A shortened version of Mariam, Mary was a very common name in NT times. The name appears about 60 times in the NT, from which six persons may be clearly identified, and a seventh who may or may not be identified with one of the six.
1) Mary, the wife of Joseph and mother of Jesus. Apart from the fact that she was a virgin when she conceived Jesus, and that she was pledged to be married to Joseph, the NT tells almost nothing else about her as a person. Roman Catholic mariology claims she was the daugther of an aging couple named Joachim and Anne, but this is based on an apocryphal work by an unknown author from mid-1st Cent AD. It can be safely said that the size of the mariology cupboard is in reverse proportion to the absence of reliable evidence about her, and the bulk of what is claimed for/about her are born of creative superstitions.
You may also wish to read the following:
Commentary on Luke 1:26ff ☰
☰ William Bridcut, "Our Lord's Relationship with his Mother," Churchman 100.4 (1986): 339-345.
2) Mary Magdalene, or Mary of Magdala.
3) Mary the sister of Lazarus and Martha.
4) Mary "the mother of John, also called Mark" (Acts 12:9), to whose house Peter went after the angel of the Lord had broken him out of prison soon after Herod Agrippa had James put to death. If "Mark, the cousin of Barnabas" (Col 4:10) is the same person as "John, also called Mark," then this Mary would be Barnabas' aunty.
5) Mary "the wife of Clopas," one of the women who were present at Jesus' crucifixion (Jn 19:25). The same verse identifies her as the sister of Mary, mother of Jesus. Some commentators have suggested that her husband Clopas may be the disciple, but spelled Cleopas, who asked Jesus "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" while walking incognizant of him as the risen Christ (Lk 24:18) but this is not certain.
6) Mary of Rome, to whom Paul sent his greetings in his epistle to the Romans (16:6). Apart from Paul's remark that she "worked very hard for you," we know nothing about her.
7) There is uncertainty about the last Mary, whom Matthew and Mark identify as "Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses," who also was present at Jesus' crucifixion (Matt 27:56; Mk 15:40). She was also present with Mary mother of Jesus when Jesus was entombed (Mk 15:47) as well as being one of the three women who brought spices on the day after the Sabbath to anoint Jesus (Mk 16:1), whom Matthew identifies as "the other Mary" (Matt 27:61). Many commentators think that this Mary is not a 7th person, but is to be identified with 5) "Mary, the wife of Clopas" (Jn 19:25). This is very likely, but some uncertainty remains.
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