Fantasywriter, what do you think?
Ebb tide, this is of possible interest.
Thanks for the link. It’s going to be a hard one for the cherry-pickers to rebut.
Mrs. D, those are some very interesting and well researched examples. Taken in a vacuum, they might well advance your argument.
We can’t take any part of the Bible in a vacuum, however. Scripture must be taken as a whole.
In the issue at hand, we have input from the Lord Himself. Take note, please, that it was the Holy Spirit who saw to it that the following vignette was included in His inspired word. There must be a very good reason for it!
Here is the passage:
Luke 11:
27 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.”
28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
This is the passage where the rubber meets the road. This is the very first [and only] Scripturally recorded instance of veneration being done to Mary. It’s the only one.
Please note Jesus’ response. There is no equivocation. He does not say, ‘Yes, it is good to bless my mither, but it is even more blessed to hear and obey my words.’
He doesn’t say that, or anything approaching that.
Rather, Jesus nips this attempt to venerate Mary right in the bud. He grants it no quarter—none. When He says, “On the contrary,” He is cutting it off at the knees.
You can read this passage a hundred times. You will never come away from it convinced that Jesus approved of the veneration of Mary. The account is simple and clear. Given a golden opportunity to okay the veneration of His mother, Jesus vetoed it in no uncertain terms.
This raises questions. Is Jesus really our example? Should we really imitate Him?
If yes, then Mary veneration is off limits. Jesus illustrated this via a powerful example.
Whether we follow that example or defy it is our choice.