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The Church Fathers- Mary: Ever Virgin
The Church Fathers ^ | 120AD-450AD

Posted on 05/31/2011 11:53:33 AM PDT by marshmallow

The Protoevangelium of James

“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by [St. Anne], saying, ‘Anne! Anne! The Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive and shall bring forth, and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.’ And Anne said, ‘As the Lord my God lives, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God, and it shall minister to him in the holy things all the days of its life.’ . . . And [from the time she was three] Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there” (Protoevangelium of James 4, 7 [A.D. 120]).

“And when she was twelve years old there was held a council of priests, saying, ‘Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve years in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, lest perchance she defile the sanctuary of the Lord?’ And they said to the high priest, ‘You stand by the altar of the Lord; go in and pray concerning her, and whatever the Lord shall manifest to you, that also will we do.’ . . . [A]nd he prayed concerning her, and behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him saying, ‘Zechariah! Zechariah! Go out and assemble the widowers of the people and let them bring each his rod, and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be. . . . And Joseph [was chosen]. . . . And the priest said to Joseph, ‘You have been chosen by lot to take into your keeping the Virgin of the Lord.’ But Joseph refused, saying, ‘I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl’” (ibid., 8–9).

“And Annas the scribe came to him [Joseph] . . . and saw that Mary was with child. And he ran away to the priest and said to him, ‘Joseph, whom you did vouch for, has committed a grievous crime.’ And the priest said, ‘How so?’ And he said, ‘He has defiled the virgin whom he received out of the temple of the Lord and has married her by stealth’” (ibid., 15).

“And the priest said, ‘Mary, why have you done this? And why have you brought your soul low and forgotten the Lord your God?’ . . . And she wept bitterly saying, ‘As the Lord my God lives, I am pure before him, and know not man’” (ibid.).

Origen

“The Book [the Protoevangelium] of James [records] that the brethren of Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former wife, whom he married before Mary. Now those who say so wish to preserve the honor of Mary in virginity to the end, so that body of hers which was appointed to minister to the Word . . . might not know intercourse with a man after the Holy Spirit came into her and the power from on high overshadowed her. And I think it in harmony with reason that Jesus was the firstfruit among men of the purity which consists in [perpetual] chastity, and Mary was among women. For it were not pious to ascribe to any other than to her the firstfruit of virginity” (Commentary on Matthew 2:17 [A.D. 248]).

Hilary of Poitiers

“If they [the brethren of the Lord] had been Mary’s sons and not those taken from Joseph’s former marriage, she would never have been given over in the moment of the passion [crucifixion] to the apostle John as his mother, the Lord saying to each, ‘Woman, behold your son,’ and to John, ‘Behold your mother’ [John 19:26–27), as he bequeathed filial love to a disciple as a consolation to the one desolate" (Commentary on Matthew 1:4 [A.D. 354]).

Athanasius

“Let those, therefore, who deny that the Son is by nature from the Father and proper to his essence deny also that he took true human flesh from the ever-virgin Mary” (Discourses Against the Arians 2:70 [A.D. 360]).

Epiphanius of Salamis

“We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things, both visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God . . . who for us men and for our salvation came down and took flesh, that is, was born perfectly of the holy ever-virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit” (The Man Well-Anchored 120 [A.D. 374]).

“And to holy Mary, [the title] ‘Virgin’ is invariably added, for that holy woman remains undefiled” (Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 78:6 [A.D. 375]).

Jerome

“[Helvidius] produces Tertullian as a witness [to his view] and quotes Victorinus, bishop of Petavium. Of Tertullian, I say no more than that he did not belong to the Church. But as regards Victorinus, I assert what has already been proven from the gospel—that he [Victorinus] spoke of the brethren of the Lord not as being sons of Mary but brethren in the sense I have explained, that is to say, brethren in point of kinship, not by nature. [By discussing such things we] are . . . following the tiny streams of opinion. Might I not array against you the whole series of ancient writers? Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and many other apostolic and eloquent men, who against [the heretics] Ebion, Theodotus of Byzantium, and Valentinus, held these same views and wrote volumes replete with wisdom. If you had ever read what they wrote, you would be a wiser man” (Against Helvidius: The Perpetual Virginity of Mary 19 [A.D. 383]).

“We believe that God was born of a virgin, because we read it. We do not believe that Mary was married after she brought forth her Son, because we do not read it. . . . You [Helvidius] say that Mary did not remain a virgin. As for myself, I claim that Joseph himself was a virgin, through Mary, so that a virgin Son might be born of a virginal wedlock” (ibid., 21).

