Posted on 01/11/2012 7:34:56 PM PST by RnMomof7
Mary: Mother of God?
This article is prompted by an ad in the Parade Magazine titled: "Mary Mother of God: What All Mankind Should Know." The offer was made for a free pamphlet entitled "Mary Mother of Jesus" with this explanation: "A clear, insightful pamphlet explains the importance of Mary and her role as Mother of God."
This is quite a claim, to say the least! Nowhere in the Bible is Mary said to be the mother of God. I touched on this subject in a series on "Mary Co-Redeemer with Christ" printed recently.
Question: If Mary is the Mother of God, Who, may I ask, is the Father of God? Does God have a Father, and if He does, Who is His Mother?
The phrase "Mother of God" originated in the Council of Ephesus, in the year 431 AD. It occurs in the Creed of Chalcedon, which was adopted by the council in 451 AD. This was the declaration given at that time: "Born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God according to the Manhood." The purpose of this statement originally was meant to emphasize the deity of Christ over against the teaching of the Nestorians whose teaching involved a dual-natured Jesus. Their teaching was that the person born of Mary was only a man who was then indwelt by God. The title "Mother of God" was used originally to counter this false doctrine. The doctrine now emphasizes the person of Mary rather than the deity of Jesus as God incarnate. Mary certainly did not give birth to God. In fact, Mary did not give birth to the divinity of Christ. Mary only gave birth to the humanity of Jesus. The only thing Jesus got from Mary was a body. Every Human Being has received a sinful nature from their parents with one exception: Jesus was not human. He was divine God in a flesh body. This is what Mary gave birth to. Read Hebrews 10:5 and Phil 2:5-11.
Please refer to Hebrews 10:5 where we see. "...Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me."
The body of Jesus was prepared by God. In Matthew 1:18, "she was found with child of the Holy Ghost."
The divine nature of Jesus existed from before eternity, and this cannot be said of Mary Jesus never called her "mother". He called her "woman".
This doctrine deifies Mary and humanizes Jesus. Mary is presented as stronger that Christ, more mature and more powerful that Christ. Listen to this statement by Rome: "He came to us through Mary, and we must go to Him through her." The Bible plainly states that God is the Creator of all things. It is a blasphemous attack on the eternity of God to ever teach that He has a mother. Mary had other children who were normal, physical, sinful human beings. In the case of Jesus Christ, "His human nature had no father and His divine nature had no mother."
It is probably no coincidence that this false doctrine surrounding Mary was born in Ephesus. Please read Acts 19:11-41 and see that Ephesus had a problem with goddess worship. Her name was Diana, Gk. Artemis. You will not have to study very deep to find the similarities between the goddess Diana and the Roman Catholic goddess, Mary. It should be noted that the Mary of the 1st century and the Mary of the 20th century are not the same. Mary of the 1st century was the virgin who gave birth to the Messiah. Mary of the 20th century is a goddess created by the Roman Catholic Church. A simple comparison of what the Bible teaches about Mary and what the Roman Catholic Church teaches about her will reveal two different Marys. Mary is not the "Mother of God." If she were she would be GOD! There is only one true, eternal God. He was not born of a woman. Any teaching on any subject should be backed up by the word of God. If it cannot be supported by Scriptures, it is false doctrine.
The question is define “worship”?
Where in the catechism, Church Fathers, papal encylicals, etc. does the Catholic Church or the Orthodox Church explicitly refer to Mary as a goddess?
Website is not a Catholic website, folks, move on
http://www.holybiblesays.org/articles.php?ID=199
Advertisement for Baptist Church on the website. LOL!
Mary was a good Jewish girl, that knew her bible...
A. Inclusions from 1 Samuel 2
There are five inclusions from 1 Samuel 2, Hannah’s Song.
Mary: My soul glorifies the Lord (Luke 1:46)
Hannah: My heart rejoices in the LORD (1 Sam. 2:1)
Mary: ... my spirit rejoices in God my Savior (Luke 1:47)
Hannah: for I delight in your deliverance. (1 Sam. 2:1)
Mary: ... holy is his name. (Luke 1:49)
Hannah: There is no one holy like the LORD ... (1 Sam. 2:2)
Mary: He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. (Luke 1:52)
Hannah: The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor... (1 Sam.2:7,8 cf. Ps. 113:7,8)
Mary: He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:53)
Hannah: Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more... (1 Sam.2:5)
Another parallel, not as direct as the others, is Mary’s statement, “he has scattered those who are proud,” (Luke 1:51) with Hannah’s statement, “... those who oppose the LORD will be shattered.” (1 Sam. 2:10)
Briefly, these inclusions are fairly exact in underlying meaning and intent. Some of them are a little hard to identify as quotations due to changes in language. But I think that there is enough here to suggest that Mary identified herself with this great woman of Israel’s history as one to whom the LORD had shown special favor. She knew this in her own case, “... From now on all generations will call me blessed....” (Luke 1:48)
B. Inclusions from other sources
There is another inclusion from the story of Hannah, in an earlier statement, in Hannah’s vow.
