A Girl called Mary

AliveinJesus · A Girl called Mary

Who is the Mary of the Bible?

While many reformed churches have minimized or seemingly forgotten the important role of Mary in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Roman Catholic church has done the extreme opposite and revered her to a position above any scriptural doctrine regarding her.

We must look seriously, and carefully, at what the Bible teaches about Mary if we are to understand why the RC churches position regarding her is so spiritually dangerous. Bear in mind that the RC church didn't begin teaching the worship of Mary and the saints until 788 AD. This is part of the 'evolution' of the RC church yet we know that God remains the same, yesterday, today and forever so there is no evolution of His Word.

In reality there is not a lot of scripture given to Mary. The main references to her are;-

Annunciation, visit to Elizabeth, birth and early years of Jesus - Matt 1, 2 & Luk 1,2.

The First Mircale - John 2:1-11

Mary's son? - Matt 13:54-58, Mark 6:1-6

'Woman behold thy son' - John 19:26-27

With the early disciples - Acts 1:14

Made of a woman - Gal 4:4

The Bible may not say a lot about Mary but it tells us all that we need to know. She was certainly a young virgin girl who became the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and she was used by God's grace to fulfill this very special role in the plan of redemption. She certainly had a unique privledge and we don't hesitate to call her blessed.

God chose Mary in the foreknowledge that she would be willing and gracious to bear our Lord and be called his mother.

Jewish customs of that time would suggest that Mary was probably about 15 or 16 when her parents chose a husband for her. She would remain with them for about a year during her betrothel then go to live with Joseph as his wife. Of course, we know that God had an amazing plan he wanted in place before her marriage and while she was still a virgin.

So why does the Bible not tell us much about Mary?

Again, it tells us all we need to know. The Bible is not about Mary. It is about the creation and fall of mankind and God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The OT is full of prophecies regarding the coming Messiah and the NT is a fulfillment of those prophecies. The Bible is about Jesus! Jesus was appointed as Saviour of the world, not Mary, and it is through Him and Him alone that we are justified, sanctified and redeemed.

1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Mary herself said in Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

She gave all the glory and honour to God and didn't seek glory for herself. We believe Mary would be horrified to think that she was being worshipped and idolized today by the church that calls itself the One True Church - when biblically it is clear that we should worship only the Godhead.

As this is quite a long and indepth topic to discuss, with many different aspects we have decided to devote more than one page to the subject. Either click the next button to progress through the pages or click on the topical links below to go to the issues you would like to learn more about.

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Mary's Perpetual Virginity

The most obvious area to begin would be that of Mary's perpetual virginty after the birth of Jesus. This has been a fundamental part of the RC church and it is the basis on which many other doctrines regarding her are based.

The Holy Bible, God's inspired Word, clearly teaches that Mary entered into a physical relationship with Joseph after the birth of Jesus. To deny this would be to call the Scriptures a lie. There are many verses which prove this and we will look at some of them here but first we have to consider why the RC church would find it so abhorrent that Mary should enter into a sexual relationship with Joseph, even within marriage.

The Roman Catholic church has long since taken the view that virginity is a more blessed state then marriage. Sexual relations, even within marriage, are seen as defiling, which is why the cult of the virgin arose. It is even said that if you disagree with this teaching you will be cursed.

“If any one saith, that the marriage state is to be placed above the state of virginity, or of celibacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to remain in virginity, or in celibacy, than to be united in matrimony; let him be anathema” (Council of Trent, Session 24, Canon 10).

But what does the Bible say about marriage?

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled..

The Bible compares the love relationship between Christ and His church to the marriage relationship between husband and wife.

Eph 5:31-32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

So if we put aside the bias regarding the gift of marital sex let's look at evidence that proves Mary had a normal marital relationship with Joseph after the birth of Jesus.

Firstly Christ was born of a virgin. That is clear and not argued amongst believers. But lets look at what Matthew says next. Matt 1:25 And (Joseph) knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. In Jewish tradition and in scripture it is common for the phrase 'knew her' to mean a coming together of a man and woman in sexual intimacy. The word 'till' clearly implies that after the birth of Jesus a sexually intimate relationship took place. Also here we see the word 'firstborn'. What would be the need for this word if she had not been mother to more children after the birth of Jesus?

Next we take a look at references to Jesus' siblings. Matt 13:55-56 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things? and in Mark 3:31-32 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

Catholic writers have stumbled to find explanations for these references to brethren often suggesting that they were infact relatives or cousins. The language of the bible doesn't suggest this though. A closer look will show us that this doctrine is an attempt to strain the scriptures to suit the RC position.

