Mary, Mother of God
Last Sabbath we had a rousing conversation on the perfection of Christ. A visiting couple from another SDA church made a statement to the essence that: “Jesus was the holy man that He was because of the training of Mary. It was her training that made Him into the man He became.”
This looks nice on the surface, but over the centuries it has birthed many errors. It houses the very erroneous deductions and pride that led to exalting Mary to “Queen of heaven” and “Mother of God.”
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” (Job 14:4). How can it be said that the sinless nature of Christ could ever have been the result of the training of Mary, the sinner that she was? Did she make mistakes? Yes, daily just as you and I do. Did Jesus ever? No, never. Jesus demonstrated a different parentage than Mary, He came from a heavenly home.
“He … knew no sin.” (2Cor. 5:21). “He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” (Is. 53:9). “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” (1Pet. 2:22). Jesus was titled: “The Most Holy.” (Dan. 9:24). “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6).
He was that divine-human zygote, living and growing inside of Mary’s womb, the One who was to “be called the Son of God.” (Lk. 1:35). Of Christ and Christ alone it could be said, “God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” (Jn. 3:34). He not only had the Holy Spirit from birth, as did His cousin John the Baptist, but infinitely more than that, He was a consecrated, converted Person from conception, “that holy thing” germinated inside of sinful Mary, yet retaining that divine bond with His Father which would never be broken. (Lk. 1:35).
As a fallen, mortal, earthly woman, how could Mary ever convert Jesus, and that, at conception? The Bible plainly states, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him.” (Ps. 49:7 NIV). Yet conversion was the essence of His beautiful character. Quite the contrary, from Mary He inherited the weakness of humanity, the nature of fallen man. But this nature was constantly infused with His Father’s divine nature through the bond They had with each other, which gave His presence the pure air of heaven.
From the dawning of intelligence, His nature declared, “O how love I Thy law! It is My meditation all the day.” (Ps. 119:97). “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” (Ps. 40:7,8).
Then what can we say of Mary? Simply that she was a willing vessel for God, and in terms of holiness, nothing more than we all can be. But it was God who worked in her, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. With Mary, the Father had someone who would let Him show forth His power, His divine creative power, in a weak and sin-burdened person; a lesson of grace for us all.
“What if God, willing to …. make His power known, endured with much longsuffering…” (Rom. 9:22). There is a Pharaoh of Egypt in every one of us, as it was also in Mary. “It is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10). “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.” (Is. 63:5).
On several occasions Mary showed her human flaws. This is not to say they exceeded mine or anyone else’s, but to show she was not partially inherently divine or had attained to divine status because of her being the mother of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit inspired His human servants to faithfully record in His written word the times of Mary’s failures as He had done throughout sacred history for all His patriarchs, prophets, kings, and apostles.
The Holy Spirit informs that she lost her holy pre-teen Gift of heaven for 3 whole days. And when finally discovering Him she blamed Him for her anxiety. What was His response? “What have I done wrong? Have you forgotten I must be about My Father’s business? Am I not on an infinitely important mission which you have known of since My birth?” Even at that early age, He had the discernment to recognize dishonesty, even from one who had been His beloved and respected mother. Afterward, He was subject to His parents for that answer, not because He had done wrong, but because He understood the principle, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Tim. 3:12).
It was the Son of God who inspired the words, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” (Ps. 37:7,8). “Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Ps. 119:165).
At another time, she forgot her position as a simple vessel of God and she thought she could influence Christ in doing God’s will during His ministry. At the wedding at Cana, she simply hinted for Him to do a miracle for the function, since a wedding without wine was perceived as a unacceptable disaster. His answer to her was a gentle, respectful reproof; but a reproof nonetheless. “Ma’am, what do I have anymore to do as your personal son? I have entered a much larger stage, the object of which you cannot understand. As much as I love you, I cannot let you interfere with My Father’s Plan of Salvation.”
