Did Mary Give Birth At Age 13?

Question

I was reading "Infancy Gospel of James.” on Mary’s life, beginning with her parents, an elderly couple named Joachim and Anne. At age 3, Mary is presented to the priests in Jerusalem, where she is raised. At age 12, the priest summons the widowers of Israel and tells each to bring a staff. One will take Mary as a wife. Joseph, an old man with grown sons, a dove appears. He is chosen. Joseph protests, arguing that he is too old, but agrees. While Joseph is out, an angel tells Mary that she will have a divine child and is to name him Jesus. Upon finding Mary pregnant, Joseph resolves to leave but an angel informs him that Mary has conceived by the Holy Spirit.
- HAVE I GOT IT RIGHT SO FAR?

OK - So God gets Mary pregnant at age 12? Does that make God a Pedophile? I mean, most already said it was ok for him to get her pregnant without her conscent - but how do you explain this one? A 12 Year old??? COME ON.....Where is whynotaskdon when you need him.

Answer 1

According to the Bible though Mary was not asked she was happy to receive the child from GOD. Please remember that back then people did not live as long as they do now. That most people died into their forties if not before, so yes woman did have children at a much younger age (starting at about 12 years, and she also had to be a virgin), but back then kids were not in school for the first twenty years of their lives (most went right to work at ages of five to seven years old, and go married as young as this). Much like in 1776 our for fathers did not know to write in FCC, TV, Internet and other laws (times change) nor did they know of laws that may come up. It becomes a matter of faith if you believe in GOD, then you will except the Bible for what it stands for, if you want to find fault with it then you will be able to find fault with it. You know as a saved or good Christin that you believe all was done for a good reason to save all of us for past sins. Joseph had every right to question what had happened to Mary, but when all was answered he trusted GOD to do the right thing, and if you believe in GOD maybe you should too.

Answer 2

OK, I'll take you seriously for a moment.

There was and there still are a number of cultures that practice very young women to be betrothed at such an age. The world didn't start and end in the last fifty years. Have you no concept of the world and all the diverse cultures that it contains?

So, in those days that was acceptable and in many cultures it still is. What, do you think everything that is right and proper comes from The US? And it is for the Fox channel to tell you what is good and bad. Are you7 that ignorant!

I know you are enlightened because you live here but ...and the funny thing is you probably know that 13 or so is when kids start doing it in this country and I don't see any condemnation there!

God didn't have sex with Mary, you ninny, so he can't be a pedophile...

That's how I would explain that to a child or someone with the mind of a child. Go back to the NY Times Liberal rag for your validation.

Answer 3

First of all, the Infancy Gospel is non-canonical and not part of the Bible. Anything you read in it is wide open for any and all debate. It is only an old writing...probably all fiction and written well after the first century.

All of the New Testament books were written in the first century. There is nothing in the Bible after that.

It has been speculated Mary was a young teenager but 12 or 13 is in all likelyhood out. Mary also did give her consent to be the mother of Jesus when she told Gabriel, let it be done to me as you say. There is nothing carnel, dirty, or perverted about what happened.

Answer 4

There have been so many stories!!!
One story is that a Roman soldier got Mary Pregnant. Another that it was common for Jewish temple priests to get young women pregnant.
It was not uncommon for 13 year olds to be Mothers in those days.
If you are a Christian, you will believe in the Bible which says that a young Virgin agreed to carry the son of God.

Answer 5

This is all lies. Mary was not 12 and Joseph was not an old man.
Where you dug up such stupid knowledge sounds like the quaran. Which is not inspired of god and is not true.
Show me where it says that in the bible because it doesn't.
Read the account hundreds of times. that isn't in there.

Answer 6

The bible does not tell her age. It just says she was a young maiden. a virgin, I know in this day and time you would think she had to be a little girl, but they were protected more back then, from men and boys. I also believe the Lord watched over her and kept her pure.He had chosen her to bring his son into this world, so she had to stay pure. she was young though..

Answer 7

In all fairness, there is nothing magical about 18. In ancient times, 12 was considered an adult. These are cultural differences.

Answer 8

Probably, I mean come on! But then again, many girls did. Think, when do girls get their period? Well, that is the age that many of them were having babies long ago.
I have heard it traditionally stated that she was 16, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she gave birth at as young as 13 or 14, that is when, sickeningly enough to our modern sensibilities--women" were having babies.

Answer 9

You are still a moron. Stop reading trash.

When people died at an average age of 28, it was normal for humans to procreate once fertility was possible. In today's society this is not the norm.

Your parents have obviously repressed and/or raped you at a very young age. You should seek help outside of Yahoo! Answers.

Answer 10

>>Mary the mother of Jesus gave delivery on the age of 13<< what's your source? in accordance to an early Christian text textile referred to as the Protoevangelium of James, Mary became into sixteen on the Incarnation, so could could have been the two sixteen or 17 on the Nativity.