What does the Bible say about the virgin Mary?
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was described by God as "greatly favored" (Luke 1:28). The greatly favored expression comes from a single Greek word, which essentially means "much grace". Mary received the grace of God.
Grace is an "undeserved favor", or a blessing that we receive despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mary needed the grace of God and a Savior, just like the rest of us. Mary herself understood this fact, as stated in Luke 1:47, "and my spirit exults in God, my Savior".
The Virgin Mary, by the grace of God, recognized that she needed a Savior. The Bible never says that Mary was anything other than an ordinary human being, whom God decided to use in an extraordinary way. Yes, Mary was a righteous woman and favored (made the object of grace) by God (Luke 1: 27–28). At the same time, he was a sinful human being who needed Jesus Christ as his Savior, just like all of us (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 John 1: 8).
The Virgin Mary did not have an "immaculate conception." The Bible does not suggest that Mary's birth was different from a normal birth. Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus (Luke 1: 34–38), but she did not remain forever. The idea of Mary's perpetual virginity is not biblical. Matthew 1:25, speaking of Joseph, declares: "but he did not know her, until she had given birth to her firstborn Son, to whom he named Jesus." The word until clearly indicates that Joseph and Mary had normal sexual relations after the birth of Jesus. Mary remained a virgin until the birth of the Savior, but later on Joseph and Mary had several children together. Jesus had four half brothers: James, Joseph, Simon and Jude (Matthew 13:55). Jesus also had stepsisters, although they are not named and given no number (Matthew 13: 55–56). God blessed and filled Mary with grace by giving her several children, a factor which in that culture was the clearest indication of God's blessing of a woman.
Once, while Jesus was speaking to the crowds, a woman proclaimed: "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you" (Luke 11:27). That would have been the best opportunity to declare that Maria was actually worthy of praise and worship. What was Jesus' response? "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28). For Jesus, obedience to the Word of God was more important than being the Mother of the Savior.
In Scripture no one, neither Jesus nor anyone else, gives praise, glory or adoration to Mary. Elizabeth, relative of Mary, commended her in Luke 1: 42–44, but on the basis of the blessing of being able to give birth to the Messiah, and not because of an innate glory in Mary. Indeed, after those words, Mary uttered a song of praise to the Lord, praising her awareness of those who are in a state of humility, her mercy and her loyalty (Luke 1: 46–55).
Many believe that Mary was one of Luke's sources in drafting her gospel (see Luke 1: 1–4). Luke reports how the angel Gabriel went to visit Mary and told her that he would give birth to a Son, who would be the Savior. Maria was not sure how this could happen, since she was a virgin. When Gabriel told her that the Son would be conceived by means of the Holy Spirit, Mary replied: “Here is the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. " And the angel turned away from her "(Luke 1:38). Mary reacted with faith and willingness to submit to God's plan. We too should have that faith in God and follow Him with confidence.
Describing the events of the birth of Jesus and the reaction of those who heard the message of the shepherds, Luke writes: "Mary kept all these words, meditating on them in heart" (Luke 2:19). When Joseph and Mary introduced Jesus to the Temple, Simeon recognized that Jesus was the Savior and praised God. Joseph and Mary marveled at hearing the words of Simeon. Simeon also said to Mary: "Behold, this is a place for the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign of contradiction, and to yourself a sword will pierce the soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2: 34–35).
Another time, in the Temple, when Jesus was twelve years old, Mary became angry because he was left behind when his parents left for Nazareth. They were anxious, and were looking for Him. When they found Him again in the Temple, He said that clearly he was to be found at the Father's home (Luke 2:49). Jesus returned to Nazareth with his earthly parents and submitted to their authority. We are told once again that Mary "kept all these words in her heart" (Luke 2:51). Growing up Jesus must have been a disconcerting task, even if full of precious moments, perhaps of memories so touching that Mary came to a greater understanding of who her son was. We too can keep in our hearts the knowledge of God and the memories of His presence in our lives.
It was Mary who asked for Jesus' intervention at the wedding at Cana, in which he performed his first miracle and transformed water into wine. Although Jesus apparently rejected his request, Mary instructed the servants to do what Jesus had told them. He had faith in him (John 2: 1–11).
Later, during Jesus' public ministry, his family began to worry more and more. Mark 3: 20–21 reports: “Then they entered a house. And the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even take food. And when his relatives heard this, they went out to get it, because they said, "He is outside himself." Upon the arrival of His family, Jesus proclaimed that it is those who do God's will that make up his family. The brothers of Jesus did not believe in him before the Crucifixion, but at least two of them did it subsequently: James and Judah, the authors of the homonymous books of the New Testament.
Mary seems to have believed in Jesus all her life. He was present at the cross, at the death of Jesus (John 19:25), no doubt hearing the "sword" that Simeon had prophesied would pierce his soul. It was at the cross that Jesus asked John to become the Son of Mary, and John took her to his home (John 19: 26–27). Furthermore, Mary was with the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14). However, it is never mentioned again after the first chapter of Acts.
The apostles did not give Mary a prominent role. His death is not recorded in the Bible. Nothing is said of his ascent to Heaven, or of the fact that he has an exalted role after ascension. As the earthly mother of Jesus, Mary should be respected, but she is not worthy of our worship or worship.
The Bible nowhere indicates that Mary can hear our prayers or mediate between us and God. Jesus is the only defender and mediator in Heaven (1 Timothy 2: 5). If worship, worship or prayers were offered to her, Mary would respond like angels: "Worship God!" (see Revelation 19:10; 22: 9). Mary herself is an example for us, since she gave her adoration, her veneration and her praise only to God: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit exults in God, my Savior, because he had regard to the baseness of his servant, for behold from now on all generations will proclaim me blessed, because the Powerful one has done great things to me, and Holy is his name! " (Luke 1: 46–49).
source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Italiano/vergine-Maria.html