At another time, she had been coerced into siding with Christ’s unbelieving brothers to derail His mission to win hearts and consciences to His Father before His great atoning self-sacrifice. He was told, “Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee.” (Matt 12:47) “But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” (vs. 48-50).
This was more than an implied rebuke. It was a public separation from Mary as His mother and caretaker, aimed more at his brothers than at Mary. Not that this was the first time He cut Himself off from her, but He broke Himself off a little at a time, using increasingly stronger language, so as not to confuse or offend her. And Mary was humble enough to be humbled and this was the last time she let her pride be harnessed by self or by others. After that she is not heard from again until she is part of the crowd at the cross and part of the group who came to prepare His body for proper burial. As the mother of the world’s Savior, she didn’t even know He must resurrect, after so many of His promises that He would. She had mentally blocked her understanding of His mission which the angel Gabriel had explained at His conception.
One last instance counters any special claim of Mary on Christ. “And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked. But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Lk. 11:27,28). His answer was polite but immediate and without further adieu.
It is true that every mother’s role is intimately involved in the upbringing of the children God has given them. And for that our mothers deserve our special love and attention. But the lesson we see from Christ is one that limits the amount of praise to His mother and ownership she could claim simply because He had been a part of her. There is no doubt that every mother yearns for attachment to her babies, and this should be satisfied. But let’s not deify Mary or any other mother because of this propensity. God has programmed it into every mother. Its part of their inborn, natural makeup as the female gender. Mothers, give God the praise.
So for every female who identifies with Mary with some kind of exalted, puffed-up conceptions of self, let it be remembered the words of Christ toward her and them, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” (Jn. 2:4).
This looks nice on the surface, but over the centuries it has birthed many errors. It houses the very erroneous deductions and pride that led to exalting Mary to “Queen of heaven” and “Mother of God.”
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” (Job 14:4). How can it be said that the sinless nature of Christ could ever have been the result of the training of Mary, the sinner that she was? Did she make mistakes? Yes, daily just as you and I do. Did Jesus ever? No, never. Jesus demonstrated a different parentage than Mary, He came from a heavenly home.
“He … knew no sin.” (2Cor. 5:21). “He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” (Is. 53:9). “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” (1Pet. 2:22). Jesus was titled: “The Most Holy.” (Dan. 9:24). “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6).
He was that divine-human zygote, living and growing inside of Mary’s womb, the One who was to “be called the Son of God.” (Lk. 1:35). Of Christ and Christ alone it could be said, “God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” (Jn. 3:34). He not only had the Holy Spirit from birth, as did His cousin John the Baptist, but infinitely more than that, He was a consecrated, converted Person from conception, “that holy thing” germinated inside of sinful Mary, yet retaining that divine bond with His Father which would never be broken. (Lk. 1:35).
As a fallen, mortal, earthly woman, how could Mary ever convert Jesus, and that, at conception? The Bible plainly states, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him.” (Ps. 49:7 NIV). Yet conversion was the essence of His beautiful character. Quite the contrary, from Mary He inherited the weakness of humanity, the nature of fallen man. But this nature was constantly infused with His Father’s divine nature through the bond They had with each other, which gave His presence the pure air of heaven.
From the dawning of intelligence, His nature declared, “O how love I Thy law! It is My meditation all the day.” (Ps. 119:97). “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” (Ps. 40:7,8).
Then what can we say of Mary? Simply that she was a willing vessel for God, and in terms of holiness, nothing more than we all can be. But it was God who worked in her, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. With Mary, the Father had someone who would let Him show forth His power, His divine creative power, in a weak and sin-burdened person; a lesson of grace for us all.
“What if God, willing to …. make His power known, endured with much longsuffering…” (Rom. 9:22). There is a Pharaoh of Egypt in every one of us, as it was also in Mary. “It is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10). “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.” (Is. 63:5).
