OK, first of all a warning: I am in a bit of a foul mood today, so this particular rant should be received in the spirit in which it was given.
The Christmas song "Mary Did You Know" is stupid. Here are the lyrics:
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that youve delivered
Will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little boy
Youve kissed the face of god
Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the lamb
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is lord of all creation?
Did you know
That your baby boy will one day rules the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heavens perfect lamb?
This sleeping child youre holding
Is the great I am
Did she know the specifics? Probably not. But the implication here is that she didn't know that she gave birth to the son of God.
She was told by the angel Gabriel that she was pregnant through an immaculate conception. OK, that was probably the first sign that something was up. Then on the night she gives birth, shepherds arrive and tell her a story: (excerpt from Wikipedia)
An angel of the Lord brought them the "good news of great joy" that "to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord". The angel told them they would find, "a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." A "heavenly host" joined the angel and said, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!". The King James Version (1611) reads, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." The shepherds hurried to the manger in Bethlehem where they found Mary, Joseph and Jesus. They repeated what they were told by the angel, and then returned to their flocks.
So, yeah, I think she probably had an inkling. Besides, wasn't Mary at the crucifixion? Wouldn't she have known about all of his acts, particularly the ones he was being crucified for?
I'm wasting too much energy on this, aren't I? I think I need to just walk away.
If I could just scream in Kenny Rogers' face, "Yes, I think she did know!"
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2 comments:
So here's my question for you, Gina...you say "Besides, wasn't Mary at the crucifixion? Wouldn't she have known about all of his acts, particularly the ones he was being crucified for?"
In the song, isn't Mary being addressed when Jesus has just been born (the song says "this sleeping child you're holding"), so any knowledge that comes years later really isn't a part of what she knows at this point.
It's not a favorite of mine but it doesn't strike me the same way it strikes you. Of course, I am not in a foul mood *and* it's not the Kenny Rogers version I am familiar with ;)
The line I don't like is the last one...
"This sleeping child youre holding
Is the great I am"
Now *that* sounds stupid to me.
Hol
Your point is well taken. I have probably completely missed the point of the song, lol, but I still can't stand it. Maybe I'm just looking for a reason. ;)
That "Is the great I am" line is indeed awkward. I believe that "Yahweh" can be loosely translated to "I am", but that doesn't make the lyric any less stupid! lol.
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