WHAT ARE ANGELS, REALLY?

ARCHANGELS

Angels have been a part of Judaism, Christian and other religions believers for millennia. They have been depicted in numerous art forms and are part of our folklore, imagination and indeed pop culture. But what are they, really? And what are their real functions? Be an angel, tell the truth!

Delving into some calm facts about angels that you might never have heard about before, you learn more about these mysterious so-called messengers of God.

The origins of the English word “angel” come from the Greek word aggelos, which means “messenger”. Going back to the Hebrew word for angel in the Old Testament, it means the same. Angels were created to serve God. They are essentially messengers from God. Now, what messages they deliver and how they are delivered is a different story.

Who are these angels, really? There is a hierarchy and each angel has a specific job. Some angels are next to God, while others supervise other angels and then there are those who deliver God’s messages to humans. Wow, they work like humans! Angels have very specific job descriptions and limited powers that allow them to perform a task. Say an angel is a healer, well, it can’t do anything else. Or if an angel’s job is to deliver a specific message, that’s usually as far as the task goes. This is perfectly illustrated in Genesis 19, when God sends three angels to give Abraham three separate messages. One angel told him that his wife was expecting, another informed him that Sodom would be destroyed and the third angel told Abraham that he’d be healed. Wow!!

Angels have been depicted by artists for millennia. Many of them are portrayed as beautiful, delicate humanlike creatures with wings.  These depictions, however, might not be quite right, as according to both Jewish and Christian tradition angels are not actual physical beings. They are spiritual beings; hence, they have no physical attributes. So, if angels don’t have physical attributes, how do they deliver God’s messages to humans? Well, angels are described in the Bible as “light”, but they may take up a human form to carry out their divine jobs. What?

Are angels male or female? Angels are traditionally depicted in art as being either female or as highly feminized beings. This feminine portrayal is likely to have its roots in Greco-Roman paganism i.e. goddesses. When it comes to the Bible, angels have male names. Though, it might have something to do with the fact that both the Greek and Hebrew words for angels are masculine. Mannish! Despite different interpretations, it can be said that the female-male dichotomy relates to humans and reproductions. Angels, not being human, can’t be male or female, right? Just Angels!

The Nephilim were these mysterious beings, also referred to as giants, who were born from the “sons of God” and the “daughters of man”. So, who were these “sons of God” & “daughters of man”, then? According to one Jewish tradition, they were Angels. What? Current Judeo-Christian tradition, however, does not support the idea of these human-angel relationships and believes that the “sons of God” & “daughters of man” were mere mortals. Really!

Mark 12:25 has led to some confusion as to whether humans can indeed become angels when they die. Wow, can’t wait! Jesus, when talking about resurrection, says that humans will be “like the angels in heaven”. The key here is the word “like”. The meaning is that in the afterlife, humans with a pure soul won’t have to concern themselves with the ways of the world, just like angels don’t. It doesn’t mean that they will turn into angels. What??

The word “angelic” does have a positive connotation, but the Bible actually has quite a few examples of how angels can deliver messages in a pretty devastating way on behalf of God. Like an angel of death killing the firstborn sons of Egypt, after the Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews leave or even Archangel Uriel nearly killing Moses. Angels deliver the message from God, but it turns out the message can sometimes be a bit violent. What an imaginary story! Sounds good, though!

Archangels are known to be a different league of angels. However, the Hebrew Old Testament doesn’t make reference to them. It’s not until the New Testament that this class of angels is identified as such. Though the term was not used, a distinction was made. For instance, Archangel Michael is called the “Great Prince” in Daniel 12:1. And in the Book of Tobit, Archangel Raphael makes reference to himself as “one of seven angels who stand ready & enter before the glory of the Lord”. So, are Archangels the highest ranking angels in heaven?

Well, not quite. The top leagues are occupied by the seraphim, the cherubim and the throne angels. This makes Archangels place fairly low in the hierarchy. Archangels are just above guardian angels, so why are they so important? Archangels are God’s messengers par excellence. They interact directly with humans on the Lord’s behalf, so they are tasked with very important missions i.e. the annunciation. Was Lucifer an Archangel? Lucifer was actually a seraphim, part of the highest ranking angel league. His job was to adore God like we do today about the Queen or King, but he got jealous and was cast out of heaven. That’s human nature!

There is some confusion, probably because it was an Archangel, Saint Michael, who cast Lucifer into hell. Different Christian denominations have different positions about Archangels. One would think Christians would agree on the name of Archangels, but this is not the case. Indeed there are seven Archangels, but the Bible only mentions three by name. So, all religions have different angels like their believes, right?

The Catholic Church recognizes three Archangels as Gabriel, Michael & Raphael. They also acknowledge the existence of the other four, though they don’t name them. The Eastern Orthodox Church, everywhere now & Anglicans, on the other hand, add the fourth Archangel to the mix as the aforementioned Uriel. And Cherubs are usually portrayed as cute and chubby baby angels. Lovely! Though that’s not how they’re described in the Bible. Those tasked with guarding the Garden of Eden even had flaming swords. Wow, amazing & bemusing!

