Aside from Mary being Daughter of God the Father and Mother of God the Son, was not Our Lady also spouse, therefore bride of God the Holy Ghost? Since God is the Church, She is also bride of the Church - Which is why he who does not have Holy Mother (the Church) for his mother cannot have God for his father.
On another note, if a woman has one male child isn't it still her first born child, even though she has no others?
The Scriptures state that Joseph kept her a virgin until she gave birth at which point they consummated their marriage and had sons and daughters as evidenced by the mention of Jesus' brothers and sisters in the Bible -- Where is this in the Bible?
Jesus is a type of the Ark of the Covenant. To associate Mary with the Ark is take Glory away from Christ Jesus and to give it to Mary.
Jesus is the Word of God, Mary carried Jesus in her womb, Mary is the Ark of the Word.
Also, Mary is not a type of Eve, for Eve is a type of the Church
Mary is the new Eve, whereas Eve said "No" to God, Mary said "Yes" to God.
Respectfully, I'd suggest Jesus fits the typology of what was *in* the Ark rather than the Ark itself. The following were kept in the Ark of the covenant according to Jewish tradition: the tables of the Law, and a portion of manna from the desert. Christ is the perfect fulfillment of these Old Testament types. The Word made Flesh more excellent than the Law, the Bread of Life more excellent than the manna of Moses (as Catholics we have a very literal view of that passage too, but I don't think you have to: Christ Himself made the equation in John 6)
And it follows naturally, that as Mary was the vessel of Christ's Incarnation, she is the typological fulfillment of the Ark. And since it would be strange indeed that an OT typological predecessor be *more* excellent than the NT thing it was pointing toward, it is a good bet that Mary surpassed her Old Testament archetype in purity and perfection. Is it a proof of the doctrine? Not really--but it makes the most sense of all of Scripture when read this way.
Plus, as people have already pointed out, Mary as the New Eve and as the Ark was a common equation made in the early church, and is implicitly taught in the Revelation of St. John. If Mary as the Ark takes away from the glory of Jesus, why didn't the golden Ark itself take away from the Law which it housed? I think Moses would argue that the Ark was made beautiful *because* of what it was to contain. And Mary was made beautiful (by her own Son!) for the same reason. Mary's light, like the Ark's, is only reflected--she merits all her honor through her Son.
First of all don’t quote from a corrupted text: “And he knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” Matthew 1:25
Matthew 1:25 does not disprove the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You have made the same mistake that so many linguistic literalists, along with heretics like Helvidius, make. Thinking, incorrectly, that the word until or more accurately till implies a reversal or ceasing of the state or condition in the clause preceding it, which it does not. Look up the word in a dictionary to confirm that. You also exhibit a very poor comprehension of the Koine Greek seizing on what you perceive as a difference, which doesn’t exist, in the use of heos hou and heos. Your failure to point out the additional uses of till and until throughout Scripture, a sample of which are below, also impeach your argument and show you to be a smorgasbord Scripturist picking and choosing what you think supports your claim and ignoring that which does not.
Given the choice between relying on Sophocles and his Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods, Stephanus and his Thesaurus Graecae Linguae, the Septuagint, St. John Chrysostom, St. Athanasius, St. Jerome, St.Augustine, St.Ambrose, et al, Greek scholars and you; who embraces the absurd notion that Joseph, as a just man and faithful Jew, believing that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that he worshipped, being the same God that Fathered the Child in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, would then, following the birth of God Incarnate, have relations with her, is a no brainer.
“And after that forty days were passed, Noe, opening the window of the ark which he had made, sent forth a raven: Which went forth and did not return, till the waters were dried up upon the earth.” Genesis 8:6-7, the raven did not return.
“In His days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away.” Psalm 71:7, peace and justice shall reign forever.
“his heart is strengthened, he shall not be moved until he look over his enemies.” Psalm 111:8, the blessed man who delights in the Lord’s commandments will continue to be strong and be unafraid even after he looks over his enemies.
“But Paul appealing to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Caesar.” Acts 25:21, when Paul was to be sent on he was going to remain in custody not released.
“Till I come, attend unto reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine.” 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul does not mean that said behavior would cease after his arrival in Ephesus.
“For He must reign, until He hath put all His enemies under His feet.” 1 Corinthians 15:25, Christ will reign forever as the following proves: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father; and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32-33
“And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19, we don’t cease being attentive to the truth after the day dawns.
The word until appears in Scripture ~309 times and the word till appears ~338 times. A good exercise for you would be to find each appearance and read it in its proper context.
The Scriptures state that Joseph kept her a virgin until she gave birth at which point they consummated their marriage and had sons and daughters as evidenced by the mention of Jesus' brothers and sisters in the Bible.
