June 1 Morning Verse of the Day

THE ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP

And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; (1:46–48a)

Mary’s example of the proper attitude of worship unfolds in four points.
First, worship is internal. Mary’s worship was with her soul and spirit. The two terms are interchangeable, and refer to the inner person. True worship, worship in spirit (John 4:24), involves the whole inner being—mind, emotion, and will. Like the instruments in a great orchestra, all of Mary’s thoughts and emotions came together in a crescendo of praise.
On the other hand shallow, superficial worship is intolerable to God. In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord rebuked the people of Israel for their external, ritualistic perversion of true worship, declaring that they “draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.” Jesus applied this passage to the hypocritical worshipers of His day (Matt. 15:7–9). In Isaiah 48:1, God declared, “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel and who came forth from the loins of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth nor in righteousness.” Jeremiah complained to God regarding his fellow Israelites, “You are near to their lips but far from their mind” (Jer. 12:2). “They come to you as people come,” the Lord cautioned Ezekiel, “and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain” (Ezek. 33:31). Through the prophet Amos God declared to Israel,

I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21–24)

True worship is not only internal, but also intense. Exalts translates a form of the verb megalunō, which literally means, “to make great,” “to magnify” (hence Magnificat) or “to enlarge”; figuratively it means, “to extol,” “to exalt,” “to celebrate,” “to esteem highly,” “to praise,” or “to glorify.” Rejoiced, from the verb agalliaō, is another intense word. It is an expression of supreme joy; in Luke 10:21 and Acts 16:34, it is translated “rejoiced greatly” (cf. 1 Peter 1:6, 8). True worship is spontaneous, not staged; heartfelt, not artificial; God-centered, not self-focused; mental, not just emotional; it seeks to honor God, not to manipulate Him. Mary praised God not only for what He was doing in her life, but also for all that He was going to accomplish through the coming of Messiah.
A third characteristic of genuine worship is that it is habitual; it is a way of life. The present tense form of the verb megalunō (exalts) suggests that worship happened naturally, continuously in the flow of Mary’s life. Fluctuating circumstances do not affect true worship, because God does not change (Mal. 3:6), neither does His word (Mark 13:31), His purposes (Isa. 43:13), His promises (2 Cor. 1:20), or His salvation (Heb. 5:9; 7:25). Nor is believers’ responsibility to give thanks in everything (Eph. 5:20; 1 Thess. 5:18) contingent on satisfaction with life’s circumstances. No matter what was happening in his life, David could say, “I have set the Lord continually before me” (Ps. 16:8). No one exemplified that attitude of continuous worship more than Paul, whose goal, as he wrote to the Philippians, was that “Christ [would always] be exalted in [his] body, whether by life or by death” (Phil 1:20).
Finally, genuine internal worship is marked by humility. The two great hindrances of worship are ignorance, which makes it feeble and ineffectual, and pride, which renders it hypocritical. Those with a shallow, superficial knowledge of God cannot worship Him in the fullest sense because they do not grasp His greatness. But the proud cannot truly worship Him at all, since pride is in reality the worship of self. God tolerates no rivals, which is why the first of the Ten Commandments is, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3; cf. Isa. 42:8). Thus “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6), because “everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 16:5; cf. 15:25; Ps. 31:23; Isa. 2:11–12; 13:11; 1 Peter 5:5).
Proud people find it difficult to be thankful because they always think they deserved better. They remember the wrongs (real or imagined) done to them and seek revenge. Constantly mulling over their alleged mistreatment fills them with a spirit of bitterness, which is incompatible with true worship.
The humble, on the other hand, knowing they deserve nothing, recognize their spiritual bankruptcy, mourn over their sin, and hunger and thirst for righteousness from God, knowing they have none of their own. They have a profound sense of gratitude toward and love for God, which results in worship.
Mary was such a humble person. Her exclamation, “He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave,” expressed her wonder and amazement that God would choose to bless her. She knew that she was a sinner, in need of God’s mercy and grace. Far from viewing herself as the exalted, quasi-deified queen of heaven Roman Catholicism imagines her to be, Mary viewed herself as a lowly bondslave (cf. v. 38). The Greek word is doulē, the feminine form of the word meaning “slave.” She is the first in the New Testament to identify herself as the Lord’s slave—a designation that becomes the norm for the saints (cf. 2:29; 1 Cor. 7:22; Eph. 6:6; Rev. 1:1)
Giving further evidence of her humility, Mary expressed amazement that God would have regard for her humble state. Socially, she was an ordinary girl from an insignificant Galilean village (Nazareth) scorned by other Israelites (cf. John 1:46). Mary was thus far removed from society’s elite in Judea and Jerusalem. Even after becoming the mother of the Messiah, she never became prominent. Jesus treated her with respect, but made it clear that she had no special claim on Him (John 2:4; Matt. 12:46–50). Nor did the early church elevate her to a special position, or bestow any particular honors on her. The only New Testament reference to her after the scene at the cross (John 19:25–27) was as just another one of the believers gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:14).
This ordinary young woman was engaged to a very ordinary young man. Though Joseph, like Mary, was of the line of David, he was merely a common laborer. It was because they viewed His family as nothing more than plain, average people that the villagers of Nazareth took offense at Jesus’ claims (Matt. 13:54–57).
But Mary’s humble state involved more than just her standing in Jewish society; it had to do with her spiritual character. She acknowledged that she, like everyone, was a sinner, in need of a Savior. Like all true worshipers, Mary had a lofty view of the Lord and a lowly view of herself. If she was the most exalted of women (cf. the exposition of 1:42 in the previous chapter of this volume), she at the same time was the most humble of women (cf. Luke 14:11). It is such humility that God requires and blesses (cf. James 4:6). In Isaiah 57:15 God said, “Thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’ ”
So Mary demonstrated the proper attitude in worship. She was joyful and grateful because of God’s mercy to her. Her humble awareness of her utter unworthiness and God’s marvelous grace to her produced praise and worship from her grateful heart.

THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP

the Lord … God my Savior (1:46b, 47b)

Mary’s worship of the Lord centered primarily on His role as her Savior. The central theme of all believers’ worship must be the reality that God is the Savior from sin and judgment. If that were not so, it would be impossible to worship Him, as impossible as it is for all who live in eternal torment in hell. If God were not a saving, redeeming, forgiving God, people might dread Him and attempt to pacify or appease Him, but not worship Him.
Mary knew that the coming of Messiah marked the apex of redemptive history. Her Son would “save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21; cf. John 1:29), because the purpose for His coming was “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The thrilling reality that through her the Messiah would be born into the world prompted Mary to praise and worship her Redeemer.

MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2009). Luke 1–5 (pp. 78–81). Moody Publishers.

46–47 The excitement of Elizabeth, who actually shouted her benediction (v. 42), gives way to a restraint that is no less joyful. A synonymous parallelism like that in the Psalms characterizes vv. 46b–47.
This first major song in Luke derives its name (“Magnificat”) from the first word of the Latin version of the song, which translates megalynei (GK 3486). The NEB’s translation, “Tell out … the greatness of the Lord,” is a beautifully phrased expression of Mary’s intent. The word megalynei literally means “enlarge.” In this context, it connotes the ascription of greatness to God. The song that follows extols the mighty acts of God not only for Mary but also for God’s people, Israel (cf. vv. 54–55). It is in this sense that some see Mary as “Israel personified” (cf. Carroll, 43).
Mary’s song begins on the note of salvation as she acknowledges her dependence on God (v. 47). Her words are comparable to those of Habakkuk, who came through his trials rejoicing in God his Savior (Hab 3:18). Note that in beginning the Magnificat by praising “God my Savior,” Mary answered the Roman Catholic dogma of the immaculate conception, which holds that from the moment of her conception Mary was by God’s grace kept free from all taint of original sin. Only sinners need a Savior.

Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, pp. 65–66). Zondervan.

1:46 / Mary said: Some commentators have maintained that Luke originally composed the Magnificat for Elizabeth, as a parallel to Zechariah’s Benedictus (vv. 68–79), especially since it is Elizabeth, not Mary, who was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 41). Schweizer (p. 15) appears to lean this way. Since no Greek manuscript, however, reads “Elizabeth said,” such a proposal remains no more than sheer speculation. It has also been observed that some of the contents of the Magnificat scarcely seem appropriate to the occasion. The Magnificat reads more like a warrior’s song of victory than that of a young maiden praising God for the gift of a child. Accordingly, it has been suggested that underlying the Magnificat is an early Christian hymn praising God for vindicating Jesus through his resurrection. This is possible, but again it is quite speculative, for there is no mention of Jesus or the resurrection. More probably the Magnificat represents an early Christian hymn, thought to derive from Mary, that has been enriched by components reflecting Israel’s psalms of military celebration. Consider the following scriptural allusions:
My soul glorifies [or magnifies] the Lord: 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 69:30; 34:3; 35:9; Sir. 43:31.

