Who
The Virgin of Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph, to whom the angel Gabriel announced that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and bear the Son of the Most High, and who answered, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:26–38). From her “was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16): the one genealogy runs through Joseph, but Christ’s flesh is hers alone. The Council of Ephesus (431) named her Theotokos, Mother of God. The Church confesses her ever-virgin, conceived without original sin, and taken up body and soul into heavenly glory. She stood by the cross, where her Son gave her to the beloved disciple (John 19:25–27), and prayed with the apostles before Pentecost (Acts 1:14). The Fathers hold that she too was of David’s line (Ignatius, To the Ephesians 18; compare Romans 1:3); tradition names her parents Joachim and Anne.
Key verses
- Matthew 1:16
Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
- Luke 1:27
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
- Luke 1:34
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
- Luke 1:38
Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
- Luke 1:42
She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
- John 19:25
But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
- Acts 1:14
All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Where the Bible names her
Family
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name her (8 of 177).
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:16Catena Aurea on Matthew
In the last place, after all the patriarchs, he sets down Joseph the husband of Mary, for whose sake all the rest are introduced, saying, “But Jacob begot Joseph.”
- Jerome on Matthew 1:16Catena Aurea on Matthew
This passage is objected to us by the Emperor Julian in his Discrepancy of the Evangelists. Matthew calls Joseph the son of Jacob, Luke makes him the son of Heli. He did not know the Scripture manner, one was his…
- Eusebius of Caesarea on Matthew 1:16Catena Aurea on Matthew
For Matthan and Melchi at different periods had each a son by one and the same wife Jesca. Matthan, who traced through Solomon, first had her, and died leaving one son, Jacob by name. As the Law forbade not a widow,…
- Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 1:16Catena Aurea on Matthew
He is more properly called his son, by whom he was adopted, than had he been said to have been begotten of him of whose flesh he was not born. Wherefore Matthew, in saying, “Abraham begot Isaac,” and continuing the…
- Eusebius of Caesarea on Matthew 1:16 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
Neither does this lack good authority; nor has it been suddenly devised by us for this purpose. For the kinsmen of our Saviour according to the flesh, either out of desire to shew forth this their so great nobility…
- Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 1:16 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
And suitably does Luke, who relates Christ’s ancestry not in the opening of his Gospel, but at his baptism, follow the line of adoption, as thus more clearly pointing Him out as the Priest that should make atonement…
- John Chrysostom on Matthew 1:16Catena Aurea on Matthew
Having gone through all the ancestry, and ended in Joseph, he adds, “The husband of Mary,” thereby declaring that is was for her sake that he was included in the genealogy.
- Jerome on Matthew 1:16 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
When you hear this word, “husband,” do not straight bethink you of wedlock, but remember the Scripture manner, which calls persons only betrothed husband and wife.