she know?

I’m sure she knew but I don’t know exactly when she came to know.

One lady said maybe she did, because at the wedding, when Jesus said ‘woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come’ meaning that ‘my time has not yet come’ was referred to his ministry, and that once his ministry was started, and put in motion it couldn’t be stopped. The implication that she may know what in store for Jesus.

I am a little puzzled by that whole passage. Perhaps Jesus was talking about drinking wine festively in the Kingdom of Heaven after his passion and death, that is the consummated kingdom of heaven – something that he refers to elsewhere with reference to drinking wine and also as a banquet or wedding feast. So maybe Jesus was alluding to how he felt that it was not fitting to work a miracle in this context since he had a serious mission to accomplish (in union with his mother as the New Eve). If Jesus did not laugh while He was on earth, then it may have been for the same reason – the unfittingness of laughing when one has been given such a serious mission – because His whole life was redemptive in nature, not just His passion. Nevertheless, Mary apparently thought differently (and this may lend credence to the curious notion advanced by St Maximilian Kolbe that while in a sense the will of God and the will of Mary is the same, in another sense they are not exactly the same) and Jesus honored his mother’s request.

This is just my idea

So I was just curious if there’s anything in the Bible that shows us she did or didn’t know, or what your thoughts are on this.

What I do know is that she knew more than we know for she treasured everything in her heart as the bible says. It’s a traditional view that at the moment of her Magnificat, she possessed more wisdom than all of today’s university professors combined. Whether she knew the details of the fate of her Son or not, she certainly did consent to it all with her fiat: “Let it be done unto me according to thy will” – a fiat that was sustained till the cross.

 

[mommy]

Dr. Colossus:

Two things suggest to me that she knew on some level what her Son would go through. First, she was told that a sword would pierce her heart as a result of Jesus’ life, so she knew that something ultimately would happen. Second, being a devout Jewish woman, she would have known the prophecies regarding the Messiah, especially

:bible1: Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. Psalm 22:16-18

And

:bible1: But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. Isaiah 53:5

Thanks for those verses, that helps shed some light, I’m sure she was very aware of these. The more I learn of Mary, the more amazing I find her life. As a woman, and a mother I guess I feel I can relate to her in many ways. But as the Mother of God, I see she is such a great model for us all in her devotion.