Mary: Called to be a Disciple

Date: 1st February 2018

Study 1/2

Mary: Called to be a Disciple

Read Luke 1.26-56

In this study we continue exploring the way the gospel of Luke develops Mary’s story.

Mary is characterised as one of the faithful within Israel at the beginning of Luke’s narrative. In contrast to Zechariah, it is her faith-filled response that is highlighted in the story. By creating the tension between their two responses Luke ultimately encourages his readers to identify with Mary rather than Zechariah. As Mary’s story develops, the reader recognises that she exhibits the same character traits as other famous OT heroes. She in a way becomes the example of faith in Luke’s gospel story. Her responses help the reader to judge whether or not other characters in the gospel are committed to God’s new plan of salvation.  And by extension the reader is also subtly encouraged to evaluate their own responses to what is being presented in the story.

Although Mary’s encounter with Gabriel is usually termed an “annunciation story,” the uniqueness of her call, as Luke has recorded it, serves a two-fold purpose. The first aspect in the birth announcement establishes Jesus’ divine origins and his mission, while the second aspect of the narrative establishes Mary as a figure whose response of faith is highlighted by the parallel with Zechariah. That means she is depicted as a specific model of discipleship. The importance of all this is that Mary is not JUST the mother of Jesus, she is also presented as the “model” disciple. Every other disciple, including the apostles, will be judged in terms of how they measure up to Mary.

A closer look may help …

Luke structures his narrative in a way that helps his readers identify positively with the kind of faith that Mary exhibits by contrasting Gabriel’s positive response to Mary, and his negative response to Zechariah. When Zechariah asks the “How” question (1.20) he is rendered mute as punishment for his lack of faith. Mary, who also asks the “How” question, receives quite a different response. Instead of being punished she is provided with an interpretation of the message (1.34).

Mary’s annunciation, while displaying many elements which parallel Zechariah’s, may be better understood as a “call” or “commissioning” narrative embedded within an annunciation. What that means is that Zechariah only appears in the story in relation to the annunciation of John the Baptist’s birth. Mary, on the other hand, has a role that goes beyond receiving the message of Jesus’ birth. The first hint of this is the unusual greeting Mary receives, “Greeting, you who are highly favoured. The Lord is with you” (Luke 1.28). This specific greeting recalls Gabriel’s words to Daniel when he is described as “highly esteemed,” by God (Daniel 10:11, 19). Gabriel is specifically identified in all three encounters (Daniel, Mary and Zechariah). Luke probably wanted to remind his readers about the promises God made to Daniel; these were now coming to pass when the birth of Jesus is announced. The greeting Mary receives also shares similarities with the greeting Gideon receives from the angel of the Lord in Judges, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). Through the repetition of this same phrase (in Greek it is the same; both the Hebrew Scriptures and Luke’s gospel were written in ancient Greek) in Mary’s encounter with the Gabriel (the angel of the Lord) Luke further points to the hope that God is about to restore and redeem Israel.

After receiving Gabriel’s assurance Mary answers, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said” (1:38). Luke wants the reader to recognise that Mary’s response models the humble hearing the Word of God, and responding in faith and obedience to it. Later, when she sings her song of praise at Elizabeth’s house, her words, “God has lifted up the humble” (1.52c) prefigure a major theme that appears throughout Luke’s gospel. Through her response to Gabriel’s annunciation, and her praise because God will lift up the lowly of Israel, Luke helps the reader realise that those who are lowly, oppressed, weak, humble, marginalised, or held captive, will find salvation in the person and ministry of Jesus. This foreshadows Jesus’ proclamation regarding his mission, which is introduced by quoting Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30, cf. 4:18-19). Mary’s response and self-naming encourages the reader to identify with her; she has become a model of what Israel ought to be. Her self-description becomes a mark of identity for the new community of believers.

The story unfolds ….

It is important to understand that when we read we are encouraged to accept the point of view that the writer wishes to convey as the most favourable. Luke does this by creating a narrative environment which enables the reader to accept the witness of those in the narrative who are revealed as trustworthy. The repetition of the phrase, “believe my words,” although in various forms, is repeated three times in Luke’s first chapter by reliable people who speak in accordance with the divine will of God. The first is Gabriel. He tells Zechariah that his authority comes directly from God because he stands in the presence of God in heaven (1:20). Therefore Gabriel’s words are totally reliable, but Zechariah doesn’t believe! The second is Mary, who has found favour with God (1:38). She accepts Gabriel’s message, and declares that she awaits the fulfilment of God’s words. The final occurrence is Elizabeth, who speaks under the influence of the Holy Spirit (1:45). Her “inspired” speech not only functions as an interpretation of the preceding events, but also recalls the angel’s words to Abraham, “Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?” (Gen 18.14).

