Mary, The Mother of God

Mary, The Mother of God

Mary, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, is the Masterpiece of our salvation.

Original Plan – Eternity in the Garden. Genesis 3:1-15 The fall of mankind.

1 Timothy 3:15 – never forget this verse...”the Church (Catholic Church) is the pillar and foundation of truth.” Protestants do not believe this, but that doesn't make it any less true.

Note: This means the Catholic Church only has been given the authority to govern in all spiritual matters. It is the Catholic Church that defines truth. It is the Magisterium of the Church that has final say when deciding differences of opinion. These truths are called Dogmas of the faith.

Dogma – A declared truth that the faithful are obliged to believe.

Why is a Dogma given? Because a controversy arose within the church & a definitive answer to the controversy must be given. Clarification is given to an already declared belief in the church. Giving a teaching the status of dogma emphasizes the necessity of continuing the belief as already previously taught.

Catholic Titles given to Mary cause angst to Protestants

Many Protestants disapprove of all titles the Catholic Church gives to Mary: The Mother of God; Meadatrix; Mother of the Church; they disbelieve in her immaculate conception, do not think she was assumed into heaven & definitely do not agree she was a life-long virgin.

Who's right is always a fair question, which is Why there needs to be a governing authority for spiritual difference, as there can be disagreement even within the Church:

Nestorian Heresy – Nestorius, a bishop of Constantinople started teaching that Mary could only be the Mother of Christ. Nestorius said She could not be the Mother of God, as in his mind, that would put her before God. The Council of Ephesus was called in 431 to discuss the matter. It was determined, through a dogma of the church, that Nestorius' teaching was heretical & officially declared Mary the Mother of God.

Recalling the incident in the Garden, according to the Catholic Church, Mary enters the salvation picture - Luke 1:26-38. Never forget who is the pillar and foundation of truth! Other denominations can argue this scripture doesn't depict Mary being part of the salvation plan. However, this is exactly why “the keys to the kingdom” were given to Peter and the Church.

The New Eve

Jesus begins His ministry & Mary is identified as the new Eve. John 2:1-11 (Adam is presented with Eve in Genesis, the first wedding. It is not a coincidence the start of Jesus' ministry is at a wedding. The new Adam and the new Eve start the plan of salvation.)

A lesson in Catholic v. Protestant teaching

Jesus used the term Woman, when answering Mary. The word Woman carries controversy in that Catholics say it refers to Mary as the new Eve, referencing when Adam referred to Eve as, “Woman, bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” Protestants will say the word is used, “because the Lord knew Catholics, one day, would elevate Mary to too high a position, and this use of the word woman is proof the Catholic teaching is wrong.” (paraphrased quote from a popular TV evangelist)

The “Garden Plan” is in full swing

Mary becomes the Mother of us all (The Mother of the Church) John 19:26-27. And, according to the teaching of the Church, scripture tells of the Garden Plan coming to completion in Revelation 11:19 - 12:1-6

Dogmas of the Catholic Church regarding Mary:

1. Mother of God - Mary is declared “The Mother of God” at the Council of Ephesus in 431A.D., as previously mentioned. How can God have a mother, Protestants will say!? Calling her the Mother of God elevates her too much is a common complaint of all Protestants. She was a good woman, no doubt, but Catholics are wrong in the lofty position they give her. Protestants will say Mary was the Mother of Christ's human nature but not the Mother of His divine nature.

2. Perpetual Virgin - Mary is declared “Perpetual Virgin” as early as the 3^rd Century. This is further defined by the Lateran Council in 649. In scripture it is mentioned that Mary had other “family members.” However, the Church maintains Jesus is the only child of Mary, thus stating the so-called “brothers & sisters of Jesus” mentioned in scripture (Mt. 13:55-56) were close relations. Virtually all early church Fathers say the same thing, Mary was always a virgin. When Catholics call Mary a virgin, they mean she was and remained a virgin her entire life. When Protestants refer to her as a virgin, they insist she was a virgin only until the birth of Jesus & she then went on to have other children. In scripture, the words brethren, brother or sister can be defined as cousins & relatives.

3. The Immaculate Conception - The third dogma regarding Mary is her Immaculate Conception. This dogma was declared December 8, 1854 by Pope Pius IX. A fair question by all would be, “Why was this teaching defined so late...something this important should have been defined right away, perhaps in the first or second century?” Remember how and why a dogma is developed. More specifically, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception states "that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege from Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was kept free of every stain of original sin."