Didymus the Blind

“It helps us to understand the terms ‘first-born’ and ‘only-begotten’ when the Evangelist tells that Mary remained a virgin ‘until she brought forth her first-born son’ [Matt. 1:25]; for neither did Mary, who is to be honored and praised above all others, marry anyone else, nor did she ever become the Mother of anyone else, but even after childbirth she remained always and forever an immaculate virgin” (The Trinity 3:4 [A.D. 386]).

Ambrose of Milan

“Imitate her [Mary], holy mothers, who in her only dearly beloved Son set forth so great an example of material virtue; for neither have you sweeter children [than Jesus], nor did the Virgin seek the consolation of being able to bear another son” (Letters 63:111 [A.D. 388]).

Pope Siricius I

“You had good reason to be horrified at the thought that another birth might issue from the same virginal womb from which Christ was born according to the flesh. For the Lord Jesus would never have chosen to be born of a virgin if he had ever judged that she would be so incontinent as to contaminate with the seed of human intercourse the birthplace of the Lord’s body, that court of the eternal king” (Letter to Bishop Anysius [A.D. 392]).

Augustine

“In being born of a Virgin who chose to remain a Virgin even before she knew who was to be born of her, Christ wanted to approve virginity rather than to impose it. And he wanted virginity to be of free choice even in that woman in whom he took upon himself the form of a slave” (Holy Virginity 4:4 [A.D. 401]).

“It was not the visible sun, but its invisible Creator who consecrated this day for us, when the Virgin Mother, fertile of womb and integral in her virginity, brought him forth, made visible for us, by whom, when he was invisible, she too was created. A Virgin conceiving, a Virgin bearing, a Virgin pregnant, a Virgin bringing forth, a Virgin perpetual. Why do you wonder at this, O man?” (Sermons 186:1 [A.D. 411]).

“Heretics called Antidicomarites are those who contradict the perpetual virginity of Mary and affirm that after Christ was born she was joined as one with her husband” (Heresies 56 [A.D. 428]).

Leporius

“We confess, therefore, that our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Father before the ages, and in times most recent, made man of the Holy Spirit and the ever-virgin Mary” (Document of Amendment 3 [A.D. 426]).

Cyril of Alexandria

“[T]he Word himself, coming into the Blessed Virgin herself, assumed for himself his own temple from the substance of the Virgin and came forth from her a man in all that could be externally discerned, while interiorly he was true God. Therefore he kept his Mother a virgin even after her childbearing” (Against Those Who Do Not Wish to Confess That the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God 4 [A.D. 430]).

Pope Leo I

“His [Christ’s] origin is different, but his [human] nature is the same. Human usage and custom were lacking, but by divine power a Virgin conceived, a Virgin bore, and Virgin she remained” (Sermons 22:2 [A.D. 450]).


TOPICS: Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: virginmary
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To: MHGinTN

I recently *did* read that, and, as you probably know, Hardon passed away the end of 2000 ... so yes, prescient ...


1,921 posted on 06/10/2011 4:53:19 PM PDT by mlizzy (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ...)
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To: HossB86
frankly Quix, I do not want you on my team

Funny... I thought we Christians were on God's team.

Who's we, and with all the pagan beliefs being bruited about by the various flavours of children of the Reformation, what makes you think that they are Christian? Do you ally yourself with them?

1,922 posted on 06/10/2011 4:55:10 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: HossB86; Quix
If I recall, you stated you didn't want Quix on your side -- are you accusing HIM of being a "fraudster from hell's own issue"? All I said was that Christians are on God's side -- not yours.

The subject of the conversation was fraudster demonic Duplantis. If either you or Quix wants to identify yourselves with him, then how can you call yourselves Christian?

1,923 posted on 06/10/2011 4:58:30 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: OpusatFR
V:24- 25 God said “Let the earth bring forth the living creatures according to its kind, cattle and creeping thing and the beast of the earth made the beast.”

I believe Genesis.

Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Problem is, if you are a Catholic, you likely do not believe Genesis...

This verse says everything was made after it's own kind...Bird after bird...Cow after cow...Dog after Dog...

There are no rabbits made from snakes...Evolution is a myth...If you believe Genesis...