1:47 / my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: Hab. 3:18; LXX Ps. 25:5.

Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (p. 29). Baker Books.

The Idolatry of Mary Worship | GTY

After his prophetic vision of the eternal glories of heaven at the end of the book of Revelation, the apostle John described how he was overwhelmed by what he’d seen.

And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God. (Revelation 22:8-9)

The Roman Catholic Church has committed the same error as John, promoting a mere citizen of heaven to an improper place of authority and honor. Despite the overwhelming testimony of Scripture, the Catholic Church has elevated Mary—a self-described servant of the Lord (Luke 1:38)—to the same level as God, if not higher.

In his Ineffabilis Deus in 1854, Pope Pius IX established as dogma the immaculate conception of Mary, which preserved her from inheriting original sin. His concluding statements provide a good summary of the Catholic view of Mary.

Let all the children of the Catholic Church, who are so very dear to us, hear these words of ours. With a still more ardent zeal for piety, religion and love, let them continue to venerate, invoke and pray to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin. Let them fly with utter confidence to this most sweet Mother of mercy and grace in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Under her guidance, under her patronage, under her kindness and protection, nothing is to be feared; nothing is hopeless. Because, while bearing toward us a truly motherly affection and having in her care the work of our salvation, she is solicitous about the whole human race. And since she has been appointed by God to be the Queen of heaven and earth, and is exalted above all the choirs of angels and saints, and even stands at the right hand of her only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she presents our petitions in a most efficacious manner. What she asks, she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard. ^[1] Apostolic Constitution of Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus: Defining the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception (Boston, MA: St. Paul Books and Media, 1854), 22–23.

Those words are echoed and expanded on throughout Roman Catholic history. Tradition dictates that Mary is part of the monarchy of heaven, soliciting grace and mercy from the Lord on behalf of sinners, and covering sin by distributing from her treasury of merit. ^[2] The treasury of merit is a heavenly slush fund Catholics can draw on to reduce their future suffering, or perhaps escape purgatory altogether. The treasury of merit is made up of the excess righteousness achieved by Christ, His mother Mary, and all the saints. Catholics can draw on the treasury of merit through performing rituals or paying indulgences. For further reading refer to Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1471, 1476–79. She became a co-redeemer with Christ in His suffering on the cross, and is now a co-mediator alongside Him in heaven—essentially an alternative avenue of access to God (a belief that is in utter defiance of 1 Timothy 2:5, where Christ is clearly assigned the exclusive role of mediation between God and man). She replaces the Holy Spirit in bestowing aid and comfort to believers. In effect, she becomes an additional member of the Godhead.

That blasphemy stands in sharp contrast to what Scripture actually says about Mary, and even what she says about herself. Luke 1:46-55 records her humble reaction to the news that she would give birth to the Son of God. Mary said:

My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.

The God she praised—the God of the Bible—does not need to be coaxed or wooed to distribute His blessings. He’s not harsh, distant, or indifferent—He’s gracious, righteous, and merciful. Rather than glorifying herself, she humbly worshiped the Lord.

Scripture actually has very little to say about Mary. There’s no description of her physical appearance, nothing about her life, her later years after Christ’s death, or her own death and burial. And when she does briefly appear with the disciples and the other believers on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14), she’s not an object of worship or even a leader in the early church—she’s just one among many. There simply are no biblical examples of anyone ever praying to her, honoring her, or venerating her.

Nor does she play a role in any biblical explanation of the gospel. Paul wrote a magnificent treatise on the doctrine of salvation that we know as the book of Romans, and all he said about the mother of Jesus is that she was “a descendent of David” (Romans 1:3). He’s even less specific in Galatians, another lengthy exposition of the pure, true gospel in which he simply said that Christ was “born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4).

Contrast that with the unending Catholic volumes on the life of Mary, the miracles of Mary, the death of Mary, the apparitions of Mary, and on and on it goes. That’s why it’s often a shock for Catholics to read the Bible and see how little is actually said about Mary.