Who was St. Mary?

Mary Magdalene

For centuries, Mary Magdalene’s name has been linked to numerous theories, stories, and interpretations of the Gospels.

Who was Mary Magdalene, really? Is the whole story of Mary & Jesus a concocted and divined as a wonderful story?  So where does this idea come from? Well, blame Pope Gregory. Back in the 6th century, he said that the prostitute, Mary Magdalene and Mary (Lazarus’ sister) were all the same person.

It's believed she came from a fishing village. Mary Magdalene was pretty independent for Biblical times, and it has been suggested that she had money and a high social status.

Mary Magdalene is likely the most misunderstood Biblical figure. One of the main misconceptions about Mary Magdalene is that she was a sex worker, who repented and then started following Jesus.

Indeed, the Gospel of Luke mentions a prostitute who washes Jesus' feet with her hair. But nowhere is it mentioned the name of this woman. And certainly, there is no link in the Bible between her and Mary Magdalene.

It was not until 1969 that the Catholic Church admitted the mistake. Nonetheless, the damage was done, as the idea that Mary Magdalene was a sex worker had become cemented throughout the centuries. The Gospels have slightly different versions of the same people and events, but Mary Magdalene’s presence remains fairly consistent throughout them all.

Both the Gospels of Mark and Luke confirm that Mary Magdalene started following Jesus after he cast seven demons out of her. Whatta! All four Gospels state that Mary Magdalene was present in pretty key moments of Jesus’ life (and death), including his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. And if all of this wasn’t enough, Mary Magdalene was actually the first disciple to see Jesus when he resurrected and hence is called in some Christian traditions the “apostle to the apostles”.

The Gospel of Mary was discovered by a German scholar in Cairo, Egypt, in 1896. Scholars estimate that this non-canonical text was written sometime in the 2nd century or earlier. The Gospel of Mary has been interpreted as a Gnostic text, as it follows the same writing style.

Did Mary Magdalene and Jesus get married and have children? This is one of the most popular and controversial theories, which has gained a lot of popularity thanks to books such as Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’. The tale speculation started based on a 6^th century document called ‘The Story of Joseph and Aseneth’, which Simcha Jacobovici and Barrie Wilson who translated the text claim is about Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Jacobovici and Wilson went on to publish a book named ‘The Lost Gospel: Decoding the Ancient Text that Reveals Jesus’ Marriage to Mary Magdalene. ‘No church supports this theory’. What a theory!

The Last Supper

Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece ‘The Last Supper’ has led many to speculate whether or not John the apostle, sitting next to Jesus, was in fact Mary Magdalene. In ‘The Last Supper’, the looks of long hair and feminine facial features have led to this theory. What do you think?

Remember what the prostitute Mary Magdalene was mistaken for? Well, she washed Jesus’ feet and then dried them with her long hair. This is why we often find Mary Magdalene depicted with very long hair. But there is also another version. Mary Magdalene isolated herself in the wilderness after Jesus died and resurrected, and her hair grew long during this period. Except this too was also the story of another Mary, St. Mary of Egypt. Yes, the Church did get all Marys’ mixed up.

Another story says that Mary Magdalene ended up on a boat with other Christians. They were supposed to be pushed into the sea to die, but divine intervention had them reach France safe and sound. Mary Magdalene and others went on to spread the Gospel, until she got old and went to live in seclusion in a cave, where she sadly ended up dying. Charles II eventually found some bones there in 1279, which are believed to belong to Mary Magdalene. The bones were then given to Dominican monks, who adorned her skull with gold and put it on display. The skull can be found in a basilica at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in southern France.

The Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches have two stories that connect Mary Magdalene with Easter eggs. One story says that Mary Magdalene was carrying a basket of hard-boiled eggs when she visited Jesus' tomb. When he appeared to her after resurrecting, the eggs changed color. Please, don’t laugh! The other story is about Mary Magdalene going to Rome and seeing Emperor Tiberius. Everyone visiting the emperor was supposed to bring him something, so she brought an egg. Mary Magdalene proceeded to explain that Jesus resurrected, to which the emperor replied that what she was saying would be just as impossible as an egg changing color. This is when the egg turned red. Please, don’t laugh, again!

Mary Magdalene’s name was associated with Magdalene Laundries also known as asylums, which were present in England, Ireland, and the US. These were supposedly safe spaces for sex workers and women who became pregnant out of wedlock, etc. Hey, sad, but you can laugh, now! Though these were essentially penitentiary workhouses, these fallen women would be imprisoned and subjected to atrocious conditions. Surely Mary Magdalene wouldn’t have liked to have her name linked to such places.

July 22 is the day Mary Magdalene is celebrated in the Catholic Church special day calendar, though until recently this was just a memorial day. It was not until 2016 that Pope Francis declared it a feast day. What feast sir? And this consecrates Mary Magdalene as the apostle of the apostles and places her on the same level of the other apostles.

