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Doctrinal Study series: Mary
December 11, 18, 25, 2022
THE MANY NOTS IN THE LIFE OF MARY
Let us learn directly from the Scriptures some truths about Mary:
I – NOT ABLE TO DO MIRACLES
     According to Catholic tradition, lots of reported occurrences of Mary, angels or of saints appearing then delivering a message from God. It seems that the people were genuinely seeing something supernatural. What seen in various places is perhaps the work of charlatans, but other apparitions were apparently authentic. However, if it is authentic does not mean we have to believe it is a message from God or does not mean it is Mary, an angel, or a saint that genuinely appeared. The Bible declares that Satan and his demons masquerade as angels of light (II Corinthians 11:14-15 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” To explain those apparitions, this verse tells us of possible Satanic deception.
     During Mary’s Life on Earth Catholics believe that when Mary was conceived, she was miraculously free of the taint of original sin that has affected every other person in history except Jesus Christ. That Catholic’s belief is called the miracle of the Immaculate Conception.
     There have been many miracles surrounding Mary, but perhaps one of the best known is “The Miracle of The Sun” at Fatima.  Mary had promised the three children that she appeared to that a miracle that would prove she had truly appeared to them.  And she kept that promise. Mary had told them that WWI would end but warned them that WWII would begin.  She also warned them of the damage that Russia would do to the world if they abandoned their Christian faith in favor of communism. She also warned them that Hell is very real.  She not only warned them; she showed them. Perhaps both are something we need to remember.
               The Miracle of the Sun
     On October 13, 1917, after three days of rain, Mary appeared to the children once more. The fact that its timing coincided with what had been told to the shepherd children three months earlier would seem to tie this event with the apparitions they had been seeing over the previous months, first of the angel and later of the "Lady of Fatima."
Specific words or sentences of Mary on the said apparitions are indicated to be unbiblical (not taught by the Bible), or anti-biblical (contradictory to the Bible).  
     Nearly 70,000 people gathered to see the “Miracle”. “Suddenly the “clouds separated…and the sun appeared between them in the clear blue, like a disk of white fire.” The people could look at the sun without blinking and while they gazed upward, the huge ball began to “dance”. The huge fireball whirled rapidly with dizzy and sickening speed, flinging out all sorts of brilliant colors that reflected on the faces of the crowds. The fiery ball continued to gyrate in this manner three times, then seemed to tremble and shudder, and plunge in a mighty zigzag course toward the earth. The crowd was terrified, fearing this was the end of the world.
     However, the sun reversed course and, retracing its zigzagging course, returned to its normal place in the heavens. All of this transpired in approximately ten minutes. After realizing they were not doomed, the crowd began ecstatically laughing, crying, shouting and weeping. Many discovered their previously drenched clothing to be perfectly dry. After what has become to be known as “The Miracle of the Sun,” the children were grilled many, many times, about what they had seen and been told. Their story never changed.” – The Fatima Church
     The said “miracle of the sun” is fully just a deceiving narrative without biblical basis. It is Satan’s lie. All claimed miracles and reported apparitions are clearly satanic deception, contradicted to the Bible.           
John 2:1-10 “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
      In this passage, Mary was not able to provide the requests of the people in Cana. Mary cannot do miracles.
     There were no scriptural records that Mary did miracles, not even single miracle. The real Mary and Mary of the Bible is not miracle healer, not able to do any miracles and never performed miracles.   
II – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR PRAYERS     
     It is good to honor Mary for her special role in delivering the Lord Jesus. But it is wrong to pray to Mary, worship her or ascribe to her any other role that is more than the role God has revealed to us in the Bible.                                   
     The Bible is clear that Mary’s unique position as the mother of Jesus did not give her any more access to God than another believer in Christ is given. Therefore, Mary is not worthy of receiving prayers from Christians. Jesus addressed this in Luke 11 by emphasizing that it’s more blessed to be a follower of Christ than to be the mother of Christ.
     In Luke 11, Jesus freed an afflicted man by driving out the demon that made him mute. Once Jesus cast the demon away, the man could speak again, and the watching crowd was amazed (Luke 11:14“And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.”). Some of the crowd questioned Jesus, even suggesting Jesus was operating by power of Satan. As Jesus then started to preach to the crowd, a woman called out in Luke 11:27 “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked”. Jesus replied to her in, amending, not scolding, saying, in Luke 11:28 "blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it" (Luke 11:28).
     While praying to Mary is not found in the Bible, the practice is common in the Roman Catholic tradition. The sentiment in Luke 11:27 is referenced in the Hail Mary, which is one of the most popular Catholic prayers.  Hail Mary Prayer “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.” However, Jesus’ correction in verse 28 is missing from the prayer. Luke 11:28 “blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it”.
