Short
Reflections on the Life of Mary, the Mother of our Lord.
P. Ben [April 13, 2015]
_______
It is necessary to bear in mind that the early
chapters of the gospel according to Luke, is not merely a factual account of
Christ’s birth persuasive to a religious ear. It is all too common for natural
instincts to draw pictures of common natural associations between the Child and
the mother, but this also means that a man is treading down the long alley of
Catholic contraptions.*
*The end of all Catholic means is to reinstate the Jewish
camp of religion. The camp got disbanded during the times of pagan Titus only
to revive later under the garb of ecclesiastical priesthood centered on Mary
and Peter though in an insidious way. Mary being the mother of our Lord was the
symbol of the nation of
Luke 1 presents to us various prophetic announcements but
nonetheless we do not find the inquisitive ponderings in the heart of Mary.
Ponderings begin in Luke 2.
Luke 1 brings to us the Jewish remnant though not palpable
to the world at large but displaying a thankful heart to God for having
intervened to make good the promises made to Abraham in connection with the
counsels of grace to which the house of David stands out in the most remarkable
way. There is no reference to Moses and the law. Refer Luke 1:32, 33, 48-55,
68-75. Millennial joy is anticipated no doubt but strictly within the Jewish
confines of thought.
Luke 2 brings in two new features- the first being,
millennial joy anticipated beyond the Jewish hedges (admission of gentiles)
while the second being the fall and rising of many in
Coming to the first feature, it is revealed by the angelic
host particularly in Luke 2:14. It holds connection with Proverbs 8:30 and 31.
It conveys to us the counsels of Jehovah, the final realization of which
carries us to the millennial earth. But, here it is spoken in terms well beyond
the Jewish confines. Simeon speaks of salvation of the gentiles (v 32). Both
these incidents produce surprise and wonder- some sort of new revelation from
what was revealed earlier (v19 and v33).
Coming to the second feature, Simeon adds the mystical
element to the remarkable affair. For Simeon, the sword shall pierce through
the soul of Mary (v35). This is spoken in the context of the rejection and
death of Christ on the cross. Some fall as a result of the setting aside of the
Messiah while others are set to rise (v 34). But this was painful revelation
though glorious on other accounts. It was a serious thing to consider, after
all prophesied to some extent in Daniel 12:2, 3.
To conclude then, we have ponderings in the heart of the
remnant in connection with the admission of the gentiles and secondly, the
remnant had to painfully acknowledge the rejection of the Messiah and the
consequent fall of many (the apostate nation in judgment).
To pass on, we now come to the temple visit of the Lord. Two
things unfold here- firstly, Christ was in relationship with the Father even
before the baptismal decent of the Holy Spirit upon Him in Luke 3:21*.
Secondly, the remnant lacks the understanding of what Christ was as under the
law.
*This is an allusion to the variations of the grain
offering. Back in Leviticus 2: 4, we have ‘flour mingled with oil’ and ‘wafers
anointed with oil’. The former is Christ’ incarnation while the latter is
Coming to the second feature, the scene presents to us the
remnant which hitherto engrossed in covenants of promises pertaining to Abraham
and David (Luke 1), suffer the loss of apprehension as
to the immediate ministry of Christ under the law. The promises to Abraham and
David are apart from the law to which the remnant is well accustomed and
engaged. Since, the remnant itself is the fruit of God’s election by grace. But
at the same time, the present ministry of Christ was under the law (Galatians
4: 4), not just as perfect Man under the law but as Son under the law, to
redeem those that were under the law- but this divine idea was inconceivable
then- although Christ subjected Himself unto them but this made Mary to ponder
(Luke 2:51). The point to understand is that here the name of the Father is
brought out by the Lord- ‘Father’s’ business. But this is unique because
Galatians tells us it is impossible to receive the adoption of sons under the
law (Gal 4:5) - that is in our case. As under the law, only the curse
persisted. But in the case of the Lord- He was Son under the law (though by
voluntary subjection)-
but this very fact could not be well appreciated by the remnant. Luke 2
refers to Galatians 4:4- made of a woman (Luke 2:7), made under the law (Luke
2:22- exhibited fully at His circumcision). But it must be remembered that
though under the law, He was Son- an exceptional case. The remnant had not
fully understood the implications of Christ immediate ministry under the law
and yet for the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham- Refer Romans 15:8.
Contemplative ponderings in Luke 2 were the outcome of the
inability to perceive the counsels of God’s grace in its broadest display on
the part of the godly Jewish remnant of those times. This was later fully made
clear in the epistles to the Romans and the Galatians. The Jewish remnant is
referred to as ‘remnant according to the election of grace’ in Romans and the
‘Israel of God’ in Galatians. Simeon’s prophecy in Luke 2 about the blessing to
the gentiles and the fall of many in
To conclude then we have the remnant pondering over the
matters of the admission of gentiles, rejection of the Messiah and the ministry
of Christ under the law yet being the same time the sustainer of all the
promises by grace.
The temple scene in Luke 2 presents to us the Son under the
law, national heads (doctors)* engrossed by the matters of the law to which the
answers are given by the Son (v 47)- the dispenser of grace apart from the law and
finally the inability of the remnant to conceive the ministry of Christ under
the law (the perplexity of the parents).
*Luke 2:46-47, ‘Both hearing them, and asking them
questions…at His understanding and answers’- Compare this with the Paul’s
questions- ‘This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit…and worketh miracles among you doeth he it by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith?’-Gal 3. The answers of course are implied.
In John 2, Mary is the nation that experiences the natural
separation of the Messiah- ‘Woman, what have I to do with thee?’ The blessing of the wine at
Go
to Collected-Writings.net