Many think the term immaculate conception means she conceived without a natural father. The proper name for this would be virgin birth. Others think immaculate conception means she was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit”, like Jesus was. These thoughts would be wrong. Immaculate conception means that Mary was conceived in the womb of her Mother without the stain of original sin. In effect, she was conceived in a state of sanctifying grace. Mary was preserved from the state of sin from the first moment of her mother's conception.

The Catholic Church teaching summarizes: “by a special intervention of God, undertaken at the instant she was conceived, she was preserved from the stain of original sin and its consequences. She was therefore redeemed by the grace of Christ, but in a special way.” The angel Gabriel confirms this with the words, “hail Mary FULL of grace.”

It is certainly fair to question the teaching of the Church, as we being human know how easy it is to sin. Consequently, the argument of her being kept from sin is worthy of discussion. However, look at it like this. A child who has not yet reached the age of reason is not held culpable for sin until he understands. Is it really that far a stretch to believe God could keep his chosen Mother from the stain of sin, especially considering the angel of the Lord approached her with, “hail Mary FULL OF GRACE.”

4. Mary is assumed into heaven - The fourth dogma regarding Mary is her Assumption. This was made a dogma on November 1, 1950. A distinction needs to be made between Ascension and Assumption. Jesus Christ, Son of God and Risen Lord, ascended into heaven, a sign of His divine power. Mary, however, was elevated or assumed into heaven by the power and grace of God.

The dogma states that "Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, ever Virgin, after finishing the course of her life on earth, was taken up in body and soul to heavenly glory."

Protestants believe the Catholic position of Mary's Assumption is that Catholic's believe Mary did not die. That is a wrong assumption. The Catholic position is that Mary did die. Amazingly, this was not made an official dogma until 1950, when Pope Pius XII, in an exercise of Papal infallibility, defined that Mary, “after the completion of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into the glory of heaven.” In short, her body was not allowed to corrupt, as it did not remain in the tomb.

Some think Catholic teaching is that Mary ascended into heaven. This, also, is not true. Jesus, of His own power ascended into heaven. Mary was assumed, or taken up, by God into heaven. She did not, of her own power, ascend into heaven.

Protestants think this is crazy, as they believe Catholics have taken this too far. Fair enough, as there is never a problem questioning a teaching. The real question then becomes, “are you continuing to seek the fullness of truth”, as there is biblical evidence that proves it is possible. For example, Enoch and Elijah were both taken up to heaven, without either of them dying. When Jesus died on Good Friday, scripture states, “the graves were open and many bodies arose out of them, bodies of holy men who had gone to their rest, who after rising again, left their graves and went into the holy city where they were seen by many.” Mt. 27:52-53

5. Mary as Mediatrix: By calling Mary Mediatrix, Protestants think Catholics put Mary on par with her Son. They say by calling her Mediatrix of all graces, this denies Christ's position as the single mediator. However, if looked on within reason, we have no problem asking someone or many someones to pray for a particular need we have at any given time. Non-Catholic believers do this all the time themselves. Mediating for someone is as common as it gets. Mary is doing just that. Mary gave the world a redeemer, the source of all graces. Therefore, in this sense, she is the channel of all graces. Mary is the mediatrix of all graces because of her intercession for us FROM HEAVEN!

6. The Veneration of Mary: According to Protestants, veneration of Mary is nothing more than idolatry, otherwise known as Mariolatry. The rosary is used as an example, when they cite 10 prayers to Mary & only one to God The Father. In layman's terms, “the Catholics prefer Mary 10 to 1 over God. Bill Jackson, a Protestant writer, in his book Christian's Guide to Roman Catholicism, in an attempt to “explain” a problem of Catholicism, says it like this, “The rise in devotion to her (Mary) came, when a backslidden church, having lost the reality of Christ, was presented with the pagan concept of a female deity and she was deemed able to mediate between them and a God who was too far away.”

What a shame that Protestants try to explain all things Catholic without doing an actual historical investigation. Rather, in most cases, they hear something they consider to be truthful because it came from a trusted source, thus making that particular statement as good as “holy writ.”

Mary's role in salvation – defining the Garden encounter with Satan

The role of Mary in Christ's work of salvation takes us back to Adam & Eve, in the garden. In a most important passage of scripture, called the Protoevangelium (the first gospel), God announces the coming of the Messiah, the battle that will take place between the Woman and the serpent, and his eventual defeat at the hands of her Son: “The lord God said to the serpent, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:14-15) The Church has always understood that Christ, the new Adam, born of a woman, fulfilled this prophecy, as the seed of the woman.

