Dial Daily Bread

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":

TIME magazine has often promoted the Roman Catholic view of Mary the
mother of Jesus as a co-redemptrix, an assistant “Savior of the
world,” one to whom people should pray, an intermediary between people and
Jesus. This is not a biblical view.

But TIME’s feature article for Easter this year explores a rather new
Protestant study of the biblical Mary as one qualified to be understood
as a teacher, an apostle of the faith of Jesus. She has been neglected
as an over-reaction against the idolatrous Roman view.

She appears first in the Bible as one who “believed” in the
ultimate sense--no resisting the word of the angel Gabriel, although she must
have known well that her public role as an unwed mother would invite
scorn. She would submit to the will of God. Long before Jesus took up
His cross for us, she took up her cross in believing the word and the
call of God. (Luke 1:38, 45).

Next she appears as one who had loved the Bible, for her extemporaneous
poem of thanksgiving (46-55) is drenched with biblical allusions. Her
Son was to inherit our human nature, the DNA line to the fallen Adam to
be unbroken, but His mother was to be one who could teach Him in His
infancy to read and believe the Bible. He applied Himself so zealously
that He grew as “the word made flesh” (John 1:14). He was her
Savior as well as ours.

Mary never preached a sermon that we know was recorded, but she left a
brilliant one in its terseness: “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do
it” (John 2:5). That’s enough for a good Sabbath message. She had to be a
very positive feminine personality.

All biblical evidence points to her as an older woman, a step-mother to
at least six children of Joseph from a previous marriage (Matt. 13:55,
56; 12:47). That role certainly required a saint!

Mary’s corporate fellowship with her Son dying on His cross as she
watched Him in motherly fidelity is evidence that we can identify with
Him on His cross--something that the Bible says is “faith.” We are
“baptized INTO His death” (Rom. 6:3). It’s time that we understand it
maturely!

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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