But that’s what happens when you elevate tradition to the level of Scripture and ascribe to men the infallible characteristics that belong only to God. It warps the truth of Scripture and distorts the person and work of Jesus Christ.

God alone is our Redeemer, our Deliverer, our Benefactor, and our Comforter. He alone is to be worshiped, venerated, adored, and petitioned. The testimony of Scripture is clear.

Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, you fugitives of the nations; they have no knowledge, who carry about their wooden idol and pray to a god who cannot save. Declare and set forth your case; indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:20-22)

https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B200217

Is Mary the Mother of the Church and Our Mediatrix? | Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc

This is the third of a number of reasons why I could never be a Catholic (click here for articles 1 and 2). Mariology issues cannot be adequately covered in one article. I plan to address this further in the future. Part 3 of this series will focus on the problems with the Catholic Church’s argument that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and our mediatrix.

Introduction: Why are Protestants Getting Interested in Mary?

As an introduction to the discussion, it’s important to understand why this series on Mary is particularly important today. In his book Queen of All: The Marian apparitions’ plan to unite all religions under the Roman Catholic Church, Jim Tetlow of Understand the Times International shares the following information on the growing interest in Mariology within the Protestant church:

In 2005, Time Magazine featured an image of Mary as The Mother of God on the cover with the title “Hail, Mary – Catholics have long revered her, but now Protestants are finding their own reasons to celebrate the mother of Jesus.” The article explains the stunning trend of the growing Marian devotion among Protestant churches:

In a shift whose ideological breadth is unusual in the fragmented Protestant world, a long-standing wall around Mary appears to be eroding…Mary is also gaining popularity at Protestant divinity schools, where her icons adorn future pastors’ walls.¹

Albert Mohler, Jr. – president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – commented on the Time Magazine article “Hail, Mary”:

The Time cover story is part of a larger phenomenon, with many mainline Protestants turning to a reconsideration of Mary and incorporating the veneration of Mary into personal devotions and corporate worship. Some are going so far as to acknowledge Mary as an intercessor, addressing prayers to her as well as to other saints. Surprisingly enough, some Protestants now argue that believers should pray to Mary and should request her intercession.²

Is Mary the Mother of the Church?

What does the Roman Catholic Church mean when it says that Mary is the mother of the Church, and why is this an important subject to discuss? According to Catholic Answers, Mary is the “New Eve” and thus the mother of the church.

Scripture reveals that through our salvation, God was initiating a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), with Jesus as the New Adam (see 1 Cor. 15:47). The early Church Fathers, who received the teaching of the apostles, recognized Mary as the New Eve. The name Eve means “mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20). As Eve was mother of the living in the natural order, so Mary is the Mother of the living in the order of grace. Everyone who receives spiritual life receives it through her (LG 61).

Vatican II confirmed:

[Mary] was the new Eve, who put her absolute trust not in the ancient serpent but in God’s messenger. The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born of many brethren (cf. Rom. 8:29), namely, the faithful. In their birth and development she cooperates with a maternal love. (LG 63)

The teaching of Mary’s maternity of the faithful is strengthened in a passage in Revelation 12. After speaking of the woman who will give birth to “a male child, one who is to rule all the nationss,”[sic] Scripture goes on to tell us that this mother has other children. “The rest of her offspring [are] those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” (Rev. 12:17). Mary is the Mother of everyone who belongs to Jesus. A mother “mediates” life to her children; Mary mediates spiritual life—grace—to every Christian.³

According to Fr. Dwight Longdecker:

Every Christian believes that he or she is called to pray for the world, to intercede and to mediate for others, to have a “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-19). . . . all Christians agree about the need to mediate in prayer for others. . . . Mary is the first evangelist. She carried the Word of God in her body, kept it there, and bore it to the world. This was her practical role in the Incarnation, but it was also her theological role. In doing this she shows us our lesser calling to be mediators of the New Covenant and ministers of reconciliation. ⁴

Mary Beth Kremski and Fr. Longdecker fairly articulated the position and teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, but if we check their biblical citations in context, we note that they used eisegesis rather than exegesis. The Apostle Paul’s discussion in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 is about being freed from our mortal body to be with Christ in our immortal resurrection body. Verses 5:11-15 are about living for Christ and those for whom He died and was resurrected, “and he died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15). When Paul mentions the “new creation” it is those who have believed and are already “in Christ.”:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Christ performed the mediatorial work in His death, burial, and resurrection. In light of this, we are sent as His ambassadors with the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) We might notice that Mary is nowhere mentioned or even implied in this passage. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 15:47 Paul contrasts the first Adam, who could only receive life, and the second Adam, Christ, Who is the life-giver. Again, Mary is not implied or mentioned in this passage. It might also be noted Mary gave birth to the human life God brought into being in her womb. Like the first Adam, Mary can only receive life, but contrary to Rome’s claims, she is unable to mediate between God and man, much less mediate spiritual life “to every Christian.”