Pope Francis called Mary Magdalene a true and authentic evangelizer. The feast day was meant to “highlight the relevance of this woman who showed great love for Christ and was much loved by Christ” and the celebration was a way for Christians to “reflect more deeply on the dignity of women, the new evangelization and the greatness of the mystery of divine mercy”, said another archbishop.

Wow! What a story of olden time concocted fortitudes, braveries with kindness and love to be admired & appreciated, but never to be worshipped by another being.

How Much Do We Really Know About Adam & Eve?

ADAM & EVE

The story of Adam & Eve is foundational in various religious texts, from Christianity to Judaism and even Islam. Most prominently, their story appears in the book of Genesis from the Bible, where Adam & Eve were detailed to have been created by God in his own image. For millennia, the tale of the first man & woman, their life story in the idyllic Garden of Eden and their fall from grace, has inspired debate of its truth, interpretation and artwork.

Yet, despite its ancient origins, this foundational story continues to leave us with unanswered questions. Many aspects of Adam & Eve’s existence, from the serpent’s identity to the true nature of the forbidden fruit of apple, have endured as enigmas and mysteries of their story remained unsolved. Intrigued?

The original home of Adam and Eve, from where they were cast out by God, remains one of the mysterious locations in the Bible. It is true that the whole story can be interpreted as a metaphor, but what if one interprets it literally? Where would the Garden of Eden be located, after all? We can find some hints in Genesis 2. Genesis 2:10 says that, “A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers” (the specific wording depends on the Bible translation). And then it mentions their names: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel (the Tigris), and Phirat (the Euphrates). This hint has led to speculations that the Garden of Eden was located either in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and Kuwait), or modern-day Turkey or Armenia. Though the specific location has, thus far, not been located.

In the Bible, Adam & Eve initially lived in a utopian paradise known as the Garden of Eden, a lush and verdant land where no illness or death existed. At its center was the tree of knowledge of good and evil, laden with fruit that they were forbidden not to eat. In the Garden of Eden, Adam & Eve enjoyed a life free of pain or death. The story tells that they were ultimately tempted by a serpent to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree, which marked humanity’s separation from divine perfection not taking orders. As a result, mortality & suffering was inevitably introduced into human existence at this paradise. One unsolved aspect of Adam & Eve’s story is the location of the Garden of Eden. Many scholars have attempted to unravel the elusive mystery of Eden trying to narrow the search.

Descriptions in the Book of Genesis say that the garden was planted in the east and there are references to the four rivers flowing into the region, including the Tigris & Euphrates. But even though these rivers exist on Earth, there is no place on our planet where they meet in the way described by the Bible. Some believe that the so-called Great Flooding, as recounted in the story of Noah, reshaped Earth’s landscape so drastically that any trace of Eden’s geography was erased, leaving its exact location eternally obscured. Some theologians have viewed the Garden of Eden not as a physical place but as a metaphor spiritual state, representing humanity’s original unity with God rather than an actual garden lost to history.

Where is Noah’s Ark? It is true that the Great Flood might have happened (though not on a global scale as the Bible mentions). But if Noah’s Ark did, too, what happened to it? Over the years, numerous theories have emerged, and 'evidence' has been found, though none was robust enough or indeed conclusive. One example includes wooden fragments discovered on Turkey's Mount Ararat. Being made of wood, it’s very possible that if the Ark ever existed, it rotted and disappeared over the years.

In Genesis 1, God creates male and female at the same time. But then, in the very next chapter, Genesis 2, God created a woman from a man’s rib. Another unsolved mystery revolves around Eve’s creation from Adam’s rib, which is widely interpreted as a believable symbolic rather than literal. The tale is also most likely responsible for the myth that men have fewer ribs than women, even though both tend to have 12 pairs naturally.

While Christian traditions symbolically link the tale of Adam’s rib to the Holy Trinity, Jewish interpretations associate it with modesty and wisdom, reflecting humanity’s interconnected nature. This symbolically also suggests, they shouldn’t be so unsympathetic to fellow human beings.

The tale is also the serpent in Genesis is the one responsible for tempting Eve into disobedience, but whether or not the identity of the serpent was actually Satan still remains heavily debated. Early Jewish & Christian texts differ with the association to Satan emerging centuries after Genesis was written. What’s the truth, though?

Some theologians argue that the serpent was not a unique symbolic tool in its ability to speak, as all animals in Eden might have had the ability to communicate. This perspective sees the serpent not as a supernatural being, but rather as nothing more than a literary device used for the sake of the tale.

Many theologians only connected the serpent to Satan by reading the Bible’s last book, the Book of Revelation. It speaks of a primordial serpent that is the adversary of God, which made many believe that Satan was a devil responsible for charming Eve in the garden. Another belief is that Satan and the serpent in the garden were not actually connected.

