In this article I’d like to tell you the true story of Miriam the mother o Al Masih from the Injil.
The name of the mother of Al Masih is “Miriam” in the original Greek language of the New Testament. The English translation of her name is “Mary.”
Miriam was the daughter of Heli, not Amram (Imrān) See Luke 3:23 where Joseph was Heli’s son by marriage. The similarity in names may have caused the error which confuses her with the sister of Moses. A different woman also named Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron, and the daughter of Amram (Imrān) (Numbers 26:59). That other Miriam lived more than a thousand years before Miriam, the mother of Al Masih.
Miriam, the mother of Al Masih was a woman of good character. Several comments in the text paint of picture of Miriam of her good character. First, the angel Gabriel announced to her that the Lord was with her. This is a remarkable statement about her status with God. Second, She was a virgin (Luke 1:27; Luke 1:34; Matthew 1:18). Third, she was willing to submit to God to become the of the mother of Al Masih. This would have been difficult. She must have realized that people would accuse her of immorality (John 8:41).
I think reading about someone with good character is always encouraging. Do you agree? Perhaps you do. I’m glad is we are together. May I call your attention to something Gabriel said? His words tell us that her relationship with God was more than submission or obedience. Gabriel calls her, “favored one.” This form of address translates a Greek word which means “one who has received grace.” God uses the same word about all who believe in Al Masih as God and Savior (Ephesians 1:6). God showed Miriam grace because she needed it. She later calls Him, “God my Savior” (Luke 1:47). Miriam, like Abraham believed God’s promises and it was counted to her for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). It was her faith, not her submission which made her righteous.
While we are thinking about Gabriel’s words, let’s examine what he said about Miriam conceiving Jesus. He said that the Holy Spirit would “come upon her.” This phrase means that God the Holy Spirit would make it possible for her to conceive. This does not suggest any kind of physical relationship between God and Miriam. Also, God the Holy Spirit did not become Al Masih. The Holy Spirit gave Miriam the ability to conceive the baby. His power “overshadowed” her. This is a very modest and tactful way of describing the miracle which would happen in her body.
After Miriam had conceived, she traveled from her home in Nazareth to the hill country of Judea. This was the home of Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth (Luke 1:39). Perhaps they lived in the priests’ city of Hebron (Joshua 20:7; 21:9–11). The Word of Truth only tells us that she interacted with Elizabeth, rather than Zechariah. Would not that be appropriate for women in that time and culture? Elizabeth, Miriam’s own family, received the news of the baby with joy (Luke 1:41-42). Miriam lived there for three months, then went back to Nazareth (Luke 1:56).
The Bible does not record the details of the birth of Al Masih. It treats His birth with modesty and decency and no fanciful additions (Luke 2:7).
Miriam seemed to falter in her belief in Her Son at one point. At one point crowds began to follow Al Masih and crowd the house where He was staying to ask for healing. Miriam and Al Masih’s brothers thought that He was emotionally off balance. They tried to bring Him home, but He rebuked them (Mark 3:21, 31).
Miriam was present during Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:25–26). After Al Masih’s resurrection, she gathered with the believers in Jesus (Acts 1:14).
Miriam was a human being. She had a human father (Heli). She conceived Jesus. She married Joseph and bore other children with him (Matthew 13:55). She trusted God, she doubted Her Son, she returned to faith. She was a righteous person through grace. But, she was only human. Some Christians have honored Miriam too much. However, no Christian has ever believed that Miriam was equal to God. This is not a Christian idea or teaching. The Bible doesn’t teach that idea. If any person ever believed this false idea, that person would be a heretic, not a Christian.