yMary was the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus Christ, who was conceived within her by the Holy Spirit when she was a virgin. She is often called the “Virgin Mary,” though never in Scripture are those two words put together as a proper name.
While she resided at Nazareth with her parents, before she became the wife of Joseph, the angel Gabriel announced to her that she was to be the mother of the promised Messiah. After this she went to visit her cousin Elisabeth, who was living with her husband Zacharias at a considerable distance, about 100 miles, from Nazareth. Immediately on entering the house she was saluted by Elisabeth as the mother of her Lord, and then immediately gave her hymn of thanksgivingAfter three months Mary returned to Nazareth to her own home.
Joseph was supernaturally made aware of her condition, and took her to his own home. Soon after this the decree of Augustus required that they should proceed to Bethlehem, some 80 or 90 miles from Nazareth; and while they were there they found shelter in the inn or khan provided for strangers. But as the inn was crowded, Mary had to retire to a place among the cattle, and there she brought forth her son, who was called Jesus, because he was to save his people from their sins.
This was followed by the presentation in the temple, the flight into Egypt, and their return in the following year and residence at Nazareth. There for thirty years Mary, the wife of Joseph the carpenter, resides, filling her own humble sphere, and pondering over the strange things that had happened to her. During these years only one event in the history of Jesus is recorded, viz.,