The Annunciation to Mary by Constantijn Daniel van Renesse & Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, c. 1652

Most Christmas music of the twentieth century is secular. One notable exception, “Mary, Did You Know?” burst on the scene late in the century. No song so recent can yet be called a classic, but this one looks like it’s on its way. Mark Lowry wrote the lyrics. Buddy Greene supplied the music.

Lowry has had a long and successful career as Christian singer, songwriter, and comedian. You can easily find his material on YouTube.

He first started singing in public as a member of an evangelistic team when he was a student at Liberty Baptist College, now Liberty University, in Lynchburg, Virginia. He spoke to the audience between numbers while someone backstage changed the accompaniment tracks. Audiences found his remarks funny, so he branched out into comedy.

In addition to his solo work, he sang baritone—and cracked jokes­—for many years with the Gaither Vocal Band.

Buddy Greene began his career as rhythm guitarist for country star Jerry Reed. He made his first recording, singing gospel songs he had written himself, in 1984. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Gaither Vocal Band, where he performed alongside Mark Lowry. Many of his songs have enjoyed great success, as leading Christian recording artists have covered them. None matches the success of “Mary, Did You Know?” 

The writing of Mary, Did You Know?

Some four years after he graduated from Liberty, Lowry still lived in Lynchburg. Jerry Falwell, university president and Lowry’s pastor, asked him to write the program for the 1984 Living Christmas Tree. Falwell’s church, Thomas Street Baptist Church, has had its choir sing from a tree-shaped loft, like living ornaments, since 1970.

Lowry struggled to find a way to combine familiar Christmas music with something of the awe and wonder of the few individuals who experienced Jesus’ birth. As he confided with his mother, also a singer/songwriter, she said, “If anyone on earth knew for sure that Jesus was virgin born—Mary knew!” That gave Lowry his inspiration.

Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth tells us some of what Mary knew from her conversation with the angel Gabriel. What else did she know?  Lowry began to compile some specific questions in his mind and wrote a lyric that he kept to himself for years.

In 1991, he gave the poem to Buddy Greene and asked him to write music for it. Two weeks later, Greene began to study it and realized that the music had to be in a minor key. With that decision made, he wrote the music in about half an hour. He sang it to Lowry over the phone. Lowry loved it.

By that time, Lowry was singing with the Gaither Vocal Band, but did not feel that his vocal abilities could do the song justice. He asked Michael English, another Gaither member, to record “Mary, Did You Know?” English included it on his first solo album, which, unfortunately, was released New Year’s Day, 1992.

The reception of Mary, Did You Know?

It seems odd that, although the Christmas season lasts until January 6 on the liturgical calendar, Christmas music seems out of season to popular culture on December 26. Nonetheless, both English’s album in general and Lowry’s song became instant hits.

Several other artists have made notable recordings of “Mary, Did You Know?” Lowry himself, however, refused to sing it for years. One night, however, the audience at a Gaither Vocal Band concert refused to take no for an answer when someone requested him to sing it. So he did. Without accompaniment of any kind. The audience response persuaded him to start singing it regularly. He also made a recording of it with the Gaither Vocal Band.

Nothing becomes popular without criticism. In a society increasingly hostile to Christianity, Mary’s humility and submissiveness offend many. Worldly people bemoan Mary’s status as a virgin mother for exalting sexual purity. Worldly people claim that somehow the Christmas story makes her the victim of a rapist God!

It’s more surprising to find criticism of an enduring sacred piece within Christianity itself. The Christian discipline of apologetics is supposed to explain and defend Christianity to unbelievers. Too often, modern apologists get sidetracked criticizing other Christians. One such decried “Mary, Did You Know?” as “the most biblically illiterate Christmas tune.”

For one thing, a tune is a succession of musical notes. It can’t be judged by literary standards. The tune can’t be either biblically literate or illiterate.

But what about the words? What did Mary know when Jesus was born?

The theology of Mary, Did You Know?

The skull of Adam at the foot of the Cross: detail from a Crucifixion by Fra Angelico, 1435

In the gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and essentially asked her permission to play the role God intended. He told her that she would bear a son who would be called the Son of God. He would sit on David’s throne, ruling the house of Jacob forever.

So she knew she wouldn’t become a mother in the ordinary way or raise an ordinary child.

But what was a young peasant girl supposed to understand by “Son of God”? How could she have grasped that she would deliver a baby into the world, and that baby would deliver her and everyone else from sin?

She had to learn the fulness of what that meant after his resurrection, just like everyone else. Whatever she knew when he was born, her every appearance in the narratives of his earthly ministry demonstrates that she never fully understood him.

Let Christians lay aside carping criticism and rejoice. We live in a time when the world reduces Christmas to an occasion for spending money. It disrespects the reason for the season.

Every question in Lowry’s lyric asserts claims that only God-become-flesh could satisfy. Jesus worked miracles. Jesus redeemed the entire human race. It’s a wonder such a song could be written in such a time as this. Maybe it’s even more of a wonder that the song could become so widely known and loved within our culture.

Sources:

The story behind the carol: “Mary, did you know? / Tyler Scarlett, ForestBaptistChurch.org. December 1, 2013
Story behind the song: “Mary did you know?” / Lindsay Terry, St. Augustine Record.
December 9, 2016
Why ‘Mary did you know’ is the most biblically illiterate Christmas tune / Holly Sheer, The Federalist. December 21, 2016

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