On several occasions Mary showed her human flaws. This is not to say they exceeded mine or anyone else’s, but to show she was not partially inherently divine or had attained to divine status because of her being the mother of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit inspired His human servants to faithfully record in His written word the times of Mary’s failures as He had done throughout sacred history for all His patriarchs, prophets, kings, and apostles.
The Holy Spirit informs that she lost her holy pre-teen Gift of heaven for 3 whole days. And when finally discovering Him she blamed Him for her anxiety. What was His response? “What have I done wrong? Have you forgotten I must be about My Father’s business? Am I not on an infinitely important mission which you have known of since My birth?” Even at that early age, He had the discernment to recognize dishonesty, even from one who had been His beloved and respected mother. Afterward, He was subject to His parents for that answer, not because He had done wrong, but because He understood the principle, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Tim. 3:12).
It was the Son of God who inspired the words, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” (Ps. 37:7,8). “Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Ps. 119:165).
At another time, she forgot her position as a simple vessel of God and she thought she could influence Christ in doing God’s will during His ministry. At the wedding at Cana, she simply hinted for Him to do a miracle for the function, since a wedding without wine was perceived as a unacceptable disaster. His answer to her was a gentle, respectful reproof; but a reproof nonetheless. “Ma’am, what do I have anymore to do as your personal son? I have entered a much larger stage, the object of which you cannot understand. As much as I love you, I cannot let you interfere with My Father’s Plan of Salvation.”
At another time, she had been coerced into siding with Christ’s unbelieving brothers to derail His mission to win hearts and consciences to His Father before His great atoning self-sacrifice. He was told, “Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee.” (Matt 12:47) “But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” (vs. 48-50).
This was more than an implied rebuke. It was a public separation from Mary as His mother and caretaker, aimed more at his brothers than at Mary. Not that this was the first time He cut Himself off from her, but He broke Himself off a little at a time, using increasingly stronger language, so as not to confuse or offend her. And Mary was humble enough to be humbled and this was the last time she let her pride be harnessed by self or by others. After that she is not heard from again until she is part of the crowd at the cross and part of the group who came to prepare His body for proper burial. As the mother of the world’s Savior, she didn’t even know He must resurrect, after so many of His promises that He would. She had mentally blocked her understanding of His mission which the angel Gabriel had explained at His conception.
One last instance counters any special claim of Mary on Christ. “And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked. But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Lk. 11:27,28). His answer was polite but immediate and without further adieu.
It is true that every mother’s role is intimately involved in the upbringing of the children God has given them. And for that our mothers deserve our special love and attention. But the lesson we see from Christ is one that limits the amount of praise to His mother and ownership she could claim simply because He had been a part of her. There is no doubt that every mother yearns for attachment to her babies, and this should be satisfied. But let’s not deify Mary or any other mother because of this propensity. God has programmed it into every mother. Its part of their inborn, natural makeup as the female gender. Mothers, give God the praise.
So for every female who identifies with Mary with some kind of exalted, puffed-up conceptions of self, let it be remembered the words of Christ toward her and them, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” (Jn. 2:4).
posted by David | 4:36 AM
2 Comments:
I believe God chose Mary for a reason, just like He chooses each and every one of us for the purposes and plans that He has.
Yes, she was only human. Yes, she made mistakes just like everybody else. But I must also say: yes, she had an impact on the upbringing of Jesus. What mother doesn't have an impact on their child - whether positive or negative?
But I will clarify that any positive impact she had on her Son was because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Parenting is no easy task for any child. It is only through God's sustaining strength and grace that we can even hope to honor the trust and responsibility God has given us.
Thank you, Sharon. I didn't mean to sound mean toward mothers or their important role. Certainly, their role is essential in the raising each generation to bring glory to God. They do an amazing job. And Mary must have been a special person to be chosen to protect and teach the holy Son of God. Yet, we must still remember that Jesus was special. Take care, sister. Thanks again.
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