     Why Do Catholics Pray to Mary? In the Roman Catholic church, Mary is seen as a mediator in her own right and therefore, worthy of receiving prayers from Christians. Veneration of Mary and the practice of praying to her is supported by the Roman Catholic doctrine of Assumption, which holds that after she died, Mary was taken up into heaven like Jesus – physically and spiritually. This was a popular idea since before the Middle Ages, but not made official dogma in the Catholic Church until Pope Pius XII declared it so in 1950.
     Here are some evidences from the Bible that we do not need to pray to Mary:
Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."  This is God the Holy Spirit's part in our prayers.     
John 14:13-14 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” This is God the Son’s part in our prayers.
Matthew 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” This is God the Father’s part in our prayer.
Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”  This shows Mary prays like all of us, therefore we should not pray to Mary. Mary has no part in our prayer. 
III- NOT MEDIATRIX AND NOT CO-REDEMPTRIX
     People approached and relied to Mary to fill their needs, but Mary is not able to provide their requests. There is no mediatrix (woman), there is a mediator (man).
     Mary was viewed by some Catholics as a co-redemptrix or a mediatrix who plays a key role in the salvation of mankind. (The suffix – “trix” is a feminine word ending in Latin, so a redemptrix is a female redeemer and a mediatrix is a female mediator).
     The doctrine that Mary as a co-redemptrix would be in addition to current Catholic teaching on Mary which teaches that Mary was a virgin perpetually, that she never had intercourse with her husband, Joseph; that means Mary never had children other than Jesus; that is why they teaches that Mary was sinless and ascended into heaven. These are unscriptural teachings, and the Bible refutes these errors. Jesus is the perfect and sole Mediator between man and God because Jesus is the sinless Son of God. Mary was not sinless. The Bible does not mention about Mary’s sinlessness or Mary’s assumption into heaven. This dogma was accepted by many Catholics as a result of the proclamation by Pope, but the Scriptures contradicts.
     The beliefs that Mary is a co-redemptrix or mediatrix is contrary to I Timothy 2:5.
I Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” Jesus is the Mediator. There is no mediator between man and Jesus. Jesus Himself dwells in believers; thus, none is required.
Colossians 1:27 “…the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you,”
Ephesians 3:17 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;”
IV- NOT A VIRGIN AFTER THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
     According to the official position and doctrines of the Roman Catholic, Mary the mother of Jesus remained a virgin for her entire life. Is this the teaching of the Bible? Is it a biblical concept? Before we look at some specific scriptural passages, it is very important to know why the Roman Catholic Church believes in the perpetual virginity of Mary. The Roman Catholic believes that Mary remained a virgin for her entire life because they view Mary as “Mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven.” That is why Roman Catholic believe that Mary has an exalted place in Heaven, for She has the closest access to Jesus Christ and to God the Father. But this false concept of Roman Catholic cannot be found in the Bible for it is nowhere taught in the Holy Scriptures. Even, if Mary did occupy such an exalted position as Catholic insisted erroneous beliefs of “Mother of God’ and “Queen of Heaven”, Mary having sexual intercourse would not have prevented Mary from gaining such a position because marriage is not sinful. Mary as a wife would have in no way defiled herself by having sexual relations with Joseph her husband. The entire concept of the perpetual virginity of Mary or the false belief that Mary remained a virgin for her entire life even after the birth of Jesus Christ is based on an unbiblical teaching of man’s religious views, that Mary as Queen of Heaven, and on an unbiblical understanding of sex for a righteous married couple.   
     Read in King James version Matthew 13:55-57 “Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”
     The Catholics is correct when they claim that the Greek terms for “brothers” and “sisters” in these verses could also refer to male and female relatives. But, the intended meaning of the verse is clear, that Jesus to be Joseph’s son, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, and Jesus is the brother of the unnamed and unnumbered sisters. So, we have here specified the father, mother, brother, sister. The Catholic is straining or mistakenly twisting the meaning of the text as they interpret the mentioned “brothers” and “sisters” here are cousins or relatives of Jesus with the mentioning of Jesus’ mother and father. If they were His cousins, or the sons of Joseph from a previous marriage, why were they mentioned with Mary so often? The idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary cannot be drawn from Scripture. It must be forced on Scripture, in contradiction to what the Scriptures clearly stated.
     There are several passages to interpret that Jesus had actual blood half-siblings:
     Bible tells us that Jesus’ mother and brothers are standing outside and they wanting to speak to Jesus.
Matthew 12:46-47 “While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.” We can see that Mary’s other sons were looking to see Jesus while the Lord Jesus was teaching at the crowd. This is the records of a time when Jesus’ mother and brothers came to speak with Him. Notice the words “Mother” and “brothers,” used here as a phrase, implies a familial relationship. It is unreasonable to think that these were not the biological children of Mary.