According to research done by Dr. Lawrence Feingold STD, Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian, all alluded to the idea of Mary being the “New Eve.”⁵ While the temptation to leap from these Fathers alluding to Mary being the “New Eve” that is not the same as demonstrating they taught this was true. The Ante-Nicene Fathers, like theologians down through history, were trying to figure out how this all works together, something we might call the mechanics of the faith. However, it is a monumental leap to claim that because they “alluded to the idea” that means Mary is the mother of the Church.

The Catholic Answers argument from Revelation 12 is again a bit of eisegesis aided by an amillennial eschatology.

As far as the millennium goes, we tend to agree with Augustine and, derivatively, with the amillennialists. The Catholic position has thus historically been “amillennial” (as has been the majority Christian position in general), though Catholics do not typically use this term. The Church has rejected the premillennial position, sometimes called “millenarianism” (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church 676).⁶

Amillennialism contributes to supersessionism, more commonly known as  Replacement Theology and the furtherance of the idea that God no longer has a plan for the Jews. When the Catholic Church replaces Israel, it opens the door for Catholics to interpret the woman of Revelation 12 as Mary, (the New Eve) because the church is the new Israel in their view. From a pre-millennial, dispensational eschatology however, “the woman” is seen as Israel. And “the rest of her offspring” (v7) could refer to Gentiles who come to faith in Jesus during the Great Tribulation.).⁷

The similarity between the description in Revelation 12 and Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9-11 where his father, Jacob (Israel), his mother, and their children would bow down to him is interesting. The book of Revelation is a sort of Reader’s Digest version of the Old Testament descriptions of the end times where Israel figures prominently. In Revelation 12, the twelve stars refer to the twelve tribes of Israel.

There is additional evidence for this interpretation. While Revelation 12:2-5 speaks of the woman being with child and giving birth, it should be noted that the Nation of Israel is described as God’s wife in Jeremiah 3:14 and betrothed to Him forever in Hosea 2:19. It is true that Mary, of the lineage of Abraham, Issacc and Jacob (Israel) gave birth to Jesus, that established the lineage of Jesus, as the son of David from the tribe of Judah, came from Israel. In a sense, Israel gave birth—or brought forth—Christ Jesus.

Mary as Mediatrix

I rarely hear Catholics talk about the work of Jesus Christ; instead, their focus seems to be mainly on Mary. But why? Isn’t this placing too much emphasis on Mary and not enough on Jesus? Catholics tend to disagree. Many I have spoken with claim that to focus on Mary is to focus on the one that is your path to Jesus.

Catholics view Mary as the “Ark of the New Covenant” or the channel through which Christ and His saving work came into the world. She not only gave birth to our Lord, but gave birth to the church, who will bring the message of salvation to the world. According to the Swiss theologian Karl Barth, Mary is the archetype of the Catholic faith.

Marian dogma is neither more nor less than the critical, central normative dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, the dogma from the standpoint of which all their important positions are to be regarded and by which they stand or fall. The “mother of god” of Roman Catholic Marian dogma is quite simply the principle, type and the essence of the human creature cooperating servantlike (ministerialiter) in its own redemption on the basis of prevenient grace, and to that extent the principle, type and the essence of the Church.⁸

According to Casey Chalk of TheCatholicThing.org:

Barth is correct in describing Catholic teaching as upholding Mary as the “type and the essence of the human creature” cooperating in his own redemption. Catholics aim to imitate Mary in being entirely submissive to the divine will.⁹

Therefore, to get to Jesus, the Catholic must go through Mary. They must be willing to live the type of life she lived and be willing to work with God toward their own salvation. Therefore, Mary is considered the mediatrix between us and Jesus, while Jesus is still the mediator between us and God the Father.

