The Purification of Mary

“And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus; the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when her days of purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord . . . and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of Moses, ‘A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.’” Luke 2:21.

“If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days . . . She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled . . . . When the days of her purification are fulfilled . . . she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering. . . . And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, then she shall be clean.” From Leviticus 12.

First of all, since Mary had not known a man, and secondly, since she had conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit (indeed, this was the miracle!) and if, in addition, Jesus had had a “holy” flesh, it would have been an absurdity or blasphemy to consider Mary unclean after this birth, a sin offering having to be made for her on that account, or the priest having to make atonement for her!!!

Perhaps this particular portion of Scripture has escaped your notice, dear reader, just as it had mine? Think! A sin offering was made on behalf of Mary because she had borne the Son of God into the world! Because of this she was not allowed to touch any hallowed thing for thirty-three days! What a wonderful God!!!

Yes, as everyone must confess: Great is this mystery of godliness! 1 Tim. 3:16. And yet it is quite simple. He partook of the Virgin Mary’s flesh and blood: “He Himself likewise partook of the same” (Heb. 2:14), thereby taking upon Himself our seed and our sin. And so Mary’s purification is significant after all, no matter how meaningless it might appear. To interpret it as having been a mere pretence, so as not to attract attention, hardly does justice to the might and glory of God.