The New Adam defined

In the New Testament, St. Paul is the first to reflect on the relationship between the first Adam and the new Adam: “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Cor. 15:21-22). The comparison continues: “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust. The second man is from heaven.” (1 Cor. 15:45, 47). What Adam bound up through his disobedience, the new Adam loosened through his obedience. “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:19)

Christ the new Adam – Mary the new Eve

Through reflecting upon these scriptures and others like them, the early Church began to see, in Mary, the image of the “new Eve.” Already in the second century, the parallel between Eve and Mary is well understood. St. Irenaeus, a bishop and theologian from the second century, explains: “Just as Eve, having become disobedient, was made the cause of death for herself and for the whole human race, so also Mary, being obedient, was made the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race. Thus, the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what Eve had bound in unbelief, Mary loosed through faith.”

In the fourth century, the bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose, whose fiery sermons brought St. Augustine into the Church, asserts that while Eve is called mother of the human race, Mary is called “Mother of salvation.” And to sum up, let us not forget the frequent claim of St. Jerome: “Death through Eve, life through Mary.”

Mary is considered The Ark of The New Covenant

God loved his people and wanted to dwell among them. He chose to do so in a very special way. He instructed Moses to build a tabernacle surrounded by heavy curtains and within the tabernacle, Moses was to place a golden Ark. The Ark was made of acacia wood covered with gold. Within the Ark was placed a golden jar holding the manna, Aaron’s rod which budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant (Heb 9:14). The Ark was covered with the mercy seat and with two golden images of the magnificent cherubim who dwell in heaven (Ex 25:10-22).

When Moses had finished making the Ark and the tabernacle, the glory cloud of the Lord (the Shekinah Glory) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35; Num 9:18, 22). The verb “to cover” or “overshadow” and the metaphor “cloud” are used in a special way in the Bible. They represent the presence and glory of God. The spirit of God covered or “overshadowed” the Ark and the tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

The Greek word for “overshadow” (episkiazein) in Exodus 40 is rarely used in the Greek Old Testament. The Holy Spirit chooses his words carefully. Here it is used when the presence of God is overshadowing the Ark.

The Holy Spirit Overshadows Mary

The very same Greek word for “overshadow” is used by Gabriel when he tells Mary that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and she will become pregnant. I don’t think the Holy Spirit chose to use the rarely used Greek word, episkiazein, in both places without purpose.

If someone reads Luke’s gospel without thinking like a Jew or having a deep understanding of the Old Testament and its types and symbols, this interesting bit of information about the Ark and Mary would probably be missed. Luke is suggesting there is a parallel between the Old Testament Ark, as the dwelling place of God, and Mary, as the new dwelling of God. The difference, of course, is this time God came to dwell upon the earth, in the flesh, rather than a cloud or pillar of fire.

People often ask why God was so specific and careful about every exact detail of the Ark (Ex 25 — 30). God wanted it made for himself, as a place for him to dwell (Ex 25:8). God made it very clear that the word of God inscribed on stone should be housed in a perfect container, covered with pure gold, within and without. How much more would God prepare a very special woman to carry his holy and only begotten Son. Soon the Word of God, in flesh, would take up residence in the womb of a young girl. Imagine how concerned God would be in preparing a perfect and flawless Ark that would carry the Word of God enfleshed, the Second Person of the Trinity.

More hints there is nothing in the world like the Catholic Church - King David and the Ark

However, that is not all, as there are more fascinating hints that Luke gives us. Again, they are carefully woven into the story of Mary and likely overlooked, unless one was very familiar with the Old Testament. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke was an author with real genius.

Please pay attention

After Moses died, Joshua led the people into the Promised Land. Joshua established the Ark in Shiloh where it stayed for over two hundred years. Then one day the Israelites were fighting the Philistines and not doing so well. Consequently, they removed the Ark from the temple and carried it to the front lines of the battle. God was not pleased and the Philistines stole the Ark. After it caused lots of problems, too many for them to explain, they sent the Ark back to Israel (1 Sam 5:1- 6:12).

