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her heart and pondering them (Luke 2:19). She would still be treasuring those things in her heart twelve years later when she and her husband took their family to the Passover in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52) after which they went back home to Nazareth. By this time Mary’s family had grown considerably. Jesus was her firstborn son, but Scripture tells us she also had James, Joseph, Simon and Judas, and daughters as well (Matt. 13:55 and 56). Thus, by the time Jesus was twelve, Mary was in her mid-twenties and would have been well on her way to having the at least eight children the Word of God indicates she had, which would not be unusual in her culture. Mary was busy with the younger children, so as they headed home, Jesus was trusted to stay with the family on his own. After all, he was almost as old as Mary herself had been when the angel told her she would bear the Messiah. But when Joseph and Mary rounded up the family that night, Jesus was nowhere to be found. The panic that arises in the heart of any mother whose child is missing is hard to describe, and Mary and Joseph hurried back to Jerusalem, only to find Jesus sitting in the Temple with the teachers of the Law. Upon being reproved for his inconsideration, Jesus asked Mary and Joseph why they did not know that he must be in his Father’s house. After that, however, Scripture tells us that, for his part, Jesus now stayed subject to his parents as he grew up, and it also lets us know that neither Mary nor Joseph understood what Jesus meant in the Temple that day. However, Mary once again treasured up these things in her heart (Luke 2:50 and 51). A Woman of Understanding Parents understand that children must leave the nest, so to speak, and live on their own as adults, but parenting instincts do not just go away when a child reaches a certain age. Parents need understanding and maturity to let children live their own lives as they grow up. Children, who for years have needed seemingly constant care and attention, grow and mature, and may come to resent what they see as needless “mothering.” They want to be on their own, making their own decisions. For Mary and Jesus, that separation, in mind if not in living space, was unique for both of them. Mary not only had to let her son go, but also begin the relationship with him that was destined from his conception: that he was the Savior, and Mary, like the rest of us, was a sinner in need of salvation. For Jesus’ part, he had to walk in the fullness of his calling, realizing that there was much about him and his life that Mary, in spite of her love for him, would not fully comprehend. Been to a movie lately It cost you, didn’t it And even though you paid the required price, it may have greatly disappointed you. When it comes to movies, “you win some and you lose some.” Why did you go to the theater you did at the time you did Maybe because you saw that information in the newspaper or online, or because you called the theater and listened to the recorded announcement of the show times. Think about that. A strange voice on the phone, someone in whom you have no reason at all to trust, told you that Dracula vs. Godzilla started at that theater at 7:00 pm, and you made whatever plans were necessary to get home from work at a certain time, eat dinner at a certain time, leave home at a certain time, and drive whatever distance it was to the theater. You then spent $9 on a worthless movie while eating 25 cents worth of popcorn for which you paid $6.50. 1 John 5:9 We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Yes, we do accept man’s testimony—constantly, and often with disappointing results. But God’s testimony is truth, and it has stood the test of time. When it comes to all things that pertain to life and godliness, God says, “Take my Word for it.” Never has anyone done so without receiving God’s promise. His greatest promise is JESUS CHRIST. What is God’s testimony about His Son Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Salvation, that is, everlasting life in Paradise, a life beyond our wildest dreams, is a FREE GIFT from God, because it was paid for by His Son, who gave his life so that you could live. The above verse tells you exactly how to “unwrap” and receive that precious gift. The choice is yours. If you take God’s Word for it, you won’t be disappointed. [For further study please read our booklet, Becoming a Christian: Why What How at TruthOrTradition.com/salvation] UNWRAP GOD’S GIFT TO YOU 20 www.STFonline.org
The mature relationships between mother and son, and sinner and Savior, no doubt took some time to develop. Their relationship was perhaps made more complex because, at some point before Jesus started his ministry, Joseph died. Although Scripture does not directly say that, Joseph’s conspicuous absence in the Gospel narratives during the years of Jesus’ ministry allows us to draw this conclusion with certainty. Thus, Mary, now the family matriarch, would tend to oversee the family more decisively than she otherwise may have done. One example of Mary still acting as his mother, and perhaps being a little pushy, occurred early in his ministry at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). Mary pointed out that the host ran out of wine. Jesus answered her politely but firmly, addressing her as “woman.” It is much harsher in English than in Greek. It was a polite but appropriately distant way of addressing her, showing that Jesus had begun to define his life as Lord and Savior. He had faced the Devil himself in the wilderness of Judea, his ministry had begun, and it would be different