Mary

[Traveler]

Other than Jesus, Mary is the primary character in the nativity epoch in scripture.  But scripture provides very little about Mary.  One of the oldest New Testament ancient texts is the Gospel (Good News) of Mary.  For this season I will summarize things written anciently about Mary.

Previous to Mary’s birth an angel appeared to Mary’s expectant mother to proclaim the birth of “a woman above all others”.  The angel said that the baby should be named Mary.   When Mary was born there were signs in the heavens (I am not sure what that means).  Mary’s mother was so impressed with the sacredness of the child that while Mary was still and infant she was taken to the temple in Jerusalem and given to the high priest to be raised as a virgin.  

Some believe that a girl raised to serve G-d was properly called a virgin – a meaning somewhat different than what we understand in our modern era.  The child was given to a childness couple to raise that the husband was a priest at the temple.  The names of the couple were Zacharias and Elisabeth.  I believe this would indicate that Mary (Jesus and John the Baptist) was not really related in ways normally thought.  This is because Zacharias would have been a Levite and because he served in the temple – likely so was his wife.  Jesus was of the house of David (through his mother).

Another note here – The Dead Sea Scroll community (then known as Damascus) was a community of Priests that performed ordinances at the temple.  I speculate (do not know) that it is possible Mary was actually raised in the wilderness community or with associations to it.

As Mary grew, she became a rather stunningly beautiful girl – so much so that she became a problem.  Zacharias also knew she was a sacred and divinely appointed child determined that she should marry but not just anybody – someone uniquely qualified.  Zacharias knew of an older man who had older children but has lost his wife and decided that Joseph should marry Mary.  When Joseph was approached, he refused because he was much older (likely 3 times Mary’s age) and to marry such a young girl would not be proper.  Though reluctant, Joseph eventually agreed.  Because Joseph was reluctant, I speculate this was the reason that he quickly wanted out of the marriage and needed an angel to convince him otherwise.

Because Joseph was previously married the brothers of Jesus mentioned in scripture would have been older than him, no younger.   Joseph was not well to do but he was not considered impoverished by the standards of the day.  It is likely that less than 1% of the Jewish society was wealthy enough to offer the higher-grade sacrifices (not little birds).  According to the Gospel of Mary she rode a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Also, according to the Gospel of Mary there was never a discussion with an Inn keeper over a room – that because there were so many in Bethlehem at the time – Joseph never even asked but went to a shelter for not so rich travelers.

At the shelter animals were also housed but in separate places nearby where they could be carefully watched.  But there was not a lot of furniture and people slept on the ground.  After the birth of Jesus, we learn from the Gospel of Mary that Zacharias was murdered on the steps of the temple.  I speculate that John the Baptiste was then taken by his mother into the wilderness to the community from which we get the Dead Sea Scrolls.

I believe within myself that Mary was more important than many realize – both in regard to raising Jesus the Christ but also in spiritually establishing the early Apostolic Church.   I also speculate that Mary did not taste death but was taken in the same manner as other we are told of.   There are many great individuals throughout the history of mankind as well as the covenant society of G-d – I do not think any (Jesus Christ excepted) that played a greater role in the divine Plan of Salvation than Mary.

 

The Traveler

[HaggisShuu]

Part of me wishes that Joseph Smith could have completed his translation of the bible, and that he was given authorisation to translate apocryphal texts which could have been added to our cannon as time went on.  Obviously Heavenly Father had a different vision but I feel it would have been interesting to see. 

[CV75]

2 hours ago, Traveler said:

Other than Jesus, Mary is the primary character in the nativity epoch in scripture.  But scripture provides very little about Mary.  One of the oldest New Testament ancient texts is the Gospel (Good News) of Mary.  For this season I will summarize things written anciently about Mary.

Previous to Mary’s birth an angel appeared to Mary’s expectant mother to proclaim the birth of “a woman above all others”.  The angel said that the baby should be named Mary.   When Mary was born there were signs in the heavens (I am not sure what that means).  Mary’s mother was so impressed with the sacredness of the child that while Mary was still and infant she was taken to the temple in Jerusalem and given to the high priest to be raised as a virgin.  

Some believe that a girl raised to serve G-d was properly called a virgin – a meaning somewhat different than what we understand in our modern era.  The child was given to a childness couple to raise that the husband was a priest at the temple.  The names of the couple were Zacharias and Elisabeth.  I believe this would indicate that Mary (Jesus and John the Baptist) was not really related in ways normally thought.  This is because Zacharias would have been a Levite and because he served in the temple – likely so was his wife.  Jesus was of the house of David (through his mother).

Another note here – The Dead Sea Scroll community (then known as Damascus) was a community of Priests that performed ordinances at the temple.  I speculate (do not know) that it is possible Mary was actually raised in the wilderness community or with associations to it.

As Mary grew, she became a rather stunningly beautiful girl – so much so that she became a problem.  Zacharias also knew she was a sacred and divinely appointed child determined that she should marry but not just anybody – someone uniquely qualified.  Zacharias knew of an older man who had older children but has lost his wife and decided that Joseph should marry Mary.  When Joseph was approached, he refused because he was much older (likely 3 times Mary’s age) and to marry such a young girl would not be proper.  Though reluctant, Joseph eventually agreed.  Because Joseph was reluctant, I speculate this was the reason that he quickly wanted out of the marriage and needed an angel to convince him otherwise.

Because Joseph was previously married the brothers of Jesus mentioned in scripture would have been older than him, no younger.   Joseph was not well to do but he was not considered impoverished by the standards of the day.  It is likely that less than 1% of the Jewish society was wealthy enough to offer the higher-grade sacrifices (not little birds).  According to the Gospel of Mary she rode a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Also, according to the Gospel of Mary there was never a discussion with an Inn keeper over a room – that because there were so many in Bethlehem at the time – Joseph never even asked but went to a shelter for not so rich travelers.

At the shelter animals were also housed but in separate places nearby where they could be carefully watched.  But there was not a lot of furniture and people slept on the ground.  After the birth of Jesus, we learn from the Gospel of Mary that Zacharias was murdered on the steps of the temple.  I speculate that John the Baptiste was then taken by his mother into the wilderness to the community from which we get the Dead Sea Scrolls.

I believe within myself that Mary was more important than many realize – both in regard to raising Jesus the Christ but also in spiritually establishing the early Apostolic Church.   I also speculate that Mary did not taste death but was taken in the same manner as other we are told of.   There are many great individuals throughout the history of mankind as well as the covenant society of G-d – I do not think any (Jesus Christ excepted) that played a greater role in the divine Plan of Salvation than Mary.

 

The Traveler

Is this the "Gospel of Mary" you are talking about? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mary  - https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelmary.html#google_vignette - https://www.gospels.net/mary It comes across as primarily Gnostic in orientation, and the "Mary" comes across as Mary Magdalene. So, it seems not -- please list your sources with links if able. Thank you.

[Traveler]

3 hours ago, CV75 said:

Is this the "Gospel of Mary" you are talking about? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mary  - https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelmary.html#google_vignette - https://www.gospels.net/mary It comes across as primarily Gnostic in orientation, and the "Mary" comes across as Mary Magdalene. So, it seems not -- please list your sources with links if able. Thank you.

The full title of the Gospel I referenced is "The Gospel of the Birth of Mary".  The copy that I have in my library was taken (translated) from the private text in the library Jerome (consider a Father of the Church).  In this case the church is the Catholic Church.  As with many Biblical text there are other copies (some among the Gnostic texts) with significant differences.

 

The Traveler