The Scriptures state no such thing. Provide the passages, which indicate that Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary engaged in conjugal relations or that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to any child other than Jesus Christ. You won’t be able to. Once again you get tripped up by your linguistic literalist crutch; brothers, sisters, brethren and your extremely poor knowledge of Scripture, Sacred Tradition and history.
“He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.” Genesis 29:15, however we know from the following that Laban is the son of Nachor and Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebecca, they were not blood brothers.
“And he asked them, saying: Knowing you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him?” Genesis 29:5
“And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive. But the children struggled in the womb: and she said: If it were to be so with me, what need was there to conceive? And she went to consult the Lord. And he answering said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her time was come to be delivered, behold twins were found in her womb. He that came forth first was red and hairy like a skin: and his name was Esau. Immediately the other coming forth, held his brother’s foot in his hand, and therefore he was called Jacob. Isaac was threescore years old when the children were born unto him.” Genesis 25:21-26
“For whosoever shall do the will of My Father, that is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.” Matthew 12:50, these are not blood relatives of Christ.
“For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is My brother, and My sister, and mother.” Mark 3:35, these are not blood relatives of Christ.
“Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, Saying: The Scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them. And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge their fringes. And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues, And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi. But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren.” Matthew 23:1-8, these multitudes and disciples were not all blood relatives.
“In those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren, said: (now the number of persons together was about an hundred and twenty:) Men, brethren, the scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that apprehended Jesus:” Acts 1:15-16, these brethren were not all blood relatives.
“But now I have written to you, not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or a server of idols, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such a one, not so much as to eat.” 1Corinthians 5:11, said individuals are not necessarily blood brothers.
“Then He was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.” 1Corinthians 15:6, these 500 were not blood relatives of Christ.
“And there were also women looking on afar off: among them was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph and Salome:” Mark 15:40
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen.” John 19:25
“And the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.” Matthew 10:2-4, Alpheus is an alternate translation of Cleophas(Clophas) hence he is one in the same.
“And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James. And all these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.” Acts 1:13 –14, Mary is called the mother of Jesus not the mother of Jesus and His brethren.
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude and Simon? Are not also his sisters here with us? And they were scandalized in regard of him.” Mark 6:3, Christ is called the son of Mary, not a son of Mary. These brothers and sisters are never called the sons and daughters of His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
From these five passages from Scripture one can clearly see that there is another Mary who was the wife of Alpheus(Cleophas/Clophas) and the mother of James the less, Joseph and Jude. Simon is the Cananean, also called the Zelotes:
“And to Simon He gave the name Peter: And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and He named them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: And Andrew and Philip, and Bartholomew and Matthew, and Thomas and James of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Cananean: And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.” Mark 3:16-19
“And when the day was come, He called unto Him His disciples; and He chose twelve of them (whom also he named apostles): Simon, who he surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who is called Zelotes, And Jude the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was the traitor.” Luke 6:13-16
“Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James: to them that are beloved in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ and called.” Jude 1:1, Jude is also called Thaddeus in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.” John 19:25-27. If Christ had brothers and sisters, as you incorrectly claim, why would He entrust the care of His mother to John the son of Zebedee and Salome? Particularly considering Matthew 15 where Christ condemns the Pharisees for the Korban rule, which allowed children to avoid taking care of their parents. Also, where were the siblings of Christ when at the age of 12 He was left in Jerusalem in Luke 2:41-51?
If the Blessed Virgin Mary had given birth to other children then they would have been younger and would not have violated Jewish custom and law by advising and criticizing their older brother: “And His brethren said to Him: Pass from hence, and go into Judea; that thy disciples also may see thy works which Thou dost. For there is no man that doth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If Thou do these things, manifest Thyself to the world. For neither did His brethren believe in Him.” John 7:3-4. “And when His friends had heard of it, they went out to lay hold on Him. For they said: He is become mad.” Mark 3:21
You also need to confirm that as a literalist you accept that Joseph is the father of Jesus and not the Holy Spirit as described in: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:” Matthew 13:55
Zebedee & Salome begot James the great and John
Alpheus(Cleophas/Clophas) & Mary(the other Mary from Mt 27:56, 61 28:1, Jn 19:25) begot James the less, Joseph and Jude
The Holy Spirit & The Blessed Virgin Mary begot Jesus Christ.
Even Calvin, Luther and Zwingli believed that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to only one child, Jesus Christ.
“There have been certain folk who have wished to suggest from this passage [Matthew 1:25] that the Virgin Mary had other children than the Son of God, and that Joseph had then dwelt with her later; but what folly this is! For the gospel writer did not wish to record what happened afterwards; he simply wished to make clear Joseph’s obedience and to show that Joseph had been well and truly assured that it was God who had sent His angel to Mary. He had therefore never dwelt with her nor had he shared her company… And besides this Our Lord Jesus Christ is called the first-born. This is not because there was a second or a third, but because the gospel writer is paying regard to the precedence. Scripture speaks thus of naming the first-born whether or not there was any question of the second.” Calvin, Sermon on Matthew 1:22-25, published 1562 AD.