With equal truth may it be also affirmed that, by the will of God, Mary is the intermediary through whom is distributed unto us this immense treasure of mercies gathered by God, for mercy and truth were created by Jesus Christ.(6) Thus as no man goeth to the Father but by the Son, so no man goeth to Christ but by His Mother.¹⁰

However, according to Norman Geisler and Ralph E. MacKenzie:

• The doctrine of Mary as mediatrix is not considered an infallible dogma by the church and has little support from the writings of the early church.¹¹
• It wasn’t even doctrine until the 1854 bull “Ineffabilis” of Pope Pius IX.¹²
• And the scriptural evidence for calling Mary a mediator or co-redemptrix is totally lacking.¹³

Conclusion

The doctrine of Mary as the Mother of the Church and our mediatrix is not well supported by scripture or by the writings of early church fathers. The only way the Catholic Church is able to support these ideas is by reading scripture through an allegorized interpretation of the End Times. This is dangerous not only because it can lead to writing the Jews out of Scripture but also because it leads to the Catholic Church believing that Mary, a mere human, should be venerated as the archetype of the church instead of Christ and making Mary the Way to the Truth and Life. (See John 14:6) How many will miss salvation by following a false path?

My next article on Mariology will discuss how this veneration of Mary is leading to deception within the Catholic Marian movements and societies.Ω

Stephanie Potts and her husband, Jim live in Dayton, Ohio, and have been married for 23 years. She worked with the federal government for 15 years as an intelligence analyst and then entered full-time Christian service in 2015. She first joined Haven Ministries in Denver, Colorado, in 2015 and then transferred to Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc in 2021. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in Political Science and International Relations and received her Master’s degree in Geographic Information Systems from Penn State University. She is currently working towards her master’s degree in Christian Apologetics through Southern Evangelical Seminary. She specializes in evangelizing to people involved in the New Age, to Muslims, and Native Americans. Stephanie’s personal website: rainbowapologetics.com

Source: https://midwestoutreach.org/2025/02/20/is-mary-the-mother-of-the-church-and-our-mediatrix/

JANUARY 24 | Listening to the Lord

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’
‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’
Luke 10:38–42, NIV

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:34, NKJV

O that I could for ever sit
With Mary at the Master’s feet!
Be this my happy choice:
My only care, delight, and bliss,
My joy, my heaven on earth, be this
To hear the Bridegroom’s voice!
Charles Wesley, 1707–88

Manser, M., ed. (2015). Daily Guidance (p. 32). Martin Manser.

Christmas 2024: The Angel and the Virgin | Love Truth Blog

Christmas 2024: The Angel and the Virgin

Angels move about us often unnoticed. They serve the Lord and God sends them out to minister to His people. Long ago, God sent an angel named Gabriel to “a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary” (Lk. 1:27). ^[1] The angel came to deliver a message to Mary concerning an important assignment that God wanted her to carry out, which pertained to the long-awaited Messiah spoken of by the ancient Hebrew prophets.

Gabrial tells the Virgin: “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you… Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Lk. 1:28, 30-33).

Note that Mary is called the “favored one” (Lk. 1:28) who has “found favor with God” (Lk. 1:30). Because God’s favor is upon Mary, she has nothing to fear. Whether being startled by the appearance of an angel or anything else, she has nothing to fear. The favor that God bestows upon Mary is a special blessing. What is the special blessing? It is nothing shallow like beauty, fortune, and fame. Instead, it is an imperishable gift from God. God graces Mary with a male child: “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son” (Lk. 1:31a).

But this male child is extraordinary. “You shall call his name Jesus,” said Gabriel (Lk. 1:31b). The name “Jesus” (from the Hebrew Yeshua, meaning “The Lord is salvation”) encapsulates the child’s future mission, i.e., calling or assignment. Just as Joshua in the Old Testament led Israel into the Promised Land, Jesus leads humanity into the ultimate promise of everlasting life with God. The Lord is actively intervening to rescue His people, particularly through Jesus of Nazareth.

Gabriel additionally acknowledges Jesus’ unique relationship with God: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Lk. 1:32a).“The Most High” is a title for Yahweh. Here the angel speaks of Jesus’ unique relationship with God. The Son of the Most High designation applied to Jesus would have certainly signified to the young woman the child’s messianic vocation. One can wonder whether Mary at that moment realized the full import of the Son of the Most High title applied to Jesus.

