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Lesson OneMary, Jesus’ Mother and Disciple3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoOld Testament Women in Matthew’s Genealogy3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeMary Magdalene3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourJairus' Daughter and the Hemorrhaging Woman3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveThe Canaanite Woman3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SixThe Samaritan Woman3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SevenMary and Martha3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson EightPhoebe and Junia3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson NinePriscilla and Lydia: Hosts of Paul3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TenConclusion3 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion2 Activities1 Assessment
Discussion Questions
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Reflect on Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55). What stands out to you from Mary’s words?
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16 Replies
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<div>What strikes me the most is her grasp of how she fits into the grand scheme of God’s plans. She is not puffed up or boastful about the role she is to play but rather is quite humbled that God chose her to bring the Messiah into the world. Mary gives God the honor and praise he so richly deserves and understands that he is always the same and does not change.</div>
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Mary is taking a stand and testifying her thankfulness to God’s grace and His favor for herself and all of Israel.
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Reflecting on Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), what stands out is her profound joy and faith. Mary recognizes God’s goodness in choosing her, a humble servant, to play such an essential role. Her words are filled with gratitude and awe, and she praises God for His mercy and justice, especially towards those who are often overlooked—like the lowly and the poor. Mary’s song also shows a clear understanding of God’s power, highlighting His ability to uplift the humble and bring down the proud. This reversal of fortunes is hopeful and radical, showing that God values the meek and oppressed. Her hope that Jesus, the Messiah, will fulfill God’s promises of justice and peace resonates deeply. Mary’s Magnificat reflects both her personal gratitude and a bigger picture of God’s work in the world, making her words timeless and inspiring to those who seek to see God’s justice and mercy today.
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Verse 50 in particular stood out to me when it states “His mercy is for those who fear him” because you need to acknowledge that God is above all powers, and we need to “fear” him. (I mean fear as in to honor him and his name)
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One of the first things I noticed was in verse 48, where she states, “For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.” I think it really shows that God can just take anyone from any point and time in their lives and make them something greater, a better version of themselves. So, I like how Mary points out how she was just a lowly servant girl who became the mother of Jesus, the Son of God.
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Compare and contrast your thoughts and emotions around Mary’s character in the Gospels before and after this session. What has shifted in your perception of Mary? Why?
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13 Replies
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I have always seen Mary as blessed and highly favored by God and this perception of her has not changed. I have learned to appreciate her as a strong woman of God and disciple of Jesus as well as a prophet through this study. I now see Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a complex and multi-faceted individual rather than a one-dimensional essential character in the Gospel.
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I never saw her as more than a very concerned mother. But God’s grace and mercy is working to take the burden of loss of a child from her and in its place giving Mary the citizenship to a Heavenly Kingdom along with all other chosen disciples.
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Before this session, I saw Mary mostly as a quiet and obedient figure in Jesus’ life, important but often passive. After learning more, I now see her as a complex person with both courage and faith, willing to embrace a challenging role amid societal pressures. She was not only Jesus’ mother but also a disciple and prophet, especially through her powerful “Magnificat,” where she voiced a vision of justice and hope. This shift in my perception came from understanding her strength and spiritual insight, which add depth to her character beyond simply being a mother.
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Before listening to the lecture, I only thought of Mary as Jesus’ mother and nothing more, but now I realize she is much more important. She’s a prophet that is always loyal to God and she and Jesus are always shown as an inseparable pair in the Bible.
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I’ve grown up in church and recently have done a women’s bible study, I’ve always just thought of Mary as this cool girl that became the mother of Jesus, but she’s more than that. I’ve learned that Mary is most likely around my age and was approached by an angel to discover that suddenly she’s pregnant. And she took those news like a champ because so many different things could’ve happened to her, and that’s how you know God was protecting her. Joseph could’ve quietly divorced her, she could’ve been disowned and brought shame to her family, but that didn’t happen. Mary had to be strong during that time and fully rely on and trust in God or she would’ve been a mess, so I really look up to Mary because she was so brave and strong.
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According to Dr. Cohick, Mary’s identity in the Gospels centers around three primary roles: mother, prophet, and disciple. Which of these elements tend to get left out, why is that, and what difference does it make?
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15 Replies
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Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus is always paramount. Her role as a disciple is less noted and her contribution as a prophetess is far less recognized. She is most valued as Jesus’ mother, the chosen one of God to bring the blessed Saviour into the world. Mary was also a devoted mother and disciple of Christ that had a profound influence both then and now. As a prophet, Mary is often overlooked because she was a woman and was limited in that capacity at the time.
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</div>I never viewed her as a prophet because work she contributed alone outside of praying for her son has been undervalued in the worldly teachings of Christianity.
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Dr. Cohick highlights that Mary’s prophetic role often gets overlooked. This happens partly because many traditional interpretations focus on her role as Jesus’ mother, emphasizing her humility and obedience. However, seeing Mary as a prophet in the Gospels—particularly in the Magnificat—shows her boldly proclaiming God’s justice, advocating for the lowly, and challenging social norms. Recognizing Mary’s prophetic side can deepen our understanding of her faith and active role in God’s work, showing her not only as a mother but as a courageous voice for change.
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I think the role of a disciple tend to be left out. Mary is often portrayed as the mother of Jesus and nothing more, but she was always a disciple of God and Jesus throughout her whole life and this detail tends to be ignored or forgotten.
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I think either prophet or disciple could work for this, but I think disciple. Mary was Jesus’ mother, she spoke openly about the Lord and what he’s done, but Jesus was her son. How could she be a disciple? Mary followed Jesus like a disciple, maybe not always physically like the 12, but she followed. Plus, she was always learning from the best. I think Mary being called a disciple is usually left out because Jesus is her son, so no one really focuses on her being able to be a disciple. And I think it does make a difference, because since it is so “glossed over” she may not be truly seen as someone so spiritual to look up to like any of the 12 disciples in some sense; especially people new to the Bible or anything like that.