Mary: ... for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. (Luke 1:48)
Hannah: ... if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me... (1 Sam. 1:11)
There are two other inclusions worth mentioning from other parts of the Bible, a psalm and the prophet Isaiah..
Mary: His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50)
Psalmist: But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children ... (Psalms 103:17; cf. Isa. 51:8)
Mary: He has helped his servant Israel... (Luke 1:54)
Isaiah: “But you, O Israel, my servant... I myself will help you,” declares the LORD. (Isa. 41:8,14)
The latter note is struck many times in the Old Testament, the Isaiah passage being only one of them. So is the former, exemplified in Psalm 103.
Contrasts: One immediate contrast is that Hannah spoke of the king at the end, while Mary went back to the promise made to Abraham. Hannah concentrated on the militant power of the LORD in 1 Sam. 2:4-7,9,10. Mary, by contrast, concentrated on the mercy of the Lord in Luke 1:50, returning to that theme in Luke 1:53-55.
IV. Conclusions
From the parallels we have set out, one gains a sense of striking kinship between these songs composed 1100 years apart. The quotations or inclusions create an indelible connection between them. Beyond these, we ask,
http://www.cqod.com/QBS/QBS12.html
>> “Do mothers give birth to natures or to persons?” <<
Not necessarily either of them, but they do give birth to bodies, dead or alive.
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i will put you down as another one who agrees with Joseph Smith that the Church was apostate in 431ad.
( never mind that the Bible teaches that this isn’t possible )
Not only His divinity as implied by the title *Mother of God*.
I have more then met Jesus.
» John 17:23: Christ Himself prays to His Father: "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one." » Romans 8:10: Paul tells us, "If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin." » Galatians 2:20: Paul speaks of himself and all true Christians: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." » Ephesians 3:17-18: Referring to the "inner man," Paul mentions that he prays "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." » I John 3:24: John writes: "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us."
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I've talked to Him personally about all those subjects already. You should "meet" Him like that.
>> “i will put you down as another one who agrees with Joseph Smith that the Church was apostate in 431ad.” <<
.
While you’re at it, you might put yourself down as a publisher of false statements as evidenced by comment 86.
From the Holy Spirit at conception.
I think this was way above the author’s paygrade. Not yours, his.
the author denies the humanity of Jesus.
i guess Jesus didn’t suffer for our sins and if He isn’t human, real blood was not shed on the Cross.
it’s embarrassing the guy claims to be a minister!!
It is probably no coincidence that this false doctrine surrounding Mary was born in Ephesus. Please read Acts 19:11-41 and see that Ephesus had a problem with goddess worship. Her name was Diana, Gk. Artemis. You will not have to study very deep to find the similarities between the goddess Diana and the Roman Catholic goddess, Mary.
>>Sounds like a series of false analogies to me. BTW, the original Nestorians prayed to Mary. Seems like nothing but ignorance to me.
The following is an excerpt from the Assyrian Liturgy of Mar Addai and Mar Mari, which dates at least from the 4th century BEFORE the Council of Ephesus:
Upon the holy altar let there be a Memorial of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. From everlasting to everlasting. O apostles of the Son and friends of the Only-begotten, pray that there may be tranquillity in the creation. Let all the people say, amen and amen. Your Memorial, O our father, is upon the holy altar with the just who were celebrated and the martyrs who were crowned. - Behold, all the departed have gone to rest in your hope, that at the glorious resurrection you might raise them in glory. -
http://stbarnabastheapostle.net/lit1.html
The Assyrian Church of the East REJECTS the Council of Ephesus.
So Jesus human nature was separate from His divine nature? One had a body but the other didn’t?
>>When did He acquire his divinity?<<
>> From the Holy Spirit at conception. <<
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Wrong! - That is when he acquired his human body, but his divinity is from everlasting to everlasting; it had no beginning, nor will it have an end.
I just gave you an example. You can deny it all you want but the facts remain. Catholics worship Mary.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Nicene Creed
Aha! A true diplomat has spoken ... a Christian diplomat.
Blessèd are the Peacemakers, Ma! At a time when the Muslims would like to makes us all martyrs, it would be better to find agreement than to look for sectarian hot spots.
While the many catholic sects (Roman, Coptic, various Orthodox, Ethiopian, Syrian, Armenian, Anglican etc) are based on the Bible AND Tradition, they are the roots from which Protestant sects sprang to base their beliefs strictly on the Bible and in particular the Gospels. In other words, ALL Christians were catholics of some sort once. Nothing to be ashamed of, is it? And no reason to despise catholic practice and belief. Just as there can be no Christian reason to despise the Jews, who were the people of Christ and Mary.
implies?
we can’t help it if one can’t understand the historical, biblical, orthodox Christian Faith.
( remember, you claim to have been a Catholic once, shouldn’t you at least pretend to know what that Faith is? )
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