There are some theologians who still hold this claim. The presence of evil in the Garden of Eden is also a major theological conundrum that has confused scholars for centuries. If the garden was meant to be a paradise, why would God, a benevolent and all powerful being, allow evil spirit to exist in the Garden of Eden?

Many theologians have argued that the presence of evil in the garden only existed because God allowed Adam & Eve to have free will. The tale goes on to say, by giving them the freedom to choose, he unwittingly permitted evil to enter the world.  Others have made the interpretation that the presence of evil in paradise was supposed to serve as a test of both faith and obedience. Ultimately, Adam & Eve fell prey to their temptations and vulnerabilities, but the conditions surrounding the tale of the serpent’s existence remain a mystery.

Yet another aspect of Adam & Eve’s story that remains a mystery is regarding the forbidden apple fruit that they ate. Interestingly, the Book of Genesis mentions a fruit, not an apple, which has led to beyond debate surrounding the topic.

Historical translations and artistic depictions have popularized the apple interpretations, though some scholars have suggested alternatives like figs, grapes or citron as the actual forbidden fruit.

In Latin, the word malum means both ‘apple’ and ‘evil’ dual meanings, which likely reinforced the association of the forbidden fruit with apples in European art and literature. Ultimately, our association with an apple could be nothing more than a linguistic coincidence mixed with symbolic storytelling.

Another unsolved mystery is regarding Adam & Eve’s lineage. According to the Bible, all humans share ancestry with Adam & Eve, since they were the first and only people on Earth at the time coming from each other’s ribs. After being banished from the Garden of Eden, they set forth into a harsh world and were refused entry into the garden. The story tells, angels armed with flaming swords stood guard at the entrance and stopped them from seeing the garden ever again.

The Book of Genesis also notes that Adam & Eve had mysterious siblings of sons and daughters beyond Cain, Abel and Seth. However, their unnamed descendants remain unexplored in scripture, leaving their roles in humanity’s propagation a mystery. The Bible says that Cain and Seth went on to have children of their own, with Abel having died at the hands of Cain. It also notes that Adam & Eve had sons and daughters, but they are never mentioned in any scripture, and the details of their lives remain a mystery.

When Adam & Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God installed angels called cherubim at the entrance, each of whom wielded flaming swords to guard against access as guardians of the Garden. However, the existence of these angels still remains a heavy mystery. In scripture, the cherubim are celestial beings with wings and are often associated with divine presence and protection. However, theologians have been unable to decipher whether they are meant to be a manifestation of divine wrath or whether they are a symbol of God’s unfathomable love. After Adam & Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, they were forced to live in an unknown land brimming with challenges and various uncertainties. But the details of their journey are relatively scarce and largely remain a mystery as a life of turmoil. Theologians have spent much time trying to garner an understanding of what happened to the duos life after leaving the garden. Their journey away from God’s divinity and his paradise must have been weighed down by guilt.

Nonetheless, theologians often debate whether humanity can metaphorically return to Eden through salvation or spiritual growth. They have done this in an attempt to frame the narrative as both a fall from grace and a hopeful journey toward redemption.

The Adam & Eve tale continues without end to provoke thought and has offered timeless questions about humanity’s origins, morality and destiny. This narrative will most likely endure for ages, as theologians and scholars continue trying to unravel the mysteries of our ancient ancestors.

How did humanity multiply? Okay, so Adam & Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and went on to have babies. But then for humans to multiply they had to intermarry, right? After all, there were no other humans around. Not only does it sound wrong, but scientifically speaking this wouldn’t have worked out. We need genetic diversity to thrive as healthy humans. So what gives? Well, one theory says that God either prevented genetic disorders that would likely happen from incestuous relationships, or that, indeed, he created more than two humans.

Comparatively, it’s a healthy impression to know how far society has come and how much do we know the true stories of our ancestors.

Bless you!

The Story of Virgin Mary & Partner Joseph, Father of Jesus

The so called and revered souls, Mary and Joseph, are the parents of named, Christ, Jesus; well, at least on Earth. Still, they are iconic religious figures that many of us don’t really know much about. Sure, Mary was branded a virgin when she became pregnant with Jesus, how on earth, and we know that Joseph accepted to be father, didn’t know what happened, in the end. But what are the other key moments in the relationship between Joseph and Mary, anyway? And what and how much do we know about them as individuals? How do they know their relationship was in the early stages, when & how Mary got pregnant?

Jewish relationships and, consequently, marriages are said essentially divided into two stages: Kiddush in (engagement) and Nisu’in (marriage ceremony). Of course, there are more layers of complexity to these stages. But essentially, a couple is married in the eyes of God in the Kiddush in stage. But cohabitation and intimate relationships are not part of this stage.

While nowadays many couples combine Kiddush in and Nisu’in rituals into one ceremony, back then the first stage would take a lot longer. The couple would read religious texts to prepare for life as husband and wife. However, all of a sudden Mary was pregnant!

