Who Was Mary, the Mother of Jesus — Meaning Explained
Mary was a young Jewish virgin chosen by God to bear the Messiah — a woman of extraordinary faith, humility, and obedience who said 'be it unto me according to thy word.'
Mary was a young Jewish virgin chosen by God to bear the Messiah — a woman of extraordinary faith, humility, and obedience who said 'be it unto me according to thy word.'
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." — Luke 1:38 (KJV)
What "Who Was Mary, the Mother of Jesus?" Actually Means
Mary (Miriam) was a young woman from Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph, when the angel Gabriel appeared with astonishing news: 'Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS' (Luke 1:31). Despite the social risk and personal cost, Mary responded with faith: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word' (Luke 1:38). Her song of praise (the Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55) reveals deep knowledge of Scripture and humble gratitude. She treasured events in her heart (Luke 2:19,51). She was present at Jesus' first miracle (John 2:1-5), followed His ministry, stood at the cross (John 19:25), and was entrusted to John's care. She was among the believers in the upper room at Pentecost (Acts 1:14). Mary is honored as 'blessed among women' (Luke 1:28,42), but she herself pointed to God as her Savior (Luke 1:47), acknowledging her own need for grace. She is a model of faith, not an object of worship.
Anchor Verses (KJV)
Luke 1:38
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."
Luke 1:46-47
"My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."
Luke 1:28
"The angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."
Explore this question from another angle
Related Reading
Continue your study with related content from across our library:
Who Was Mary the Mother of Jesus?
People & Characters
Who was Mary Magdalene?
People & Characters
Who Was Mary of Bethany?
People & Characters
Prayer for My Mother
A child's intercession for the woman who loved them first.
Mary, Mother of Jesus in the Bible
The Blessed Virgin
Mary, Mother of Jesus Quiz
The handmaid of the Lord — her faith, her song, and her Son.
Keep Going
Continue Exploring Scripture
You've found one resource — here are more ways to go deeper into God's Word.
Today's Verse
Start each day with a hand-picked KJV verse and reflection.
Verses by Topic
Find what the Bible says about love, anxiety, strength, and 500+ more topics.
Bible Miracles
Discover the signs and wonders of God recorded in Scripture.
Angels & Spiritual Warfare
Angels, demons, and the armor of God — what the KJV really teaches about the unseen battle.
Bible Genealogies & Family Trees
Visual KJV family trees — the line of Jesus, the sons of Noah, the twelve tribes, and more.
Women of the Bible
Eve, Sarah, Ruth, Esther, Mary — the matriarchs, prophetesses, queens, and disciples of Scripture.