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How did Mary know? Look up verses about Jesus’ birth and childhood.
The Bible doesn’t say exactly how Mary knew that Jesus could help with the need for wine at the wedding. John, who was one of Jesus’ disciples, later wrote that Jesus did many things that are not included in the Bible.
Read John 21:25
25Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
John also says this about the wedding in Cana in John 2:11
11This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed His glory. And
His disciples believed in Him.
We might guess that before Jesus publicly revealed His glory at the wedding at Cana, perhaps He had privately provided for His earthly family in some miraculous way. But the Bible doesn’t say that, so we don’t know.
However, the Bible makes it very clear that Mary knew Jesus was no ordinary person even before she became pregnant and gave birth to Him. Let’s look at some Scriptures to see what God showed her, and how. Luke 2:51 tells us that Mary remembered all of these things and treasured them in her heart.
Look up each passage below and discuss what each one shows us about Jesus.
Luke 1:26–38
26… God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
27
to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!
31You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. 32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David.
33
And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!” 34Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.
36What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
37For the word of God will never fail.” 38
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Luke 1:39–44
39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40
where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
43
Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
”
Matthew 1:18–24
18This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
19
Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
21
And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus for He will save His people from their sins.”
22
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet: 23“Look! The virgin will
conceive a child! She will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel,
which means ‘God
is with us.’” 24When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
Luke 2:8—11,15—19
8That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11
The Savior—yes,
the Messiah, the Lord—has
been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,19but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,19but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
Luke 2:27–33
27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
29
“Sovereign Lord, now let Your servant die in peace, as You have promised.
30I have seen Your salvation, 31which You have prepared for all people.
32He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel!” 33Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about Him.
Luke 2:36, 38
36Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple.
38She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Luke 2:46–51
46Three days later they finally discovered Him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” His mother said to Him, “why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for You everywhere.”
49“But why did you need to search?” He asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in My Father’s house?” 50
But they didn’t understand what He meant. 51Then He returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And His mother stored all these things in her heart.