They almost broke up, as in old marriages, religiously or not, it goes without saying that virginity was not only desirable, but expected. Divine intervention aside, all of a sudden showing up pregnant wasn’t quite what Joseph was expecting of Mary. How is that happened? In the book of Matthew 1:19 it reads: “Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”

This course of action was actually pretty kind, more on that later. But he didn’t in the end, as he was visited by, another theory, angel Gabriel told him that, “She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Say what? Please, explain!

As mentioned previously, Joseph’s plans to leave Mary was to avoid exposing her to public disgrace. And public disgrace it would have been for Mary, who would have probably ended up being stoned to death in the ancient days. Deuteronomy 22:21 gives an example of what would happen to a woman who would have intimate relationships out of wedlock, in this case, still living with her parents: “She shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death.”

The story goes on, King Herod, hearing the news about the Messiah, ordered for all children in Bethlehem to be killed. Luckily, an angel gave Joseph the heads up, so he and his family managed to flee to save Jesus from being killed.

It reads in Matthew 1:25 being pretty explicit about this. It reads: “But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” Though, some people do believe that Mary never lost her virginity. The Bible does mention the brothers of Jesus, but again, some people interpret this as a form of expression, rather than in the literal sense of the word.

Many of us picture Joseph as a carpenter. This reinforces the idea of Jesus’ humble background. But what if Joseph worked more than just wood? Joseph wasn’t your average carpenter. Joseph is called a tektōn in Ancient Greek, which is the word used to describe an artisan/craftsman, not necessarily just a carpenter. If fact, according to author Adam Bradford, Joseph was actually a middle-class architect.

As Nazareth was a peculiar place, both Mary and Joseph came from Nazareth, a town that didn’t have a great rep. Even Nathanael, who went on to become a follower of Jesus, belittled it: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). But the truth is that Nazareth was indeed a unique place. Archaeological discoveries revealed that the people of Nazareth didn’t take the Roman invasion very well and were proud of their Jewish heritage and customs. Maybe this was why Mary and Joseph were chosen by God?

For a physical trait, Jesus has been depicted numerous times as having light hair and eyes, but this probably wasn’t the case. And, of course, his parents didn’t look like that either. Mary and Joseph were most likely short and had a darker complexion. Israeli Jews definitely didn’t look like Vikings. And depending on their background, if they had Egyptian or Middle Eastern ancestors, their complexion could have been even darker.

How was Jesus being delivered? Delivering a baby back then was a much higher risk event. Mary in particular was out of her comfort zone, with no midwives and no family around to support her. Joseph was the only person that could have probably helped her deliver baby Jesus. Thank you Joseph!

While the Bible does not mention the pain of Mary’s labor, the Quran does. In fact, Islam’s holy book dedicates a whole chapter to the story of Mary. Mary’s labor in the Surah Maryam Quran 19:23 reads: “And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, ‘Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.’”

As for Mary’s wearisome, Mary is often portrayed wearing blue. There are a few theories about this and indeed Israelite women wore colored clothing. But the color blue in particular has no proven historical background. It is believed that the use of blue implies purity and closeness to God. Blue (and white) has been used in Judaism for millennia. It’s one of the colors of Hanukkah, among many other things.

There’s also a story in apocrypha writings, texts that didn’t make it to the Bible, there is a mention that Joseph might have had a first wife called Melcha before Mary. The text says that Joseph was in fact a widower who had six children. He then married a much younger Mary after his wife died and became Jesus’ dad on Earth.

Mary most likely didn't deliver Jesus in a stable place. Most houses back then had two floors, with the ground floor also being used to keep animals. So there was no such thing as a separate stable, where Mary could have had Jesus. The nativity story places baby Jesus in a stable, surrounded by animals. But this was likely not the case. And then, of course, there is the theory that Jesus was born in a cave/grotto, where the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was built upon. These caves were commonly used as shelters by shepherds in those days.

What a story or theory of a different mortality that we didn’t have to worship for lifetime, but we thank everyone who helped humanity thus far & congregations for social connections.

The Life & Times of Virgin Mary

What do we really know about Mary, the Sacred Mother of Jesus?

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is depicted in the gospels as someone of serious spiritual intuition. She’s also described by God as “highly favored.” But the woman who conceived the Savior was of humble origins, a person of limited education who followed a simple lifestyle. Often promoted as a model of chastity and obedience as well as a figure of authority & respect, Mary’s life is documented up to a point in Scripture, but her later years are shrouded in mystery.

Mary was born c. 18 BCE, most likely in Nazareth, Galilee. When Mary was 3 years old, she was given to service as a consecrated virgin in the Temple in Jerusalem. She remained ensconced in the temple until she was 12.

Mary was actually known as Miriam, after the older sister of Moses. Her name in Arabic was Maryam.

Who were Mary’s parents?

There are only 150 manuscripts that refer to the parents of Mary, one of which is the Gospel of James. These surviving documents tell us that her father was Saint Joachim and her mother was Saint Anne.