than his mother imagined. Earthly relationships were being subjugated to divine mission. Perhaps Mary reminded herself of how surprised she was to learn from Gabriel that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. If she did, it no doubt helped her keep in perspective how surprised she was at the way the ministry of her son was playing out. She even got to the point of thinking that Jesus had lost his mind about his mission and purpose, and rounded up her other sons to bring him home (Matt. 12:46; Mark 3:21 and 31). Jesus was not trying to be rude to his family when he did not go out to greet them, but instead looked at those around him and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:33a and 35). Jesus was trying to get his family to realize what they must come to know if they were to be saved, that they all had to become his followers and disciples, for he was the Messiah. A Disciple of Christ It is not surprising that the spunky, godly teenager who God picked to be the mother of His only Son would grow and mature to be an important member of the early Church. Nevertheless, there is no hint that she ever tried to throw her weight around as “the mother of Jesus.” The humility she showed in her teenage years, when she called herself the “slave-maid” of the Lord, was still present when, in her mid-forties, she stood at the foot of the cross and looked up at her son and Lord. There is no evidence that she understood more than the other disciples. Like the rest, it seems clear that she did not comprehend his substitutionary death for all mankind. Nevertheless, she quietly accepted his direction to go home with the Apostle John (John 19:25-27) and understood the appropriate distance in the relationship when Jesus again addressed her as “woman.” The last mention of Mary is in Acts 1:14, after her son ascended into heaven. The disciples had assembled in Jerusalem and she was counted among them. Her work as the mother of the only Son of God was done, and her place was in the Church, as a disciple. Many people today go to great lengths to be “someone great.” Mary showed us that true greatness comes from placing your life in God’s hands and doing whatever He calls you to do. She accepted the task that God assigned her in spite of its difficulty, and she lived with humility and great faith, even in becoming a disciple of her son, the Christ. You do not get any greater than that. Notes: 1. The genealogy of Mary is recorded in Matthew 1:2-16. It is often thought that Matthew contains Joseph’s genealogy and Luke contains Mary’s, but this cannot be correct. For one thing, Mary is never mentioned in Luke, while Joseph is the last person in Luke’s genealogy. Furthermore, Mary is in the genealogy in Matthew 1:16, between Joseph (her father) and Jesus (her son). The reason for the confusion is that in almost all versions, Joseph is said to be the “husband” of Mary. Although the Greek word most versions translate “husband” is normally translated that way, it does not have to be, and in the Aramaic text, the word is more normally translated father, and a completely different word, meaning ‘husband,” is used just three verses later in verse 19. When Joseph is counted as Mary’s father, and then Mary and Jesus are counted, there are indeed fourteen generations from the exile to Babylon to Jesus, just as Matthew 1:17 says. For further study, visit TruthOrTradition.com/ genealogy 2. We believe Jesus was born in mid- September (Cp. Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the World; ASK Publications, Portland, OR, 1996, pp. 67-102). That would mean that Mary was impregnated by God in December. For further study on when Jesus was actually born visit TruthOrTradition.com/birth 3. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. 4. The Hebrew word that most English versions translate “virgin” (almah) does not have to be translated that way, and can refer to a young woman who is not necessarily a virgin, as many commentaries admit. This is especially important when we realize that there is a Hebrew word that more naturally does refer to a virgin (bethula). The Jewish Publication Societies Bible says “young woman,” as do some Christian Bibles such as the RSV*1, NRSV*2, and Moffatt Bible.*3 Furthermore, the future tense, “shall conceive” may be also translated “is pregnant,” as is represented in those same versions. Given the fact that Isaiah 7:14 does not demand a virgin birth, but can refer to a natural pregnancy and birth, it is no wonder that the Jewish people thought the birth of the Messiah would be a natural childbirth, and that is especially true when we take into account that no other verse in the Old Testament clearly supports a virgin birth. The wonderful thing about the Hebrew text in Isaiah 7:14 is that allows for, but does not demand, a virgin birth, so the text can readily apply to the virgin birth of Christ. *1 Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. *2 Scripture (continued on page 26) The Sower Nov/Dec 2007 21
Page 1 and 2: THE SOWER The Sower is the bimonthl
Page 3 and 4: Ta b l e o f Co n t e n t s Credits
Page 5 and 6: Fe a t u r e Art i c l e because of
Page 7 and 8: Spring Bible Study 2008 This year i
Page 9 and 10: “The New Store is AWESOME!” STF
Page 11 and 12: Amplified Bible, 7 and more, all sa
Page 13 and 14: Romans 5:1 says, “...we [Christia
Page 15 and 16: Pa r t n e r Pr o f i l e Alissa Wa
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Page 23 and 24: For many more Figures of Speech vis
Page 25 and 26: Was Jesus really born on December 2
Page 27 and 28: Everyday we look at a program that

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