The Ark arrived in the hill country of Judea. David arose and went to retrieve the Ark (1 Sam 6:1-2). After Uzzah was struck dead, when he touched the Holy Ark, David was afraid of the Ark and said “How can the Ark of the LORD come to me?” (2 Sam 6:9). He left the Ark in the hill country of Judea for three months (2 Sam 6:11). Then we are told David, dressed as a priest, danced and leapt in front of the Ark with all Israel shouting for joy (2 Sam 6:14). The house of Obed-edom, which had housed the Ark, was blessed (2 Sam 6:11) and then David took the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:12).

Mary Visits Her Relative Elizabeth - Luke 1:39-45
Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! “And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Just a coincidence?

This is a fascinating paragraph, filled with Old Testament allusions. First, Mary arose and went to the hill country of Judea. The two places, the place where the Old Testament Ark was taken, & where Mary went to visit Elizabeth, are a stone’s throw away. Mary and the Ark were both on a journey to the same hill country of Judea.

Second, when David saw the Ark he rejoiced and said, “Who am I that the Ark of the Lord should come to me?” and what does Elizabeth say? She shouts out almost the same words, “Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” Is this by chance? Nothing is by chance in Scripture and Luke is telling us something, drawing our mind back to the Old Testament, showing us a parallel.

Third, when David approached the Ark, he shouted out and danced and leapt in front of the Ark. He even wore an ephod which was the clothing of a priest. When Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant approaches Elizabeth, John the Baptist leapt in his mothers womb. And John was from the priestly line of Aaron. Both leapt and danced in the presence of the Ark. David was filled with the Spirit to dance and rejoice. Elizabeth, too, was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, the Ark of the Old Covenant remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months and we are told that Mary remained in the house of Elizabeth for three months. Chance? Too many parallels to be a mistake or chance.

Fifth, the place that housed the Ark for three months was blessed and in this short paragraph, Elizabeth uses the word “blessed” three times and, certainly, their home was blessed by the presence of the Ark (Mary) and the Lord within.

Sixth, when the Old Testament Ark arrived, and when Mary arrived, they were both greeted with “shouts of joy.” And the word for the cry of Elizabeth’s greeting is another rare Greek word. It’s used in connection with Old Testament liturgical ceremonies that were centered around the Ark and worship. Luke again uses an uncommon word borrowed from the Old Testament. A word any good Jew would understand. Luke uses a word that would flip a light on in any Jewish head.

Seventh, the Ark returns to its home and ends up in Jerusalem where God’s presence and glory is revealed in the Temple (2 Sam 6:12; 1 Ki 8:9-11) and Mary returns home and eventually ends up in Jerusalem where she presents Jesus in the Temple (Lk 1:56; 2:21-22).

Only the Catholic Church calls Mary “blessed”

Interestingly, at this moment, Mary bursts into inspired, poetic worship and says that all generations will call her blessed. Many Christians hesitate to do this, but Catholics have called her blessed through the centuries. Also it is interesting to notice that Mary’s prayer, the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55), is based upon the prayer of Hannah (1 Sam 2:1-10). The late Pope John Paul II said Hannah’s prayer was the biblical model for Mary’s song and was the Magnificat of the Old Testament. It seems Mary was very well-versed in the Jewish Scripture, as she knew that all generations will call her blessed.

Mary in salvation history

Knowing the depth of Scripture, the Jewish nature of the Bible, and the use of biblical typology, it seems pretty clear that Luke has twice now revealed something of the person and place of Mary in the history of salvation – and he did it in a very clever manner. In the Ark of the Old Covenant, God came to his people with a spiritual presence, but in Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant, God comes to dwell with his people not only spiritually, but physically in the womb of a specially chosen and prepared Jewish girl.

Mary the Ark as Revealed in Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth
Golden Box: Ark of the Old Covenant	Mary: Ark of the New Covenant
Traveled to House of Obed-Edom in the hill country of Judea (2 Sam 6:1-11)	Traveled to house of Elizabeth and Zechariah in the hill country of Judea (Lk 1:39)
Dressed as a priest, David danced and leapt in front of the Ark (2 Sam 6:14)	John the Baptist of priestly lineage leapt in his mother’s womb at the approach of Mary (Lk 1:41)
David asks “Who am I that the Ark of my Lord should come to me?” (2 Sam 6:9)	Elizabeth asks “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43)
David was shouting in the presence of the Ark (2 Sam 6:15)	Elizabeth “cried out” in the presence of the Mary (Lk 1:42)
The Ark remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months (2 Sam 6:11)	Mary remained in the house of Elizabeth for three months (Lk 1:56)
The house of Obed-edom was blessed by the presence of the Ark (2 Sam 6:11)	The word “blessed” used three times and surely the house was blessed by God (Lk 1:39-45)
The Ark returns to its home and ends up in Jerusalem where God’s presence and glory is revealed in the Temple (2 Sam 6:12; 1 Ki 8:9-11)	Mary returns home and eventually ends up in Jerusalem where she presents God enfleshed in the Temple (Lk 1:56; 2:21-22)

What Things Were Placed in the Old Testament Ark?

