Sarah and Mary compared1. Both Sarah and Mary were women in Scripture unable to have children in the normal way but who did. (Sarah had a double disability. She was barren and had then passed childbearing age. Cf Gen 16:2, 18:12; Rom 4:19, Heb 11:11. Mary's problem was at the other end. She had reached mature enough years to conceive but was a virgin until after Jesus was born).
2. Both Sarah and Mary were reminded of God’s power to do the impossible. (Gn 18:14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son. Lk 1:37 Nothing is impossible with God.)
3. Both Sarah and Mary received special revelations that they would give birth to a special son. (Mary was visited by Gabriel, Sarah overheard the Lord talking to Abraham, cf Gen 18 and Lk 1)
4. Both conceived their first born sons in a supernatural way.
5. Both Sarah and Mary were women of faith and virtue and examples to people today, especially women. (Compared with Mary, Sarah lacks faith but Mary was not perfect. 1 Pet 3:6 commends Sarah's attitude to her husband. Heb 11:11 may commend her faith. Paul likens here to the Jerusalem above (Gal 4). Lk 1:38 shows Mary was a woman of faith and virtue.)
6. Both Sarah and Mary knew God’s grace and gave birth to sons, to children of promise. (Gen 21:1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. God’s grace to Mary is evident too. Cf Lk 1:50. Gal 4 calls Isaac a child of promise ie one promised before he was born. Believers are children of promise but Christ is particularly one in that he is the long promised OT Messiah.)
7. Both Sarah and Mary had their sons circumcised. (Gen 21:4, Lk 1:21).
8. Both Sarah and Mary travelled down into Egypt at one point. (Gen 12, Lk 2)
9. Both Sarah and Mary's sons were later taken by their fathers, made to carry wood and laid on it to be sacrificed on a mountain. (Cf Gen 22 and the Gospel accounts).
Sarah and Mary contrasted
1. Sarah was an old woman, Mary was a young woman. (God uses all sorts).
2. Sarah tried her own means of securing a child, Mary only waited for the Lord to do his will. (Cf Gen 16)
3. Sarah’s husband was told about her son first, Mary was told about her child before her husband. (Why should that be? Perhaps because Mary was to be the mother of Christ in an exclusive way. Joseph had no part in the conception. It is typical of the Bible to subvert the order too.)
4.Sarah overheard what God said about her son, Mary was spoken to directly by an angel. (Gen 18; Lk 1. Mary is singled out for greater honour.)
5. Sarah laughed at the idea of giving birth, Mary believed what she was told. (Gen 18:12; Lk 1:38).
6. Sarah’s presence when pregnant closed wombs, Mary’s presence when pregnant enlivened a womb. (Cf Gen 20/Lk 1:39-45)
7. Sarah rejoiced after the birth of her son, Mary before the birth of her son. (Gen 18:6, 7 Sarah said, God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. And she added, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age. Lk 1:46-49 My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. Etc.)
8. Sarah went down to Egypt before Isaac was born, Mary went down to Egypt after Jesus was born. (Gen 12, Lk 2).
9. Sarah's son was taken to Moriah to be sacrificed, Mary's was taken from Moriah and actually sacrificed. (Gen 22, etc. Isaac was replaced by a lamb from the thorns; Christ is the Lamb of God crowned with thorns).
10. Sarah died before her husband, Mary probably died after her husband. (Gen 23).
1. Sarah was an old woman, Mary was a young woman. (God uses all sorts).
2. Sarah tried her own means of securing a child, Mary only waited for the Lord to do his will. (Cf Gen 16)
3. Sarah’s husband was told about her son first, Mary was told about her child before her husband. (Why should that be? Perhaps because Mary was to be the mother of Christ in an exclusive way. Joseph had no part in the conception. It is typical of the Bible to subvert the order too.)
4.Sarah overheard what God said about her son, Mary was spoken to directly by an angel. (Gen 18; Lk 1. Mary is singled out for greater honour.)
5. Sarah laughed at the idea of giving birth, Mary believed what she was told. (Gen 18:12; Lk 1:38).
6. Sarah’s presence when pregnant closed wombs, Mary’s presence when pregnant enlivened a womb. (Cf Gen 20/Lk 1:39-45)
7. Sarah rejoiced after the birth of her son, Mary before the birth of her son. (Gen 18:6, 7 Sarah said, God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. And she added, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age. Lk 1:46-49 My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. Etc.)
8. Sarah went down to Egypt before Isaac was born, Mary went down to Egypt after Jesus was born. (Gen 12, Lk 2).
9. Sarah's son was taken to Moriah to be sacrificed, Mary's was taken from Moriah and actually sacrificed. (Gen 22, etc. Isaac was replaced by a lamb from the thorns; Christ is the Lamb of God crowned with thorns).
10. Sarah died before her husband, Mary probably died after her husband. (Gen 23).
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