1,924 posted on 06/10/2011 5:00:54 PM PDT by Iscool (I don't understand all that I know...)
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To: Quix
God does not do silly things. Only men do.

MORE UNBiblial clap trap from the Vatican Cult.

Where in the Bible does God do silly things, Quix? And where does it say that men don't? What kind of Christian makes statements like this?

1,925 posted on 06/10/2011 5:01:38 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Titanites
5. Do you trust Jesse Duplantis enough that you will send him your hard earned money?

I don't know that it's a matter of trust...I occasionally send money to some ministries so they can continue on the radio...I have sent money to a few missionaries...

I don't send much...Not much to send...But I have no future plans to send money to J Duplantis nor Billy Graham...

1,926 posted on 06/10/2011 5:06:15 PM PDT by Iscool (I don't understand all that I know...)
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To: Quix

I can personally relate to that picture...


1,927 posted on 06/10/2011 5:08:11 PM PDT by Iscool (I don't understand all that I know...)
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To: Judith Anne
We who love the Holy Virgin, worship her Son

Here's the glaring difference

We love and worship the Lord Jesus and love and respect his Mother, Mary...

1,928 posted on 06/10/2011 5:13:25 PM PDT by Iscool (I don't understand all that I know...)
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To: Cronos
I though y’all read your Bibles? Oh, I guess that’s not in y’all’s rubberized Bibles.

We just found the UNRubberized bible that Quix's cult uses!!

An improvement on the lolcat Bible that they were using.

1,929 posted on 06/10/2011 5:15:30 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Iscool
Where did you come up with THAT perverted translation of the scriptures???

Where did you come with your perverted idea that man breathes the breath of life. Only God has that. Adam's lungs filled with air and his heart began to beat, and Adam breathed life, for the first time...

No, Iscool, he breathed air. Follow closely from Scripture, if you please. God breathes life. Man does not.

1,930 posted on 06/10/2011 5:18:09 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Iscool

“Problem is, if you are a Catholic, you likely do not believe Genesis...”

Excuse me? Of course I believe Genesis and Exodus and Leviticus and all the rest.

What I don’t believe is that we can know what a “DAY” is in God’s work.

To say that day is 24 hours, isn’t exactly what I think God would say.


1,931 posted on 06/10/2011 5:19:27 PM PDT by OpusatFR
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To: Quix
The Vatican Cult has been dishing out...

What is this Vatican Cult that you keep speaking of? Is it the FR antiCatholics that hang, fascinatedly, on every word that comes from St. Peter's?

1,932 posted on 06/10/2011 5:25:42 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Quix
The Vatican Cult has been dishing out...

What is this Vatican Cult that you keep speaking of? Is it the FR antiCatholics that hang, fascinatedly, on every word that comes from St. Peter's?

1,933 posted on 06/10/2011 5:25:42 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Quix
I TRUST him enough to do that because I have a personal contact who vouches for what Jesse does with his funds.

Do cell phones work on yachts on the Mediterranean Sea?

1,934 posted on 06/10/2011 5:27:20 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Quix
Vatican Cult members on FR have PROVEN TO ME RELENTLESSLY that actually, such statements by Proddys all my growing up were REALLY rather UNDERSTATED. It's MUCH WORSE than I ever imagined.

You mean the increasingly fragmented and increasingly pagan Proddies? The only Christians left of the children of the Reformation are quickly joining the Catholic Church.

1,935 posted on 06/10/2011 5:31:23 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: OpusatFR; Quix
I’ll follow Christ not some fantastical madeup folderol.

But then, you don't get to make it all up as you go along, like the conman Duplantis.

1,936 posted on 06/10/2011 5:33:18 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: OpusatFR
So the Triune God is Three in One but One of them is MIA.

Somebody's common sense is MIA, anyway...

1,937 posted on 06/10/2011 5:34:27 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: Quix
I don’t have anything to add to what I’ve already written about such things.

I support that which Glorifies God.

Does that include washing Duplantis' car and mowing his grass?

1,938 posted on 06/10/2011 5:36:57 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so..)
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To: MarkBsnr

Somehow that whole “take up your cross and follow Me” verse gets written out of the Folderol Bible of Rubberized Protestantism.

*sorry, to my non-rubberized Protestant brothers and sisters.


1,939 posted on 06/10/2011 5:37:01 PM PDT by OpusatFR
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To: Iscool

LOL.

Did the experience leave you fooling feelish?


1,940 posted on 06/10/2011 5:41:11 PM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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