Again often references are used to the Aramic or Hebrew words here for brother and cousin which are the same. However, the Bible was written in greek and in the greek there are different words for brother (adelphos), cousin (anepsios), and relative (suggenes). Why would the Holy Spirit, who inspired these men to write, use the word for brother if He intended it to mean a cousin or relative?

Then attempts are made to suggest that brethren refers to the believers with Jesus. This would be a possibility when we consider the words of Jesus towards the end of Mark 3, but how would this explain John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. These were hardly his friends, and they didn't even believe in who He was yet He refers to them as brethren.

John 19: 26-27 tells us of Jesus entrusting the care of His mother to the dispciple John and a frequent RC arguement is why would he entrust her to John if he had natural siblings. Going back to the last comment, if his brethren didn't believe in him it's obvious why he would rather entrust the care of his mother to John, whom he loved.

And in conclusion why would a young Jewish girl, betrothed and wed to Joseph, take a life long vow of virginity? The Holy Ghost didn't make such a request of Mary at the annunciation or at any time in scripture.

We can only conclude that the RC church has stretched scripture out of proportion in order to support this false doctrine.

AliveinJesus

Mary - Mediatrix and Coredemptrix

Mediatrix is a female mediator.

Mediator- from the greek word mesites meaning

1) one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant

2) a medium of communication, arbitrator

Who does the Bible call our mediator?

For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Now the RC arguement to this verse is that Mary is a 'different type' of mediator. That just as we may offer up prayers for our friends, familly, world affairs etc so does Mary. However there are a number of problems with this suggestion.

ONLY Jesus is refered to as a mediator between man and God in Scripture. Not the apostles, not those called to be bishops and not the Jew's nor the Gentiles - only Jesus. Yes, of course, we ask friends, family and our church to pray for situations but they then take those prayers to Jesus, not to a person who has already passed away, whether that be Mary or any of the 'saints'. They may be in eternity with the Lord but there is no scripture to support the doctrine that they can take our prayers to the Father on our behalf. Just for a moment think... who's is without doubt at the right hand of the Father? Jesus! How can you be certain that the saint you are praying to holds such a position? Tradition you say. Only God knows the heart of men and only He knows exactly where each person who has gone before us is... so trusting in these men and women to petition for you is both unscriptural and very risky!

The RC church has recently added to it's dogmas the idea that Mary was assumed into heaven (that is to say that after her death her body and soul was 'taken up' into heaven).

"We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory." With these words, Pope Pius XII formally declared, in 1950, the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven to be a dogma of the Catholic Church.

This is anti scriptural and totally opposed to Biblical teaching of man's life and death. There is not one biblical reference to the possibility that Mary was assumed up to heaven or that she holds any special position alongside Jesus in mediating with God.

Infact, the Bible categorically states that communing with the dead is always wrong and of the devil and make no mistake, Mary is, in the earthly sense of the word dead. Yes, she enjoys eternal salvation through the grace and mercy of God, but she is unable to commune with the living.

The following verses are very pertinent and be warned that God does not judge communing with the dead lightly!

You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying . . . Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. . . And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people . . . A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned to death, their blood is upon them (Leviticus 19:26,31; 20:6,27).

When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

Now if people say to you, "Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living, for teaching and for instruction?" Surely, those who speak like this will have no dawn! (Isaiah 8:19,20).

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Timothy 4:1).

Think also on this. What are the divine attributes of God? He is omnipresent (everywhere), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipotent (all powerful). These are attributes given only to the Godhead and to give them to any other created being would be to idolise that being yet this is precisely what has happened with Mary in the RC church. How can they say that Mary hears your prayers without giving her the attributes of God? The only way Mary could hear the prayers of thousands around the world at any given time is if she too were omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. IT is nothing short of blasphemy to sugget such a thing and it's certainly a heretical teaching.

christisthelight · The holy mother of god

Marian doctrines are not "non-Scriptural" as many non-Catholic Christians seem to believe. Jesus Christ was only fulfilling the Fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:12) to "honor" His mother by giving her these unique graces and privileges. To say Christ did not give these graces to His mother when it was possible for Him to do so, is to accuse Him of a sin of omission against the Fourth Commandment. Therefore, since Christ did not sin (Hebrews 4:15), Mary has to be sinless and was assumed into Heaven for God Himself would not disobey one of His own commandments.

And, to this day, Christ continues to obey His own commandment by allowing Mary to be our mediatrix, the dispenser of His graces and to share in His omniscience to hear the millions of daily prayers addressed to her.

AliveinJesus

Sosthenes · Re: The holy mother of god

A Girl called Mary

The holy mother of god

Re: The holy mother of god