These daily Advent studies are provided for your personal devotionals or for your daily family Advent devotionals during the evening meal. They are an excellent way to introduce daily Bible readings and discussions at the evening meal. Once begun during the Advent season the tradition can become a lifelong practice of your family. They seek to challenge both you and your children beyond the simplicity and often erroneous information provided in so called Advent calendars and children’s Christmas books. May you find it a blessing and may they be a starting point for your family in daily readings, discussions and meditations on the holy, eternal, inerrant written Word of God.
(T = True; F = False) According to the Bible...
25_____ From beginning to end Mary’s faith and acceptance of Jesus’ deity as the Messiah was unwavering
26_____ There was a lot of gossip concerning the legitimacy of Jesus both before and immediately after His birth.
27_____ Mary was a teenager at the time of her conception by the Holy Spirit.
28_____ No one believed Mary’s claim that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
29_____ Joseph’s initial intention was to break off the engagement and marriage, but quietly and in a righteous manner
Answer Key
1. F – (From beginning to end Mary’s faith and acceptance of Jesus’ deity as the Messiah was unwavering.) Mary did submit to the revelation of Gabriel (Luke 1:38), she did believe the revelation of the Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:45), she did respond in faith and obedience (Luke 1:38) and her prayer in Luke 1:46-55 does reveal great faith.
This faith and obedience was not however a constant in her life. In Luke 2:41 – 50, the incident at the temple on the occasion of Jesus’ 12th birthday and Jesus’ referral to God as His Father, went right past Mary – “And they did not understand the statement which He had made to them.” Again in Mark 3:20 & 21, 31 – 35 we find Mary, with the family, coming to take Jesus away, whom they perceive to be demented – “And when His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses.... And His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him, and called Him.” This is truly a low point in Mary’s spiritual life. It is at this time that Jesus disavows His earthly family and proclaims His spiritual family, His true family, to be made up of those who follow Him in faith. Luke 8:19-21 “And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. And it was reported to Him, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You." But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
2. F - Matthew 1:18-23 (There was a lot of gossip concerning the legitimacy of Jesus both before and immediately after His birth.) The only record of anyone questioning Jesus’ legitimacy before his birth is that of Joseph’s reaction. The Bible is careful to point out that this was carried out in a righteous manner and kept private, Matthew 1:19 “And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.” During His ministry Jesus’ deity was often questioned as a result of His being the son of Joseph and Mary (John 6:42) but never His supposed illegitimacy. No doubt, if the Pharisees had this card to play they would not hesitate to do so as it would also allow them to get at Jesus through attacks on Mary as well. (John 8:3 – 11 clearly indicates the Pharisees zeal in making adultery a public issue.) Evidently Joseph did an outstanding and admirable job of protecting Mary’s reputation both before and after the revelation of the divine nature of her conception. The revelation of the immaculate conception is not the story of an unwed mother but rather that of a virgin mother. These are two completely different things and must not be confused.
3. F – Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:27 (Mary was a teenager at the time of her conception by the Holy Spirit.) No ages are given for either Mary or Joseph. Mary is referred to as a “virgin” – Greek – PARTHENOS, which is best translated as “maiden”; “virgin” or “unmarried daughter”. There exist no primary source material to establish Mary as a young teenage girl. There is no primary source material to establish that loving, caring Jewish parents gave their daughters away in marriage as young teens. Given the godly nature of Joseph, I doubt seriously that he was interested in a young teenage girl for his wife. Frankly I find the fixation of many pastors in describing Mary as a girl in her early teens not only without basis for fact but morally questionable.
4. F - Matthew 1:18-25: Luke 1:39-45: Luke 2:22 -38 (No one believed Mary’s claim that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.) There is no evidence that Mary ever argued for the divine nature of her conception. God however, was not silent on this issue and did bring others to her side. First Gabriel, then other angels, next Joseph, then Elizabeth, this being followed by the shepherds, the Magi and lastly Simeon and Anna at the temple. All these attested to the divine nature of her child. In all these events though Mary remained silent. There is not a single instance in Scripture of anyone questioning the legitimacy of Jesus birth during His earthly ministry nor of Mary as having to defend her virtue
5. T - Matthew 1:19 (Joseph’s initial intention was to break off the engagement and marriage, but quietly and in a righteous manner.) This is in stark contrast to what could have taken place. The public humiliation of the adulterous woman in John 8:1 -6 could have been called for - including her subsequent stoning, which was entirely consistent with the Law of Moses. (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22)
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