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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Mary the mother of Jesus was described by God as "highly favored" (Luke 1:28). The phrase "highly favored" comes from a single Greek word, which essentially means "much grace." Mary received God's ...
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Tony Flores
There are some that read a little too much on who was Mary, Peter or even the Pope and that is one reason that the Christian Church is divided into fragments. Traditions and customs are not a substitute for the Word of God, which we have written to know Christ because if we know Him, then we know the Father and they are one with the Holy Spirit. The upgrading of Mary to Queen, Art of the Covenant and new Eve are not found in the bible. The only thing we have is the Word of God, the Bible which has no error. If we add or subtract to it, then we (Rev: 22-19. "and if anyone takes away from the Words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." See Rev: 22-18 also. Leave Traditions and Customs to others, but do not include them in the Word of God.
Cindy Jennings
In John 2:4, when Jesus called Mary, "Woman," it certainly wasn't to glorify her as His mother. In fact, He could have called her, "Mother," to emphasize her role in His humanity (not His deity). But He was distancing Himself from that relationship and letting her know that He was moving into His mission on earth, a mission in which she had no part. In Matt 12:46-50, when people told Him that his mother and brothers (note that Mary was not a perpetual virgin) were waiting for Him, Jesus said that His disciples (and by inference, all believer) were His family, again distancing Himself from His human, earthly family. Nowhere does Jesus elevate Mary to a status that the Bible does not confirm for her-a godly, young woman who bore the humanity of Christ.
Vincent Mercado
Supporter
The biblical accounts of Mary may shock a lot of Jews who are familiar with Old Testament traditions and customs. Sad to say, most Christians do not see these connections, but these will not escape the eyes of pious Jews. 1. Mary is the new Eve. Adam called Eve "Woman". Christ, the new Adam, calls his mother "Woman". Eve is the mother of the entire human race. Christ gives Mary to us, to be the mother of all Christians. 2. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant contained bread from heaven, the 10 words of God, and the staff of Aaron, representing the High Priest. Mary carried in her womb the same three things - The Bread of Life, The Word of God, and The High Priest. 3. Mary is the new Queen Mother. The Son of David, Solomon, King of Israel, bows to his mother, not because of her authority, but because of filial homage. Jesus, Son of David, King of Kings, would follow in the same way. Adonijah ask a petition through Bathsheba saying, "Please ask of the king, he will not refuse you." With this background, Jesus didn't refuse Mary.
Jay Saunders
First of all there is no Virgin Mary. She was a virgin when the Holy Spirit foreshadowed her with a child. She was a virgin no longer after having a child, but that was caused by delivering her first child, Jesus, who was the only begotten son of God. She had several children by Joseph after Jesus was born. Jesus' brothers and sisters were half brothers and half sisters by the term that we use today. Mary is blessed among women but she is not divine. She was a chosen vessel of God and God chose her for her virtue and obviously because God knew she would accept the privilege of bringing our savior into the world, a man and God child of the most high God, our Heavenly Father. Mother Mary is blessed among all women because she was chosen by God to bring forth our savior. She can not answer prayers or receive prayers. Only Jesus is our high priest who intercedes for us to our Heavenly Father. Praying to her is a fruitless endeavor, and Satan would love to deceive you into thinking that she answers prayers.
Vattachal-Vadakketil Thomas John alias V T John
Virginity of Mary Mother of Jesus When the Angel Gabriel informed Mary who was betrothed to Joseph that she would become pregnant and give birth to a son (Luke 1:31) her response was (quote) I am a virgin. How, then, can this be? (unquote) In every wedded life, virgins (let us assume there was no premarital illegal conjugation) conceive on being impregnated by their husbands. That being the usual way of human life, why should Mary protest at the prospect of being the mother of a son?.The protest is due to the fact that Mary herself a celibate for life was bound to avoid or refrain from any sexual relations with her husband. Now-a-days we cannot conceive of such a situation where the husband and wife practice celibacy. We have to believe that Mary was a celibate throughout her life and her becoming pregnant was due to the intervention of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1.18 & Luke 1:35) In this context we have to see that even though the Angel said to Mary (quote) Peace be with you, The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you (unquote) (Luke 1:28) Mary had to endure undue atrocities in her life. To fulfill the prophesy that the Son of God would be born at Bethlehem, Mary in her very advanced days of pregnancy had to travel to Bethlehem She had to run away to Egypt to save the life of the Son of the Almighty for which there was no help from the Heavens. Why should the Almighty refrain from providing a succor to the three fugitives just as Philip was carried away from the presence of Ethiopian Official by the Spirit of the Lord even though there was no expediency to do that.? (Vide Acts 8:39) Perhaps the Heavens feared that the Ethiopian will take Philip prisoner and take him to Ethiopia to preach! The one who was blessed and with whom God was to be and who had been gifted with Heavenly peace had to be an eyewitness to the brutal murder of her son at the prime of his age. Is this what the Angel meant when announcing the birth of the Savior? Even after Mary's death everyone takes every opportunity to tarnish the image of Mary. Or is it that we have dearth of topics to preach? Everyone wants to make Mary the mother of James, Joseph (Jeses) Simon and Judas.--Is this is a very important canon of Christian Faith very important to achieve salvation? Matthew who has specified in the Gospel the names of four sons of Mary (Mt 13:55) has specifically said that two of them are the sons of a different Mary; we have Mary the mother of James and Joseph (Jeses) looking on from a distance at the Cross in the Golgotha (Matthew 27:56) This Mary is not the mother of Jesus. If you can accept that two out of four are not the sons of Mary you have to accept that Mary was the mother of two sons and not less than two daughters. I think Matthew has used the words brother and sister very loosely. Patriarch Abraham calls his nephew (brother's son) "brother" It is a mystery that God almighty wanted Mary to endure all these difficulties which are catastrophes and misfortunes in the eyes of the world. I believe, God wanted Mary to be a roll model to show that God's own people have to suffer in this world Our Lord came to this Earth through Mary, the Door which has to remain shut (Ezekiel 44:1 & 2)
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