ABSTRACT
In scripture, Mary's Fiat, her "Yes" to divine utilization of her metaphorically enslaved body, was an important milestone in her life. Rather than join in with the followers of her son after he has grown up and begun his preaching, she senses that something is wrong with what he is doing. To bring up the old theme of whether Mary had doubts about what her son was preaching, and about who he was, is to raise the issue of orthodox Christian belief generally. All gospel passages that highlight the contrast between the metaphorical family being preached by Jesus and the biological family of Jesus invite the reader to notice the difference between believing and not believing. The historical Jesus may have been alone as he was dying on the cross, and there may not even have been a trial before the crucifixion.