The Old Testament tells us that one item was placed inside the Ark while in the Sinai Wilderness, as a witness to the people of Israel. God had given Moses the Ten Commandments, written on stone, with his own finger. God told Moses to place the tablets inside the Ark (Deut. 10:3-5) so that they would always be at the heart of their worship. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that two additional things were placed in the Ark: “the Ark of the covenant, covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant.” Each of the three items had profound significance and were always to be with the people in the very presence of God in the Ark.

There’s even more. Inside the Ark is the law of God inscribed on stone, and in the Book of Hebrews we read there’s also an urn of manna from the wilderness and the rod of Aaron, which budded. What an amazing parallel! Here we have the law of God inscribed on stone, but in the womb of Mary, we have the word of God in flesh, a person.

We also have the urn of manna, which was the manna that came down from heaven, that if we ate of it we would still die. However, in Mary’s womb is the Bread of Life come down from heaven, that if we eat of it we will never die.

Again, we have the rod of Aaron, which is proof of the true priesthood, but in Mary’s womb, the Ark of the New Covenant, is the true priest, from the order of Melchizedek. What an amazing parallel between these two.

Mary as the Ark Revealed by the Items inside the Ark
Inside Ark of the Old Covenant	Inside Mary, Ark of the New Covenant
The stone tablets of the Law—the word of God inscribed on stone	The body of Jesus Christ—the word of God in the flesh.
The urn filled with manna from the wilderness—the miraculous bread come down from heaven.	The womb containing Jesus, the bread of life come down from heaven (Jn 6:41)
The rod of Aaron which budded to prove and defend the true High Priest	The actual and eternal High Priest

The Temple and Ark now in Heaven

The book of Revelation was pretty much rejected by the early Christians. Many did not believe it belonged in the Bible. It was not accepted universally until the end of the 4th century. However, after it was finally declared as part of the canon, by the bishops of the Catholic Church, Christians realized there was more revelation about Mary, as the Ark.

The Apostle John was exiled to the Island of Patmos. In Revelation 11:19, John says something that would have shocked any 1st century Jew. The Ark of the Old Covenant had been lost for centuries, as no one had seen it for about 600 years.

Then, in Revelation 11:19, John makes a surprise announcement: “And the temple of God, which is in heaven, was opened; and the Ark of His covenant appeared in His temple.” At this point, chapter 11 ends and chapter 12 begins, but the Bible was not written with chapter and verse divisions. Chapter & verse were added in the twelfth century. When John penned these words, there was no division between chapters 11 and 12. Therefore, in the context of saying he saw the Ark of the Covenant in heaven, what is the next thing John says? “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child.” (Rev 12:1-2a). Who was the woman? Mary, the Ark of the Covenant was revealed by God and John saw it in heaven. She was seen bearing the child who would rule the world with a rod of iron (Rev 12:5). Mary was seen as the Ark and as a queen.

Some say the woman represents Israel or the Church, and certainly she does. John’s use of rich symbolism is well known, but it is obvious from the Bible itself that the woman is Mary. The Bible begins with a real man (Adam), a real woman (Eve) and a real serpent (the devil). Revelation, the last book of the Bible, also ends with a real man (Jesus, the Last Adam, 1 Cor. 15:45), a real woman (Mary, the New Eve, Rev 11:19-12:2) and a real serpent (the devil). This was foretold in Genesis 3:15.

Later in the same chapter, it says the devil went out to persecute the woman’s other offspring, we Christians, which certainly seems to indicate Mary is the mother of the Church (Rev 12:17). Here again we see very good scriptural evidence of Mary being revealed by God in Scripture as the Ark of the New Covenant. Even if someone disagrees with Catholic teaching, they cannot argue that there is good and reasonable scriptural foundations for this teaching. And it is a teaching that has been taught by Christians from ancient times.