Mary is believed to be a direct descendant of Abraham, a figure revered by the three great monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

According to the book of Luke, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel while she was engaged to be married to Joseph, a carpenter. The angel told the young woman that she had found favor with God and would give birth to His son. This is known as the Annunciation.

A birth was foretold. Puzzled, Mary asked how this was possible, as she was still a virgin. The angel replied that the Holy Spirit would impregnate her and that she would conceive a son called Jesus.

Soon afterwards, Mary discovered that she was pregnant. In Christianity, Mary is commonly referred to as the Virgin Mary, in accordance with the belief that she was indeed impregnated by the Holy Spirit.

Mary & Joseph, who was also obedient to God and dissuaded from leaving her after he learned of the pregnancy, married each other in Bethlehem. It was also in Bethlehem that Jesus Christ was born.

The birth of Jesus

The birth of Jesus is only depicted in two of the gospels, Matthew & Luke. In Galatians 4 of the New Testament, reference is made to Jesus “born of a woman,” therefore confirming Jesus as both human & divine & Mary as the mother.

Mary & Joseph eventually returned home to Nazareth, where they lived quietly and for the most part, anonymously.

The Holy Family, the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary & Saint Joseph, probably lived in an extended family unit. The couple had four more sons: Joseph, James, Jude & Simon. The last three mentioned are not to be confused with those who were apostles of Jesus by the same name. The Bible also tells us that Jesus had sisters, but none are named.

Mary’s day life as the mother of Jesus would have been largely spent undertaking domestic chores, things like collecting and carrying water from a nearby well or stream and gathering wood for the fire.

Her household duties no doubt extended to cooking meals and washing utensils and clothes, as well as keeping the home clean and tidy.

Mary was probably illiterate sometimes depicted in a literary setting, a hand on an open book or prayer sheet. However, it’s doubtful that she knew how to read or write, since literacy was extremely rare among women of the time.

Mariology was the theological study of Mary. Mariologists pore over the life of the mother of Jesus in Scripture and the development of doctrine pertaining to her life and mission.

Mary is believed by Catholics to have been born without original sin. In fact, Mariology considers a view of Christ and his role incomplete without reckoning with the part Mary had to play. How is this so?

According to Roman Catholic Church dogma, Mary was the Immaculate Conception, in other words, she was the only person ever born without original sin. The Church argues that not once did Mary contract the guilt of Adam’s original sin, his eating of forbidden fruit that brought despair and death into the world.

But that all depends on how we read the Bible and how Scripture is interpreted. In Luke 1:47, Mary says, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Did Mary need saving?

The argument goes that if Mary needed a savior, she must have been a sinner and therefore couldn’t have been immaculately conceived.

Is Mary the mother of Jesus or the mother of God? The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran Churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is also the Mother of God. But why?

When Mary is described as the mother of God, it’s a reminder of the role she played in the salvation of the human race. The description can also be interpreted as meaning that Mary conceived a person within her womb and that person was the second divine person of the Trinity, after the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Joseph died before Jesus’ public ministry began. Mary, however, lived through the time of that ministry. We know this through Mark 3:31 and John 2:1-12.

John 19:25-27 tells us that Mary, her sister Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene were all present at Jesus’ crucifixion.

What happened to Mary after Jesus’ death? At that time of the crucifixion, Mary was probably close to 50 years old. That’s well beyond the age most women in that epoch lived.

In Acts 1:12–26, rare appearance of Mary is the only one referenced other than the 11 apostles to be mentioned by name who lived in the upper room when they returned from the Mount of Olives. The upper room, or cenacle, in Jerusalem is traditionally held to be the site of the Last Supper.

There is no reference in Scripture to tell us that Mary witnessed the Resurrection. The first woman to meet Jesus after the Resurrection was another Mary, Mary Magdalene.

At a general audience on May 21, 1997, Pope John Paul II offers an explanation declaring, “The gospels mention various appearances of the risen Christ, but not a meeting between Jesus and his Mother. This silence must not lead to the conclusion that after the Resurrection Christ did not appear to Mary; rather it invites us to seek the reasons.”

The account of Mary’s presence with the apostles during the Pentecost –the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks –is vague. And after the Pentecost, Mary’s life effectively disappears from history.

The belief of most biblical scholars is that Mary lived out her life in the company of the disciples. The truth is the rest of her life, disappearing from history, is shrouded in legend.

Her death remains a mystery. It isn’t known when Mary died and her passing is not recorded in the Scriptures. One tradition says she died in 43 CE, another in 48 CE.

However, Orthodox tradition, tolerated also by Catholics, has her first dying a natural death, known as the dormition of Mary and then, soon after, the assumption of the virgin Mary’s body itself also being taken into heaven.

Mary’s unwavering obedience to God as well as the virgin birth led to her being revered in Christianity across the world. As the Sanctified Mother, she remains in the official teachings of the Catholic Church as “the first dwelling place of God in the salvation history.”