As mentioned in the previous study the pathos implied in Zechariah’s plight (he is rendered mute) highlights the contrast between those who respond in obedience and total faith (Mary), and those who question the divine rationale behind the vision (Zechariah). This same tension is throughout the gospel narrative, most notably the contrast between “sinners” and “Pharisees.” The sinners believe Jesus’ message and come to faith, while the Pharisees reject his message, and by implication also reject God.

Mary: So Much More than Mother

Read Luke 8.21, then 11.27-28

Mary is often seen as the “mother” and “bearer” of Messiah Jesus. Like the women of Israel’s past (Hannah, Sarah, Rebecca) she is seen, and valued, through the destiny of her son. Mary not only stands in the succession of biblical mothers who conceive through God’s power, she is also a female human agent in God’s deliverance of his people. So Mary’s role in the narrative goes beyond that of mother; as the narrative unfolds Mary’s characterisation develops into a model of discipleship.

Mary is to be understood as an agent, regardless of her gender, in that she obeys the command of the angel by stating that she is the servant of God.  She identifies herself as a “slave,” implying a humility and surrender to the Lord that is consonant with discipleship. Luke’s conversation with the OT/Hebrew Scriptures is evident here as the term “slave” in the Hebrew Scriptures is used with God as the object to convey the notion of “whole hearted” surrender to God, and the Law/Torah. Mary is presented as one who is “owned body and soul” by God. Therefore she is representative of all those who are completely and wholeheartedly surrendered to God.

Remember that women don’t have the same importance as men in the ancient world, this is the extraordinary aspect of Mary’s story. Mary’s function (characterisation) in the narrative is extraordinary because her story recalls OT stories of other great men, all agents of salvation in Israel’s history. Men like Abraham (Gen 11), Moses (Exodus 3) , and Gideon (Judges 6:11-23). They too were called to co-operate with God’s plan to bring salvation to Israel. Their obedience enabled God to work on Israel’s behalf through a miraculous display of power. In the case of both Moses and Gideon God intervened because Israel had called out to the God of Abraham. It was in response to their cry that God sought and commissioned an agent of salvation (Ex.3:7ff; Judges 6:7ff).

Mary’s role as an agent of God’s saving purposes fits into the same category as these other  men, especially Gideon and Moses. You will remember in the previous study Zechariah’s prayer in the Temple was on behalf of all the people who were crying out for a Messiah (Lk.1:13a). So in response to Israel’s cry for a saviour God sought out Mary as the agent. It is through her that God initiates a miraculous plan of salvation. Luke points towards Mary going beyond the function of mother by foreshadowing her role as a disciple. He does this through the repeated phrase “believing God’s words,” which we discussed above.

In Luke’s gospel Jesus emphasises that “hearing and obeying” are the hallmarks of genuine discipleship. Luke’s narrative stresses that Jesus’ real relatives are all those who hear and obey God’s word. Jesus, speaking of his mother, and brothers, states, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (8:21 emphasis added).  Authentic discipleship expresses itself in hearing the message with a heart set on obedience, and action.

There is a subtle difference between Luke’s treatment of Jesus’ words about his family and Mark and Matthew’s. Luke connects the response with hearing the word of God, while Matthew and Mark are slightly different, “Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matt 12:50 = Mark 3:35, emphasis added). Luke has edited this saying to fit the theme he has been developing since the beginning of his gospel: true hearing expresses itself in obedience. The point for all three gospels is the same: response to the word preached by Jesus is the issue, because Jesus’ preaching reveals the will of God.

In a brief unit within a larger context dealing with response to Jesus and his message Luke again highlights the importance of hearing and obeying.  This time the unit (11:27-28) deals with the issue of Mary’s blessedness. The narrative is emphatic. Mary is blessed, but not solely because she bore Jesus, but because she hears and obeys, “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, ‘Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’” (11.27-28, emphasis added).

