Throughout history, few figures have been as revered, and yet, misunderstood as Mary, the mother of Jesus. The images of Mary carved in metal, wood, or stone, were introduced to our culture by Europeans during the colonization of the Americas, influenced by Roman, Egyptian, and medieval traditions. The dogmas surrounding Mary emerged centuries after her death. For instance, the perpetual virginity of Mary was declared during the Lateran Council in 649 AD, while the immaculate conception of Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854. The most recent dogma was the assumption of Mary into heaven, declared by Pope Pius XII in 1950.[i] However, none of these doctrines are found in the Bible. The fact is, the Bible doesn’t say much about Mary, aside from the accounts in the opening chapters of the four gospels, when the angel Gabriel visits her, announcing that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit. However, the Scriptures do provide insights into her true role in Jesus’s life, offering deeper clarity.

Mary was a Jewish virgin chosen to bear and nurture Jesus. But she wasn’t chosen solely for her virginity – such a profound mission called for unwavering faith, resilient character, and steadfast obedience, qualities she appeared to embody. In the time of Jesus and within the context of Jewish culture, being pregnant before marriage was a grave matter – especially if the child was not the fiancé’s. Mary had to be prepared to face the challenges ahead, including likely gossip from neighbors, the fear of being brought to trial for adultery, and the initial rejection of her fiancé – a struggle Matthew recounts as follows:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:18-21

Here we learn that Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together – implying they did come together later – she conceived a child.  Matthew 1:25 states that Joseph “knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” The term ‘knew’ refers to intimate relations, as seen in Genesis 4:1: “Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain”. This suggests that Joseph and Mary’s union took place, only it was after Jesus’s birth.

In Luke 1:46-48, Mary expresses gratitude for being chosen by God and declares: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” Mary refers to herself as servant and acknowledges her need for a Savior, just like the rest of us. What set her apart was not that she was immaculate, but humble enough to recognizing her flaws before God.

Joseph took Mary as his wife, and after some time, they traveled to Bethlehem to be registered. While they were there, the time came for Mary to give birth, and she delivered her first son (Luke 2:5-7). According to the law of Moses, a woman who gave birth was considered impure for 33 days. Leviticus 12:1-4 says that, “She shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed.”

Now, let’s take a look at what Mary does next. “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.  And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord” (Luke 2:21-22). According to the Bible, Mary was pure only until she gave birth to Jesus. Mary observed the Jewish customs regarding childbirth, claiming no exemption despite her unique role in the life of Jesus.

When Jesus was twelve years old, He traveled with Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. After the feast ended, everyone began their journey home, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without informing his parents. Once they realized He was missing, they searched for Him frantically and, after three days, found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers. “And his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.’ And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?’ And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them” (Luke 2:43-50). Mary and Joseph did not understand; they struggled to grasp the divinity of Jesús, as they were simply human. Despite having received divine revelation about Jesus’s mission to save the world, they seemed to have forgotten – just as we, too, often forget God’s promises in our lives.

The Apostle John provides additional insight into the family of Jesus: “After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days” (John 2:12). Notice that Jesus’s brothers are mentioned separately form His disciples. Furthermore, John 7:5 and Acts 1:14 reveal that His own brothers didn’t believe in Him until after He resurrected. This clearly refers to His literal brothers, not His disciples, who already followed Him faithfully.

So, who were Jesus’s brothers? Matthew 13:54-56 gives us the answer: “And coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” Here, we see that Jesus had four brothers and some sisters, confirming that Mary and Joseph had other children and lived a human life like anyone else. This explains why the people in town were astonished by Jesus’s power and divinity – they knew His parents as common people like themselves.

The next time Mary appears is at the wedding in Cana, in Galilee, where she is present with Jesus and His disciples. John 2:3-4 recounts the moment: “When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Up to this point, Jesus had not revealed His power or performed any miracles. Yet, Mary knew Jesus was perfect, and wherever He went, any need or problem would find a solution through Him. Jesus must have been the kindest and most helpful person alive. What stands out, however, is that Jesus addresses her not as “mother” but as “woman”, highlighting His submission to a higher authority and a divine purpose that even Mary could not fully grasp.

One of the most profound revelations about Mary occurs while Jesús is preaching to a multitude. Luke 9:19-21 recounts the moment: “Then his mother and his brother came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’” Consider what is happening here: Jesus is preaching salvation to the multitudes, leading them from darkness into light. Suddenly, Mary arrives – perhaps with a family matter, though it’s not specified – and interrupts this pivotal and holy moment. This is not to criticize Mary, she was just human like the rest of us, capable of mistakes and imperfections. While Jesus’s response to Mary might seem harsh, it underscores the ultimate priority in the eyes of God: The salvation of souls. He makes it clear that Mary is not His mother, nor are His siblings His true family. Instead, His real family consists of those who hear and obey the Word of God. That’s the heritage we receive when we repent and follow God’s Word – we become His brothers and sisters, and children of God, forming an eternal family.

Mary had fulfilled her role as Jesus’s mother, nurturing and caring for Him throughout His young life. However, as His divine mission unfolded, her role came to an end – something she ultimately came to understand, as shown in Acts chapter 1. This message is also emphasized at the crucifixion, where Jesus, in His final moments, says to her: “Woman, behold, your son!”, referring to John, the disciple. Then He says to John, “‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:26-27). Once again, Jesus lets Mary know that He isn’t her son, as He is the Son of God.

The last mention of Mary in Scripture is found in Acts 1:13-14 where we read that the disciples entered the upper room: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” Mary is seen praying alongside the other believers, directing her prayers to God, not to herself. After this, Mary is never mentioned again in the Bible. From Genesis to Malachi, there is no reference to her. Paul and Peter do not mention her in their writings, and she does not appear in the book of Revelation. Furthermore, there is no record of Mary performing any miracles, and her death, like that of many other men and women in the Bible, is not documented.  Mary indeed found grace in the eyes of God, but so did Noa, Moses, David, and many others. Mary declared in Luke 1:48, that all generations will call her blessed. This is true – she was granted an extraordinary blessing. However, the Bible also highlights that the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for the name of Jesus are also blessed (Matt 5:4-10).

Tradition has passed down many misconceptions about Mary – beliefs we’ve accepted simply because they’ve been repeated through generations, but repetition does not make them true. Mary was a humble and obedient servant of God, an instrument in His hands, much like the apostles and prophets. Yet, God never instructed us to worship any of them. If you respect Mary, you should follow her example by obeying God’s Word. She herself said, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). And if we were to ask her, “Whom should we worship?” she would surely respond, “Worship Him alone and follow the truth, for the truth will set you free.”