What did Mary Know?

Mark Lowry's "Mary, Did You Know?" tells of the true nature of Jesus Christ through the perspective of an omniscient narrator asking Mary, the mother of Jesus, if she knows all the amazing things that her baby will do when He becomes an adult. It is a beautiful work of musicality, especially in how it builds in power and passion the more the lyrics reveal about Jesus' divine nature as God's perfect son. It is a truly wonderful song.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy

Is heaven's perfect Lamb?

That sleeping child you're

Holding is the great, I Am

-Mark Lowry

Of course, with the existence of this song comes the existence of an important question: What did Mary know?

Mary first knew she would give birth to a son when the angel Gabriel appeared before her. In the first chapter of Luke Gabriel tells Mary that even though she is a virgin she will give birth to a son. Gabriel then says the following about Mary's son, "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:32-33). There's alot of amazing parts to what Gabriel promises about Mary's son, but they might not all be clear upon first read. 

One thing Gabriel tells Mary is that her son will be the Son of the most High. The one who is most high is God. The Son of God is typically refered to in the Old Testament as the Son of Man. The Son of Man appears predominantly in two prophetic books in the Old Testament. The first one is Ezekiel. In this book the Son of Man appears before God's prophet in a vision. Ezekiel writes that he saw "what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man" (Ezekiel 1:26). Ezekiel also writes, "brilliant light surrounded Him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around Him" (Ezekiel 1:28). When imagery of bright light is primarily used in Scripture, it refers to God and His goodness. This is shown at the beginning of the Bible, where God's first words are, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). This is also evident in Isaiah where it is written, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned" (Isaiah 9:2). Knowing that light Biblically siginifies God's glory and goodness, it makes sense why Ezekiel's response to seeing the Son of Man was to fall down before Him, as one falls down and worships the LORD (Ezekiel 1:28).

The Son of Man appears also in the book of Daniel. One night in a vision the prophet Daniel sees, "one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven" (Daniel 7:13). Daniel then says that the Son of Man entered into the pressence of the Ancient of Days, which is a title for the LORD Almighty, God the Father. Daniel then writes of the Son of Man, "He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14). From this vision the Son of Man is a figure who is like a man, but is as holy and almighty as God, for only someone like that could stand in God's pressence. The Son of Man is also worthy of worship, the same way only God is. His reign as King over all will never come to an end. This description of the Son of Man is directly related to how Gabriel says of Jesus, "He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:33). 

The Son of Man also appears in the New Testament in Revelation 14:14-16
where He is shown as one who reaps the harevest of believers on earth.

Based only on what the angel Gabriel told mary about her child being the Son of Man, and Mary's likely knowledge of these great prophecies from Ezekiel and Daniel, Mary knew that her child would be one who is like God, who is Light, King and has all power and autority and is worthy of worship. The only one who is like God can be someone who is God. This is why it can be concluded that Mary knew she would give birth to a son, and He would be God on earth with us (Isaiah 7:14).

Mary knew this, because she heard the angel Gabriel tell her this, but how come others besides Mary would come to know this as well? They would know because their eyes and hearts would be made open to this truth. Simon Peter after his first encounter with Jesus, upon seeing Jesus demonstrate signs and speak wonders, went up to Jesus fell at His knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8). He rightly knew that Jesus was holy and Lord of all creation, despite that no angel told him. Later in Peter's life, Jesus tells Peter how it is he came to recognize Jesus' true nature. Jesus says to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven" (Matthew 16:17). Peter knew who Jesus is, because God made it known to Him.

God does not make known the nature of Jesus to everyone, though. Jesus Himself said of some of those who heard Him speak and preach, "they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!" (Mark 4:12). This is also similar to what God told the prophet Isaiah to tell His people. God said, "'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed" (Isaiah 6:9-10). What all this means is that knowing about God and His ways is entirely in God's hands. God knows who will be His followers, and He has put this destiny in place for them that will believe before they were even born (Romans 8:29). Don't forget, though, that you, as a believer, still had your own part in knowing God. You had to turn from your wicked ways and desire Him, so that you may be forgiven for your sins. It is written that those who turn from their sins and seek God will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

We live in an age where we know about Jesus not from seeing Him physically, but from God revealing Him to us through what we hear about Jesus and learn about Jesus through God's words, the Bible. If the true nature of Jesus as the Son of Man and God in flesh has been revealed to you, then consider yourself truly blessed. Jesus said of believers like you and me, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Though we have not seen Jesus in His physical body, nor have we seen Jesus perform signs and wonders in person before our eyes, we know who He is, because God has revealed this to us. Just as Mary knew, so do we in Christ know, because God has revealed Himself to us. We know that God is here.

Love has come

For the world to know

As the wise men knew

Such a long time ago

And I believe that angels sang

That hope had begun

When the God of glory

Who is full of mercy

Yes, the God of glory

Sent His son

(Yes! We know that!)

-Amy Grant

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Pentatonix: Mary, Did You Know?
• Amy Grant: Love has Come
• WWUTT: Why do You Believe or Don't Believe in God?