This saying is of immense importance because here Luke addresses the very issue of Mary as the mother of Jesus.  In the infancy narrative Elizabeth declares, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, that Mary is blessed because of the child she carries (1:42). However, Elizabeth also alludes to Mary’s faith as a source of blessedness (1:45). The convention of the day would say that blessedness is bestowed through the relationship Mary had with her son. Jesus refutes this inference with his response to the woman’s words in 11.28. Luke is aware that his readers may be inclined to limit Mary’s role to being the mother, which is the convention of the day, but Jesus elevates women to equal status in discipleship on the basis of faith and obedience.

So, in Luke’s narrative Mary is not only to be reckoned blessed because she bore the Messiah, but also because she heard the word, believed it, and obeyed.  Jesus’ response to the woman (11:27-28) adds a corrective; “yes, but rather,” which allows for a reading that although the woman’s remark is correct, it is not complete. Jesus’ words function as an invitation to all those who hear and obey … they are considered his closest family, regardless of gender or ethnicity.

It is Mary’s role as obedient disciple that encourages Luke’s readers to interpret all the other characters that follow in the gospel. Mary’s characterisation functions as an interpretative model the reader uses to base their interpretation of the characters who engage with Jesus.  Especially the Pharisees and Scribes. She is unique in the fact that in all the Scriptures of Israel women have been viewed through their men. Mary alone responds to God’s commission; she needs no man to validate her position. She thus becomes the perfect expression of discipleship, and therefore a metaphor for renewed Israel.

So lets take a breather …

Some points to discuss:

¥ What aspects of the story are new for you?

¥ What do you think are the important, or significant aspects of the story for your faith?

¥ In what ways do you think it is helpful to understand a little bit of the ancient context when reading about the contrast between Zechariah and Mary?

¥ Thinking about reading in a more ‘in depth’ way, what sort of things do you find helpful or unhelpful?

¥ In what ways has reading about Mary as the model disciple impacted your own view of discipleship?

In the next study we are going to look at the way “sinners,” as a term, is used in Luke’s gospel.

I have added a glossary of some of the terms I’ve used just so you know what I’m talking about.

Glossary

annunciation – when an angel appears and tells the recipient that a child is going to be born, usually in miraculous circumstances. God commissions the child to rescue, deliver, or restore the fortunes of Israel. What is unusual with Mary is that she, not Joseph, is commissioned. Usually the angel will appear to the husband, or a male in the narrative. See Hannah, Sari, or Mrs Menoah (Samson’s mum).

characterisation – this is a technical term used to explain how characters function in the narrative. As a reader reads through the narrative they are introduced to characters through the narrator (the one telling the story). So the information the narrator offers helps the reader understand, and know, what to expect. The character will exhibit certain traits, which will in turn be interpreted by the narrator. For example the Pharisees are usually presented as being hostile to Jesus, while “sinners” are usually receptive to Jesus’ ministry.

divine will of God – The Scriptures of Israel are one means of persuasion used by Luke (the narrator) to establish narrative authority.  The ability of the narrator to persuade the reader to accept the divine will in the narrative is through the authority of the Scriptures, heavenly voices, prophecies, angels, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the audible voice of God. The narrator introduces the main character/s, who in turn are confirmed in their role within the narrative by the Holy Spirit, and usually a citation or allusion of Scripture is included.  Jesus’ baptism (Luke 2:21-22) is one example: the event not only authenticates Jesus’ identity but also foreshadows his sermon where he uses Scripture (Isa. 61) to establish his credentials as one who bears the Holy Spirit. In Luke 3:22 the reader is told by the narrator that God, through a heavenly voice, identifies him as God’s “beloved son.” By alluding to Scripture (Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1), and by the Holy Spirit physically descending upon Jesus, the event not only recalls that Jesus is born of the Spirit (Luke 1:35), but that his subsequent announcement at the Nazareth synagogue is authenticated by both the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and a quote from Scripture (Isa. 61:1).

Bibliography

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———. Luke 9:51 – 24:53. BECNT, vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.

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Ó Fearghail, F. “Announcement or Call? Literary Form and Purpose in Luke 1:26-38.” PIAB 16 (1993): 20-35.

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Reid, B. “‘Do You See This Woman?’ a Liberative Look at Luke 7.36-50 and Strategies for Reading Other Lukan Stories against the Grain.” In A Feminist Companion to Luke, edited by A. Levine and M. Blickenstaff, 106-20. London: Sheffield Academic Press, 2002.

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