The “Son of the Most High” title is never to be misconstrued as a biological offspring; rather, it would come to serve as an affirmation or acknowledgement of divine nature. Jesus thus shares in the same glorious essence or nature of God. Jesus subsequently makes the connection in saying, “I and the Father are one” (Jn. 10:30).^[2]

Gabriel also indicates, “The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David” (Lk. 1:32b).This proclamation ties Jesus to the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:8–17), where God promised David an eternal kingdom. Jesus, as a descendant of David, fulfills this prophecy, not through political conquest but through carrying out His messianic mission. This messianic mission is flushed out in the rest of Luke’s Gospel.

Jesus being the Son of the Most High who receives the throne of his father David is messianic. New Testament scholar Darrell Bock indicates, “To Jewish ears this would be the same as calling him king (2 Sam. 7:8-17; Ps. 2:7). The Jews did not expect a ‘divine’ Messiah, as the Gospels themselves make clear. God had promised Dvid that the king would be God’s son, since Yahweh would be the son’s Father. This birth would be the first step in bringing the promise to David to its permanent, ultimate fulfillment. This long-held Father-son relationship was to reach unique heights in Jesus.”^[3]

The child’s destiny is to “reign over the house of Jacob forever” and “his kingdom there will be no end” (Lk. 1:33). This speaks of the permanence of Christ’s rule. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, but Jesus’ reign is eternal. Nations will come and go, but the enthroned Son reigns forever. It is by virtue of this everlasting reign that His promises are enduring and trustworthy.

Mary is perplexed about the prospect of conceiving a child and underscores the fact that she is a “virgin” (Lk. 1:34). But Gabriel reassures her that though she is a virgin, she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit (Lk. 1:35). God’s Spirit thus brings about a miraculously pregnancy without a male contributor.^[4] If there came about question about sinful indiscretion or speculation of a Roman solider violation, neither corresponded to reality, and the truth of the miraculous belonged to Mary. She was virtuous regardless of any opinion derived from fallible human wisdom.

Gabriel finishes the visitation by indicating that Mary’s close relative Elizabeth has also conceived despite being old and barren, and that shows “nothing will be impossible with God” (Lk. 1:37). The prospect of a young peasant girl form Nazareth of Galilee betrothed to a working-class carpenter could by a miracle bring forth the long-awaited messiah who would restore the throne of King David would have been far-fetched. Of course, this would be impossible according to the powers of mere mortals. But God did the impossible. Mary while still a virgin conceived a child.

The Virgin humbly receives the assignment: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord,” (Lk. 1:38). Mary humbly receives the assignment given by God, and God uses her as vessel of honor to birth the Son of the Most High, the Davidic King whose reign would last forever. Christ literally dwelt inside Mary and Mary lived as the literal God bearer (Theotokos). God entered this world through the Virgin’s womb and dwelt among us.

The significance of the virgin birth and incarnation of the Son of God is encapsulated in these words from John the Monk: “Wonder! God is come among humanity; he who cannot be contained is contained in a womb; the timeless enters time, and great mystery: his conception is without seed, his emptying past telling! So great is this mystery! For God empties himself, takes flesh and is fashioned as a creature, when the angel tells the pure Virgin of her conception: ‘Rejoice, you who are full of grace; the Lord who has great mercy is with you!’” (Sticher of Annunciation)^[5]

Merry Christmas!

— WGN

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Notes:

[1] All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 1:14.

[2] “I and the Father are one” is understood as a self-identification of deity spoken by Jesus. The fact that the Jews sought to stone Him on the charge of blasphemy confirms the point (Jn. 10:31-33)

[3] Darrell I. Bock, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Luke, ed. Grant R. Osborne (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,1994), 41.

[4] Matthew recalls the angelic announcement of the virgin Mary conceiving though the Holy Spirit to Joseph, and applies typologically to the miracle the words from the prophet Isaiah: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, | and they shall call his name Immanuel” (Matt. 1:23; cf. Isa. 7:14).

[5] Cited from Arthur A. Just, ed., Luke, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 17. John the Monk is a traditional name in The Festal Menaion, but the name is believed to be a reference to John of Damascus (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Introduction and Biographic Information [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005], 496). John of Damascus (c. 650-750) was an Arabic Christian monastic theologian whose writings greatly influenced the Eastern and Western Churches, particularly the work titled Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith (Ibid.).

