How Did the Earliest Christians View Mary, Jesus's Mother?
The Mother of Jesus is beloved in some circles and viewed with skepticism in others. Let’s be blunt: Catholics and Orthodox Christians revere her. Protestants mostly ignore her (except at Christmas). What did the earliest Christians think of her? Let’s go on a skip through history.
Funerary Art
Some of the earliest records that mention Mary appear via visual art.
On a wall in the Catacombs of Priscilla, a second- or third-century painting shows an image of a woman nursing a baby. Many believe it to be an image of Mary nursing baby Jesus. If so, it is the oldest surviving image of Jesus’s mother.
In the same catacombs, a late third-century sarcophagus bears an inscription to Severa, wishing her “Live in God!” (in deo vevas), with an image of the Madonna and Child accepting the adoration of the Magi.
By the third and fourth centuries, the adoration of the Magi—scenes depicting three men offering gifts to baby Jesus as he sits on his mother’s lap—had become a popular image for Christian artists. They appear on sarcophagi (caskets) and walls, whether murals, paintings, or (later) mosaics. Of course, the magi appear in the biblical story of Matthew 2:1–12, which is celebrated on the Feast of Epiphany (January 6).
The marble sarcophagus of Adelphia, discovered and housed in Sicily, dates from the fourth century and features a collection of biblical scenes including the adoration of the Magi. Mary is seated on a throne-like chair holding baby Jesus.
These are just a few examples showing the growth of interest in Mary over the first few centuries. In every scene, she is accompanied by her Son because he is the main attraction. The written records of the Church Fathers parallel the visual record as it relates to Mary—any mention of her happened because they were reflecting on Jesus.
Highly Favored
Ignatius of Antioch, who died a martyr in the first or second decade of the 100s, is one of the earliest fathers to mention Mary by name. In his letter to the Ephesians, he emphasized that Christ was born of a virgin and had by God’s design been carried in her womb. In mentioning Jesus’s mother, Ignatius was emphasizing Jesus’s humanity. If he had a mother (and he did), he was a man.
An apocryphal work called the Protoevanglium of James (PJ) offered an extra-biblical account of Mary’s childhood. More than any historical accuracy it could offer, its value lies in showing how the second-century believers thought about her. The myths and legends of PJ portray her in an exceedingly positive light. Mary was treasured and honored a hundred years or so past her life.
By the fourth century, the Fathers considered Mary a holy woman worth praising and eventually venerating. Her holiness, in their eyes, was necessary for her to be used by God to carry and birth the Savior. Some scholars refer to the angel Gabriel’s words to her at the Annunciation, “Greetings, favored woman … you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:28, 30). The word “favor/favored” comes from the Greek word charis, which means grace. It’s where the prayer “Hail Mary, full of grace,” finds its roots. It’s also the root of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which teaches that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin, a condition that shielded her from committing sins during her lifetime.
Women who wished to devote their lives to Christ often aligned themselves with the Virgin Mary—to live as a virgin meant repudiating the Roman tradition of women becoming wives and mothers. Virgins could separate themselves for humble service, and they became a recognized group of leaders within the early church. Some, like Agatha, Lucy, and Agnes, were martyred for their faith.
Ever Virgin
Mary’s virginal state before and during the Incarnation was of utmost importance for confirming Jesus’s deity. The Virgin Birth is attested in Scripture. But as the monastic movement grew, the men and women who withdrew from society to devote themselves to a life set aside for Christ adopted the idea that such practices made them more pure. Virginity as a lifestyle became equated with purity of body and soul. And with that sort of philosophy, by the fourth century Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, determined that Mary remained a virgin for life.
“Mary, who gave birth to God, remained a virgin to the end [in order to be a model for] all to come after her” (On Virginity, 244).
When purity is equated with virginity, the holy mother of God can be nothing else but ever-virgin. As such, the Virgin Mary could be seen as a type of the holy Temple, worthy of hosting the Holy One. “Mary, who remained a virgin ante, in, and post-partum can only be understood as the most perfect temple, one in whose purity God himself could dwell.”
Mary’s perpetual virginity would become a dominant image over the next two centuries. Women who chose to remain virginal could point to the “Blessed Virgin Mary” for inspiration as they dedicated their lives to prayer and service rather than motherhood and family. Even queens would associate themselves with Mary’s virginity, holiness, and piety.
The Genesis of a Legend
Mary developed from the humble girl of Luke 1, the young Galilean who said Yes to the Lord’s call, into a figure revered for moral perfection, physical innocence, and inspiring obedience. She became so much more than just the mother of the Messiah—a rather high honor in itself, in my mind. The cult of celebration that grew up around her memory took on a life of its own. Instead of worshiping the Christ Child, some began prioritizing the Madonna.
This content comes from my dissertation research. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the development of Marian devotion. Of course, I only skimmed the surface. Comments are open!
FABULOUS article!!
Forgive my ignorance but then how did they explain Jesus’s brothers? Is there evidence that Joseph had a second wife or concubine?