Why are there so many Marys in the Bible?
We’re going to look at some Scriptures as we ponder it, but I’d like to make one comment.
As an English major in college, and a professional writer for the last 14 years, the fact we run into the same names often in the Bible is a telling feature.
A good novelist knows you don’t give everyone the same name–it’s too confusing for the reader.
But, the Bible is not fiction. It’s true.
And, apparently, all these women had the same name: Mary.
Or some variation.
Wikipedia pointed out some surprising (to me) statistics:
Mary was the single most popular female name among Jews of the Roman province of Judaea at the time, borne by about one in four women.
The most complete research on the frequency of names is provided by scholar Tal Ilan, who in 1989 and 2002 compiled lists of all known names of Jewish women living in Israel/Judaea between 330 BCE and 135 CE and what was then known as Palestine from 135 CE to 200 CE.
According to her 1989 data, 58 or 59 out of all 247 female names she found were Mary, accounting for 23.5% of all known names
Wikipedia on New Testament people named Mary.
Marys: different meanings of the name.
Mary’s entomology comes from ancient Hebrew, as well as from Greek–which was the language spoken in the Middle East in the centuries before Jesus’ birth.
The name original came from Miriam or Maryam.
The first Miriam, of course, was Moses’ sister.
According to Strong’s Concordance, the name has a few meanings: rebellion, bitterness (as in Ruth when Naomi changes her name), and obstinate!
All of those choices don’t really seem to fit the Marys who loved Jesus, particularly his mother!
St. Jerome had another suggestion: “Drop of the sea,” from the Hebrew nouns mar (sea) and yam (drop). (When he translated the Bible into Latin, he translated the name into stilla maris, which morphed into stella maris, star of the sea–which is what Jesus’ mother is called in some churches.)
Some believe the name may have an entymological root out of Egypt: mr, which has the meaning “beloved.”
Another source suggests Mary’s popularity may come from King Herod the Great’s wife Queen Mariamne.
But since the king had Mariamne killed because he thought her treasonous, at that time, I’m not so sure people would have named their daughters after her.
The name Mary has been one of the most popular ever since Jesus walked the earth–holding his mother’s hand.
What did the Marys do in the New Testament?
One gave birth to Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was a dedicated semi-disciple. She and “the other Mary” were the first to go to Jesus’ tomb Easter morning.
One sat at Jesus’ feet as he taught, earning his praise, annointed his feet with perfume, and dried them with her hair. She was Lazarus’ sister and ran to meet Jesus at her brother’s tomb.
Mary, the wife of Clopas, witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion. (Some believe she was Joseph of Nazareth’s sister-in-law).
According to Acts 12: 12, John Mark’s mother Mary appears to have sponsored the prayer meeting where Peter found the disciples after his miraculous release from prison.
So what?
Are there any parallels between the Old Testament Miriam and the New Testament Marys?
One significant one.
In Exodus 15, Miriam led the Hebrews in song after the miracle of the Red Sea’s parting.
Among her words:
- “I will sing unto the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously!”
- “The Lord . . . has become my salvation.”
- “Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
- “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
Mary’s praise of God–who had worked a shocking miracle in her life–mirrors some of Miriam’s concepts.
- “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
- “He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.”
- “He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy.”
- “As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
While Mary Magdalene may have been morally compromised, she changed her life when she began to follow Jesus.
God’s imprint is on all the Marys (and their variations) in the Old Testament and the New.
It’s a good name and God obviously likes it.
Which is why there are so many of them!
Tweetables
All the Marys in the Bible. What does the name mean? Click to Tweet
Parallels between Miriam and Mary singing God’s praises. Click to Tweet
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?