Devotional for December 17, 2024 | Tuesday: The Angel Gabriel

Matthew 1:18 In this week’s studies, we look at the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ as seen from witnesses we have of Him.

Theme

The Angel Gabriel

The first person we want to interrogate is Gabriel, the angel of God. He appears at least twice in the Christmas story, once to announce the birth of John the Baptist to John’s father, the aged Zechariah, and once to announce the birth of Jesus to Mary. It is this second announcement that bears on our question, for having appeared to Mary and having greeted her as one “highly favored” of the Lord, Gabriel went on to say, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:30-33). 

Each of these pronouncements must have struck the young virgin as remarkable. It was remarkable that her son would be great, she being of humble origins. It was remarkable that He would reign on the throne of David forever. Everyone knew that God had promised David that he would have an heir to reign on his throne forever; but this had not yet happened, and it was actually the case that in Mary’s day the house of David had been cast down and foreigners ruled the land. If Gabriel were right in telling Mary that her son would reign on David’s throne, this would mean that the long waiting of the Jewish people was now over and that their Messiah had come. Mary’s future child was that Messiah. All this was remarkable. But these were not the most remarkable parts of Gabriel’s greeting. The most astonishing thing was that the child was to be “the Son of the Most High.” 

Were it not for the context a person might be inclined to take this phrase in a minimal sense, that is, as speaking of one merely chosen by God to fulfill a special task. It was used of Israel in just this way (Jer. 31:20; Ps. 82:6). It was used of the kings (2 Sam. 7:14). This will not do in the present case, however, for the context has to do with the conception of Mary’s child without a human father. His father would be God Himself, for He would be “the Son of the Most High.” The child was to be God’s offspring in a way no other person either before or since has been. Nor is this all we can say. If we had only the context of Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary, the promise would be remarkable enough. But this is not our only context. We also have the whole of the New Testament in which this title is picked up and explained.

Study Questions

1. Why must it have been remarkable to Mary that her child would be described as great?
2. What would it have meant to Mary that her son would reign on David’s throne forever?
3. What was the most remarkable part of Gabriel’s visit to Mary? What did it mean in reference to the angelic announcement of Mary’s conception?

Application

Reflection: After all that Mary heard from the angel, her response was one of faith in God to fulfill all that He had promised. In what circumstances is the Lord calling you to trust Him to work all things for your good?

For Further Study: Download for free and listen to James Boice’s message, “Jesus Christ Is Life.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)

https://www.thinkandactbiblically.org/tuesday-the-angel-gabriel/

Film About Mary’s Sinlessness in Theaters Today | Protestia

Film About Mary’s Sinlessness in Theaters Today

The new film I Am the Immaculate Conception is hitting theaters nationwide today, serving as Roman Catholic propaganda for their unbiblical belief that, like Jesus, Mary was conceived without original sin and remained sinless her entire life.

Directed and written by Michal Kondrat and starring Maria Juzwin as Mary and Kamil Przystal as Jesus, the docu-drama is being released by Fathom Events and Kondrat Media in partnership with Roman Catholic entities like Relevant Radio, Spirit Filled Media, eCatholic and The Christian Channel. A press release describes the film this way:

“I Am The Immaculate Conception” were the words spoken by Mary, the Mother of God, as she introduced herself to St. Bernadette in 1858 in Lourdes, France. During the seasons of Advent and Christmas, filmmakers invite audiences to ponder why Mary presents herself this way. In I Am The Immaculate Conception, a group of eminent experts, including the Marian Fathers, analyze Greek texts of the Holy Scripture, revelations and the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Throughout the film, several prominent priests from the Congregation of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary bring forward the Marian dogma of the Catholic Church pertaining to Mary, the Mother of God.

Notably, the film hit theaters only a few days after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which occurred on December 8 and is a high holy day for Roman Catholics. According to Director Michal Kondrat:

This is the Marian movie for today’s world in need of the sound teaching of the Church and the
presence of Our Mother, Mary, the Immaculate Conception…Mary is the clear path to Jesus and in this season of Advent and Christmas, our movie reminds the world of her importance in God’s plan for salvation. Our movie is a sound, catechetical and experiential film that will help you and your family grow in greater love and devotion to Mary, the Mother of God.”

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