Fact or Fiction, Do You Believe In Bible?

 The Bible remains the most ambiguous to this day scholars and theologists to debate on a number of discrepancies. Actually, all its entirety of the Bible, like other religious writings, is not scientifically confirmed, can be open to clarification. As for others, well, not quite. In fact, some parts of the Bible remain a complete mystery.

Are you curious to learn what the biggest unanswered questions in the Bible are?

Where’s the location of the Garden of Eden?

The original home of Adam & Eve, from where they were booted out by God, remains one of the mysterious locations in the Bible. It is true that the whole story can be interpreted as a metaphor, but what if one interprets it literally? Where would the Garden of Eden be located, after all? We can find mythicized some hints in Genesis 2. Genesis 2:10 says that, “A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden and there it divided and became four rivers” (the specific fairy-tale wording depends on the Bible translation). And then it mentions their names: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel (the Tigris) and Phi rat (the Euphrates). This hint has led to speculations that the Garden of Eden was located either in Mesopotamia (present day Iraq and Kuwait) or modern day Turkey or Armenia. Nevertheless, the specific location has, yet, not been traced.

Metaphorical interpretation aside, there are indeed two different versions of the creation story. Sure, these may have been an editorial mistake when putting the Bible together, but still, which story should we trust and why?

In Genesis 1, God creates male and female at the same time. But then, in the very next chapter, Genesis 2, God created a woman from a man’s rib, really? Not only that, but even God himself is described as having two different names as Elohim (one of the Hebrew words for God) in the first account and YHWH (“He Brings into Existence Whatever Exists” (Yahweh-Asher-Yahweh) in the second.

Who were the “Sons of God?” The Bible, however, doesn’t really tell us who they were for sure. Genesis 6:2 says that, “The sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful and they married any of them they chose.” So who were these “Sons of God,” after all? There are various interpretations of who the “Sons of God” were. Some theories point to fallen angels, while others say they might be the descendants of Seth (one of Adam and Eve’s children). The Bible, however, doesn’t really tell us who they were for sure.

It’s safe to say that most of us are familiar with at least some of the names and titles used to describe Jesus in the Bible. Names such as Christ, the Messiah, or Savior are commonly used to describe the ‘son of God’. It turns out, however, that there are a lot more names and titles for Jesus in the Holy Book. These range from names such as Immanuel to titles such as Head of the Church or Prince of Peace, to name a few. Delving into the New Testament and bringing you a list of names used for Jesus.

Immanuel is one of the names Jesus was known as. Please, behave if your name is Immanuel! The meaning of the name Immanuel is actually explained in a Bible verse. “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel’, which is translated ‘God with us’”, (Matthew 1:23).

What really happened to the Ark of the Covenant? The Ark of the Covenant, which is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, contains the Ten Commandments tablets. But, whatever happened to such an important piece of Biblical history? There is a theory that the Ark ended up in Ethiopia and it’s in Aksum today, where it’s guarded by a monk. Another theory of an old manuscript called GG 00039, held at the Gunda Gunde Monastery in Ethiopia, contains the first part of Matthew’s Gospel.  Other theories point to the Ark being hidden somewhere beneath Jerusalem. To this day, no one has found it.

Who is Lucifer? He’s Satan, right? Well, there’s more to it, actually. Isaiah 14:12-17 mentions the story of Lucifer; however, you won’t find any connection to Satan or the Devil. Just that he’s a fallen angel who was cast down to earth by God for wanting to be above him. But then Luke 10:18-20 mentions Satan falling “like lightning from heaven.” So, yes, it seems like Lucifer and Satan fell down from heaven, but are they the same? It is possible that the connection between the two was made after the Bible was written. So, who is Lucifer, after all? Some theories point to the hypothesis that Lucifer was a reference to a Babylonian ruler. Another theory says that Lucifer was simply the Latin word for “morning star,” but the truth is that no one knows for sure.

What has happened during the “Lost years” of Jesus?

Jesus of Nazareth?

Jesus is central to Christianity, the largest religion in the world. As a look at key historical facts and pivotal archaeological finds that relate to his life, most scholars agree that Jesus of Nazareth was a real historical figure who lived in the 1st century CE. That said, there is “no definitive physical or archaeological evidence” of his existence. Scholars rely instead on detailed records of his life found in the four Gospels and New Testament writings, corroborated by other sources.

However, Jewish & Roman historians alike agree on the existence of Jesus, who was born and lived as a Jew in the region of Judea and Galilee, which were part of the Roman Empire. They also agree that his teachings were deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. It is only in later history that Jesus has been viewed as not a Jew.

Jesus is believed to have been born in Bethlehem, although some accounts suggest Nazareth as his hometown. Some archaeologists, however, believe there is “strong evidence that Christ was born in a different Bethlehem, a small village in the Galilee.”

According to three of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, though there is no hard archaeological proof. There is also some debate about where, exactly, along the river Jesus was baptized, with millions in tourist dollars at stake.