Luke 8:19 “Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.”
Mark 3:31 “There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.”
Bible tells us that Jesus had four brothers.
Matthew 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” This is not just a brother in the faith, but half-brother in the flesh through Mary.
Bible tells us that Jesus had sisters, but they are not named or numbered
Matthew 13:56 “And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?”
Bible tells us Mary had at least seven children including Jesus. People becoming angry, people rejected Jesus as a prophet when Jesus taught in His hometown.
Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” There were at least 31 years between the time of Jesus’ birth and this encounter, which allows plenty of time for other children of Mary to have joined the family as Jesus’ siblings.
Bible tells us that Jesus' brothers go on to the festival while Jesus stays behind.
John 7:1-10 “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. 7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. 8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come. 9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. 10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.”
Bible tells us that Jesus and His mother with His brothers went down together to Capernaum.
John 2:12 “After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples:…” This verse gives us another hint as we answer the question of whether Mary had other children. To the fact that the words “brothers” and “disciples” are both used in this verse that means John was not referring to “spiritual” brothers but to familial relationships. Remember the “brothers” and the “disciples” were different groups.
Bible tells us that Jesus's brothers and mother are described as praying with the disciples
Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”
Bible tells us that James was the brother of the Lord Jesus.
Galatians 1:19 “But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.”
Bible tells us that Mary had other children after Jesus’ birth. This verse seems to counter the false teaching that due to the sacred nature of the virgin birth, so Mary had no other children and remained a virgin throughout her life.
Matthew 1:24-25 “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” When we use the New American Bible translation used by the Catholic, we can see and confirm that the perpetuality of Mary is not taught in the Bible. Let us read in New American Bible version Matthew 1:25 “He had no relations with her until she bore a son Jesus.” The key word in this verse that tells us that Mary had other children after Jesus is the word “until” or “till”. Obviously, the term “Until” means “up to the time of.” The word “until” implies that an action did occur after a prescribed pause. Matthew did not end the phrase by saying that, “Joseph did not consummate their marriage” but rather Matthew says, “Joseph did not consummate their marriage until…” It clearly indicates that the action of consummating their marriage did occur after the birth of Christ. The meaning of this Scripture is abundantly clear that Joseph and Mary did not have sexual relations until after Jesus was born. Besides, Matthew tells us that Joseph took Mary home as his wife in verse 24 “took unto him his wife.” This naturally conclude, Mary became Joseph’s wife in every sense of the word.
     We could not find throughout the Bible, for there is no scriptural evidence to support the assertion that Mary remained a perpetual virgin or that she had no other children. Perpetual virginity of Mary is contrary to the Bible. All the efforts of many religious and theological teachers to prove the perpetual virginity of Mary are not based on Scripture but on a misguided allegiance to a woman who was as fallible as any other human being as a sinner. Mary would in no way have defiled herself in having a marital relation with her lawfully wedded husband, Joseph. Mary with her normal relationship with Joseph as husband and wife would have likely produced other offspring who would have grown up with Jesus as their big brother (James 1:1; Jude 1:1-2). There are many speculations on Mary because, so little is known about her. But one thing the Bible clearly indicates about Mary is that she had other children. The question of whether Mary had other children, the answer is biblically “yes.” The question on how many children Mary had is unknown, it is up for speculation, but Mary probably had at least seven, that includes the Lord Jesus Christ.
V- NOT IMMACULATE OR BORN WITHOUT ORIGINAL SIN
     Many people mistakenly believe that the Immaculate conception refers to the conception of Jesus Christ. There is no question and no doubt that Jesus’ conception was most assuredly immaculate, that means without the stain of sin. But the familiar doctrinal teaching of Immaculate Conception does not refer to Jesus at all but it is a doctrine of Roman Catholic Church in regard to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The official doctrinal statement of the Immaculate conception says, “The blessed Virgin Mary to have been, from the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Christ Jesus the Savior of Mankind, preserved free from all stain of original sin” (Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, December 1854).
     The belief of Immaculate Conception is that Mary was protected from original sin, and did not have a sin nature and was, in fact, sinless. Therefore, Mary was born without original sin.
     On December 8, Roman Catholics celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. December 9 is the date of the feast of the Conception by St. Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos. The mother of Mary is Anne according to tradition. Although the Eastern church considered Mary “all-holy,” that means they believe that Mary never committed a sin, the Eastern Church does not hold to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The Immaculate Conception is not a virgin birth. Catholics believe that Mary was conceived like the normal way of conception as others, but Catholics belief stated that God made Mary immune from inherited sin. Catholics believed that as long as Mary exists, she has been free of sin. Catholic belief allowed Mary to be the “second Eve” to give birth to the “second Adam” which refers to Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:45 “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”).
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