“It is an article of faith that Mary is the Mother of the Lord and still a virgin…. Christ, we believe, came forth from a womb left perfectly intact.” Luther, Works of Luther, Vol. 11, pp. 319-320; Vol. 6,pg. 510.
“I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel, as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin.” Zwingli, Zwingli Opera, Vol. 1, pg. 424.
Jesus is a type of the Ark of the Covenant. To associate Mary with the Ark is take Glory away from Christ Jesus and to give it to Mary.
Incorrect. Once again you possess a very poor comprehension of Scripture and Typology. The Old Testament prepares the way for the New Testament. The New Testament lies hidden in the Old Testament while the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament. Persons and events in the Old Testament, which prefigure those in the New Testament, are types. Typology reveals that many New Testament doctrines are taught in the Old Testament.
“For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” Matthew 12:40, foreshadows Christs’ three days in the tomb.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:” John 3:14, Numbers 21:9 symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ.
“In which also coming He preached to those spirits that were in prison. Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 3:19-21, Peter points out that the flood prefigured Christian baptism.
“And all drank the same spiritual drink; (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.)” 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul doesn’t say that the rock was like Christ, the rock was Christ. The relationship between an Old Testament type and its New Testament manifestation is not simply a similarity.
“But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of Him who was to come.” Romans 5:14, Adam is a type of Christ. This passage, specifically, disproves your claim that Christ is a type of the Ark of the Covenant.
Also, Mary is not a type of Eve, for Eve is a type of the Church. To place Mary as Eve would be to say she is the bride of Christ.
Incorrect. There are three major Old Testament types of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Eve, the Ark of the Covenant and the Queen Mother.
The devil, himself a fallen angel, brought words of death to Eve. The angel Gabriel brought words of life to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Eve, mankinds’ mother in the flesh, disobeyed God and brought about the manifestation of Adams’ sin, thus causing the fall of humanity. The Blessed Virgin Mary obeyed God and played a central role in the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ which saved humanity.
“The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit.” 1Corinthians 15:45, Christ is the new Adam and the Blessed Virgin Mary is the new Eve.
“I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel. To the woman also He said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband’s power and he shall have dominion over thee. And to Adam He said: Because thou hast harkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat therefore of all the days of thy life.” Genesis 3:15-17, this describes the fall team of Adam and Eve as well the redemption team, Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Even the early Church fathers recognized this. Eves’ role in the fall of man was pivotal. Just as the Blessed Virgin Marys’ role in Christs’ redemption of mankind was pivotal.
The holiest object in the Old Testament was the Ark because it contained the Commandants given to Moses on Mount Sinai. God gave explicit instructions for its construction in Exodus. “Frame an ark of setim wood, the length whereof shall be of two cubits and a half: the breadth, acubit and a half: the height, likewise, a cubit and a half. And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold within and without: and over it thou shalt make a golden crown round about: And four golden rings, which thou shalt put at the four corners of the ark: let two rings be on the one side, and two on the other. Thou shalt make bars also of setim wood, and shall overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put them in through the rings that are in the sides of the ark, that it may be carried on them. And they shall always be in the rings, neither shall they at any time be drawn out of them. And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee.” Exodus 25:10-16, the ark must be constructed from incorruptible materials and free from profanation. “And when they came to the floor of Nachon, Oza put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it: because the oxen kicked and made it lean aside. And the indignation of the Lord was enkindled against Oza, and he struck him for his rashness: and he died there before the ark of God.” 2 Kings 6:6-7
The connection between the Ark of the Covenant and the Blessed Virgin Mary is crystal clear. The Ark, free from blemish, carried the written Word of God; the Blessed Virgin Mary, free from blemish, carried the living Word of God.
“And I shall be spotless with Him: and shall keep myself from my iniquity.” Psalms 17:24
“Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.” Canticle of Canticles 4:7
“For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins. For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and will withdraw Himself from thoughts that are without understanding, and He shall not abide when iniquity cometh in.” Wisdom 1:4-5
“But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30.
“That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:27, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the model of the Church, which is the bride of Christ.
“That, being justified by His grace, we may be heirs, according to hope of life everlasting.” Titus 3:7
“And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” Luke 1:28
Above all else, there is no mention in the Scriptures of her "Immaculate" conception.
That’s a straw man, at best. Where can one find the mention in Scripture of the following words: Bible, Incarnation and Trinity? One can’t. The Immaculate Conception is implicitly mentioned throughout Scripture as I have quoted. Your Sola Scriptura, a doctrine not found in Scripture, argument, trips you up just as your linguistic literalist crutch does.
It’s intuitively obvious to the most casual observer that your knowledge of Scripture, not to mention history of the Church, Christendom and the Church Fathers, is woefully inadequate.