According to the New Testament, Jesus was an itinerant preacher who travelled around teaching and preaching about the Kingdom of God, repentance, and ethical living. Scholarly works, such as The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant by New Testament scholar John Dominic Crossan, attests to this aspect of Jesus’s life.

According to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus performed miracles, such as healing the sick and raising the dead. There is no hard evidence of these miracles; however, there is speculation that people’s beliefs at the time may have contributed to this interpretation of Jesus’s acts.

As described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus and his disciples shared a final meal to celebrate Passover. While there is no compelling evidence of this particular meal outside Biblical texts, two Italian archaeologists argue that the meal would likely have looked a bit different than the one depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, with attendees sitting on floor cushions, enjoying a feast of “bean stew, lamb, olives, bitter herbs, a fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates and aromatized wine.”

 THE LAST SUPER

According to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus was sentenced to death by Jewish high priests and elders, and ordered to be crucified at Golgotha by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor at the time. Archaeologists have since found physical evidence of Roman crucifixions similar to that of Jesus, lending credibility to the New Testament texts.

Contrary to popular depiction, at crucifixion Jesus was not nailed to the cross through his hands, but rather through his wrists. If his hands had been nailed to the cross, they would have torn from the weight of his body and he would have fallen.

His death on the cross could have taken up to six days. According to biblical reports, Jesus died six hours after. The crucifixion occurred at around 9 am and his death occurred at around 3 pm that afternoon. The Bible states that Jesus’ death occurred on Good Friday. Historians concluded that his death must have occurred in either 30 or 33 CE. Clues from Pontius Pilate and Tiberius indicate that 33 CE is likely the year that he died.

The name Mary is also mentioned, which led some to theorize that his wife was Mary Magdalene.

According to the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John, Jesus was brought back to life by God three days after his death, and Mary Magdalene and his disciples witnessed his miraculous resurrection. While there is no hard non-Biblical evidence of this event, some scholars speculate that, as with Jesus’s miracles, belief in his resurrection may have taken root among people at the time due to their willingness to believe.

Not much is documented in the Bible about Jesus’ so called “Lost years.” So what was Jesus up to between the ages of 12 and 30, after all? Some theories say Jesus of Nazareth stayed in Nazareth, while others say he went to study elsewhere. Many archeological finds point to the possibility that Jesus existed. This includes houses from his period found in Nazareth and proof that Roman crucifixion practices matched the ones described in the Bible. Locations range from Alexandria in Egypt to India. It is possible that Jesus studied with the Jewish mystic group the Essenes or that he traveled as far as Britain with his uncle Joseph of Arimathea, who was a tin trader. The truth is that there is no solid evidence of any of these hypotheses. In 62 CE, Jewish historian Josephus made a reference to “James, the brother of Jesus who is called Christ,” who was executed. James also made his contribution to the New Testament. Jude was also the younger brother of both James and Jesus who became a believer after the resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus is said to have had four brothers and at least two sisters. The brothers were James, Joseph, Jude and Simon. There are theories that they may have actually been his father’s sons from another marriage or even cousins. According to the Bible, Jesus’ brother James was stoned to death.

Okay, how did humanity multiply? So Adam & Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and went on to have babies. But then for humans to multiply they had to intermarry, right? After all, there were no other humans around. Not only does it sound wrong, but scientifically speaking this wouldn’t have worked out. We need genetic diversity to thrive as healthy humans. So what gives? Well, one theory says that God either prevented genetic disorders that would likely happen from incestuous relationships or that, indeed, he created more than two humans.

What happened to the lost tribes of Israel? Both the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah were formed by 12 tribes of Hebrew people. While there is historical evidence of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (which formed the Kingdom of Judah and are considered the ancestors of modern Jews), the remaining 10 tribes are not well documented. The tribes were reportedly overtaken by Assyria and exiled from the Kingdom of Israel. But where did they go? Some theories say they traveled to Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, Ethiopia and even as far as Asia and North America. It is also possible that they merged with other non-Hebraic cultures and their traditions faded away over the years. Despite all the theories, no one knows for sure what happened to the lost tribes of Israel.

Where is Noah’s Ark? It is true that the Great Flood might have happened (though not on a global scale as the Bible mentions). But if Noah’s Ark did, too, what happened to it? Over the years, numerous theories have emerged and evidence has been found, though none was robust enough or indeed conclusive. One example includes wooden fragments discovered on Turkey’s Mount Ararat. Being made of wood, it’s very possible that if the Ark ever existed, it rotted and disappeared over the years.

What happened to Enoch & Elijah? The Bible says that Enoch, the father of the 969 year old Methuselah, one of the two witnesses, “walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” But what does that mean? Did he die? Did he join God in heaven? According to Kings 2 2:1, Elijah, the other witness, who was a prophet, “Went up by a whirlwind into heaven” in a chariot of fire. If indeed this was a description of his death, why did he arise to heaven? He was a man, after all.