What Is the Context of ‘Mary Treasured up All These Things in Her Heart?’
The shepherds had just been visited by a host of angels declaring “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)
The shepherds decided “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15) They “hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:16) The shepherds could not wait to share what they had heard from the angels: “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” (Luke 2:17-18)
These were the words Mary “treasured up [...] in her heart.”
Other Biblical Translations of Luke 2:19
“But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.” (American Standard Version)
“But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
“Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them.” (Good News Translation)
“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” (King James Version)
“Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.” (The Message)
“Mary was preserving all these things, pondering in her heart.” (Young’s Literal Translation)
The Greek word for “treasured,” synetērei, also means “kept safe.” The word synetērei is used once more in the Gospels, in Mark 6:20. Herod protected John the Baptist (kept him safe) for a time before saying to his wife Herodias “ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” (Mark 6:22)
She asked for John to be beheaded, and Herod had to fulfill his promise. Elsewhere, “treasured” is translated as dietērei meaning “to keep carefully.” There is a slight difference here between keeping carefully and keeping safe. Dietēreidia is derived “from dia and tereo; to watch thoroughly, to observe strictly, or to avoid wholly—keep.”
With synetērei, we see Mary protecting Immanuel; she realizes He is in danger which is confirmed in Joseph’s dream (Luke 2:13) after the Magi leave.
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