How Old Was Mary When She Had Jesus? Fully Explained!

There is much debate over the age of Mary when she had Jesus. Many people claim that she was a young teenager, but the Bible does not explicitly say how old she was.

In this blog post, we will explore all of the evidence and come to a conclusion about Mary’s age. Stay tuned!

How Old Women Were When They Had A Baby in The 1st Century?

The average life expectancy in the 1st century was only around 35 years. This means that most women in the 1st century were married and had children in their early 20s.

However, it is worth noting that many women did have children at a younger age. Many women were married at the age of 12-13 and started having children shortly thereafter.

The average age for a woman to have her first child was 17, but some women did have children as young as 14. In fact, it was not uncommon for girls in the 1st century to be betrothed (engaged) at the age of 12 and have their first child at the age of 14.

So, we can understand that the average age of a woman having a child in the 1st century was around 17. However, it is important to note that this is just an average and many women did have children at younger ages.

Now that we know the average age of women having children in the 1st century, let’s look at what the Bible says about Mary’s age.

Who Was Mary?

Angel gabriel told mary she will have the Son of God

Virgin Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary or Theotokos is a title for Mary, mother of Jesus, found in the New Testament. Theotokos is an important theological term and the basis for the development of the doctrine of the Incarnation.

Theotokos literally means “God-bearer” or “one who gives birth to God”. This name highlights Mary’s role in the incarnation of Jesus Christ and emphasizes her status as Theotokos, or Mother of God.

While the name Virgin Mary is found in the New Testament, the name Theotokos is not used until the third century. It is found in the writings of Augustine (and more important figures throughout history).

Theotokos became an official title of Mary at the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. The council affirmed that Jesus Christ was fully divine and that Mary was the mother of God.

This title has been affirmed by all subsequent councils and is held by both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

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What Does The Bible Say About Mary’s Age

The Bible does not explicitly say how old Mary was when she gave birth to Jesus. However, there are a few clues that we can look at to try to determine her age.

First, let’s look at Luke 1:26-27 which says, “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

This verse tells us that Mary was betrothed (engaged) to Joseph when she was visited by the angel Gabriel. Jewish betrothals were legally binding and could only be broken by divorce.

The age of consent for marriage in Judaism was 12 years (and a day) for girls and 13 for boys. This means that Mary was most likely between the ages of 12 and 13 when she was betrothed to Joseph.

Some important bible verses that support Mary’s young age are:

1. Luke 1:34-35

In Luke 1:34-35, we see that Mary was a Virgin and was perplexed as to how she could have a child. The angel Gabriel then told her that the Holy Spirit would come on her and that the child would be called the Son of God.

So we see that according to Jewish law at that time and tradition since Mary was a virgin, she was most likely younger than 15-16.

2. Matthew 1:18-19

Here we see that Matthew 1:18-19 says that Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. The word “pledged” in this verse can also be translated as “promised”. This would have been an informal betrothal that was not legally binding.

Informal betrothals were common among poor families who could not afford the formal betrothal process. It is possible that Mary’s family was poor and could not afford the formal betrothal.

If Mary was informally betrothed, again she would have been most likely younger than 15-16. One other way to see this is that she was already pregnant before they came together.

So, At What Age Did Mary Give Birth to Lord Jesus Christ?

From the clues that we have looked at, it seems that Mary was between the ages of 14 and 16 when she gave birth to Jesus. It is most likely that she was on the younger end of this age range.

It is also important to note that while Mary was young, she was still an adult according to Ancient Jewish custom. At this time, a young woman was considered an adult at the age of 12. This is why Mary was able to be married and have a child even though she was young.

So, while we cannot say for sure how old Mary was when she had Jesus, it seems that she was probably around 14 or 15 years old.

This is an important question because it helps us to understand Mary’s situation at the time of Jesus’ birth. She was young, but she was very aware of what was happening. She knew that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of His Son.

This is what makes Mary’s life so amazing. She was just a young girl, but she was willing to trust God and follow His plan for her life.

How Old Was Joseph When He Married Mary?

Joseph was the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Joseph is not mentioned a lot in the Bible, but we do know some things about him.

First, we know that Joseph was a carpenter. We see this in Matthew 13:55 which says, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?”

We also know that Joseph was a just man. This means that he followed Jewish law. We see this in Matthew 1:19 which says, “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law…”

From these verses, we can see that Joseph was a good and honest man. He was someone who followed Jewish law.

Although there is no evidence in the Bible about Joseph’s age when he married Mary, we do know from the book “The History of Joseph the Carpenter” which was composed in the late Sixth Century, that Joseph was an old man, ninety years of age, when he married Mary.

We also know that Joseph died at the age of 111 before Jesus began His public ministry.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Old Was Mary When She Had Jesus - FAQs

Was Mary 12 or 13 Years Old?

The Bible does not give a definite answer. What we do know, however, is that Mary was a young woman when she conceived and had Jesus. We also know that Jewish girls were typically married around the age of 13 to 14 years old. So it’s safe to say that Mary Mary would have been between 14-16 when she gave birth to Jesus Christ.

Where Does Mary Appear in The Gospel of Luke?

The Gospel of Luke mentions Mary more than any other book in the Bible. In fact, she is mentioned 12 times in Luke’s gospel. This is likely because Luke was written to provide a historical account of Jesus’ life and ministry. And since Mary was such a close relative of Jesus, she would have been an important source of information for Luke.

Some examples of where Mary appears in the Gospel of Luke include:

The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)
The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56)
The Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-20)
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:21-38)
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
The Return of the Family to Nazareth (Luke 2:39-40)

These are just a few of the many instances where Mary is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke.

When Was The Birth of The Virgin Mary?

It is believed that Mother Mary was born in 18 BC. While we don’t know exactly the day or month she was born, we do know that she was born sometime around 18 BC.

What Did Angel Gabriel Say to Mary?

The conversation between Mary and the angel Gabriel is found in Luke 1:26-38. Here is a summary of what was said:

The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was confused and asked how this could be since she was a virgin.

Gabriel explained to her that she had found favor with God and that she would give birth to a son named Jesus. Mary responded by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

How Many Marys are There in The New Testament?

There are six different women named Mary in the New Testament.

They are:

1. Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ

2. Mary Magdalene

3. Mary, the mother of James

4. Mary of Bethany

5. Mary the wife of Clopas

6. Mary the mother of Mark

These are the six women who are named Mary in the New Testament. We know some things about each of them, but we don’t know everything.

For example, we know that Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus Christ. We also know that she was present at His crucifixion and that she was the first person to see Jesus after He had risen from the dead.

As for the other Marys, we know less about them. But we do know that they were all important women in the early days of Christianity.

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Final Thoughts

The Bible does not give an exact age for when Mary had Jesus. However, from the evidence we have looked at, it seems that she was around 14-16 years old when she gave birth to Jesus. This is consistent with what we know about women’s ages and childbirth in the first century!

We hope this article has helped to answer your question. If you have any other questions feel free to ask!

Charalampos

Charalampos is an Orthodox Christian who wants to help others learn about Christianity. His main goal is to help people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings in their everyday lives. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and hiking.