Mary : The Woman Honored Above All Women

      

Scripture References—Matthew 1; 2;12:46; Luke 1; 2; John 2:1-11;19:25; Acts 1:14

Name Meaning—No female has been honored as has Mary by millions of peoples in all the world who have named their daughters Mary. This Hebrew name has ever been popular in all countries of the Western world, and has altogether some twenty variations, the most conspicuous being Maria, Marie, Miriam and Miriamme. 

Mary is about the only feminine name that has pronounced masculine forms such as Mario, Marion and Maria. Elsden C. Smith says that Mary heads the list of female names in America, the estimated number some ten years ago being 3,720,000—Marie, 645,000—Marion, 440,000—Marian, 226,000. “The name of Mary has been given at least 70 different interpretations in a frantic effort to get away from the Biblical significance of bitterness.” Today the most common name for girls is the Biblical Mary, just as the Biblical John is for boys. In Christian lands the name of Mary is first.

Facing Marah?

"Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore, it was named Marah. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" Exodus 15:22-24

Bitter things. No one likes bitter things. But bitter things are part of life. Life is not all honey and no bees. Roses do have thorns ... and all people face "bitter waters" from one degree or another.

The Marah story in Exodus 15 is especially significant. You see, in Exodus 14, God's people had just seen and personally experienced the greatest Old Testament miracle: the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of Pharaoh and his armies. The people take the first 21 verses of chapter 15 to rejoice and dance and sing over the great power of God. Life is good, and God is awesome! Hallelujah!