Part 1

The Blessed Virgin Mary in Scripture

Jim Tetlow

The love, adoration, and attention paid the Virgin Mary is truly exceptional. Her prayer, known as the “Hail Mary,” may be the most often recited prayer in the world. Certainly, her images span all of Christendom. There are more shrines to Mary than any other Christian figure. Musicians have composed songs about her; poets have pondered her mysteries; and thousands upon thousands have written about the young girl from Nazareth. What is it about Mary? Why all the attention?

Well, she was the only woman in the entire world to have a child while remaining a virgin. And, of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to the Savior of the world. She was the mother of Jesus Christ. She bore, suckled, and nurtured the God of the universe! Need more be said? She is rightly called “blessed among women.”

But while innumerable volumes have been written about her, only one written account in the entire world contains the indisputable facts of the “Maidservant of the Lord.” That account is the Word of God. The Bible gives us insight into the life of Mary that we know is absolute fact. The Bible does not speculate. The Bible does not exaggerate. The Bible reveals only truth. No more, no less. Who is this remarkable woman? What was and is her role in God’s plan of salvation? The Bible tells us. God’s Word paints a clear picture of Mary. Let’s take a look at what Scripture says—and does not say—about Mary.

Mary Our Mother?

Is Mary the mother of us all? Some believe she is. They point to the passage in John’s Gospel where Jesus says from the cross, “‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”[1] They believe that Jesus was proclaiming Mary as our mother when he said, “Behold your mother.” Is this what Jesus meant? Consider the following biblical facts.

• Jesus was Mary and Joseph’s firstborn: Joseph “did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called his name Jesus.”[2]
• Jesus had younger brothers and sisters: “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?”[3]
• It is believed that Jesus’ stepfather, Joseph, died before Jesus’ public ministry began.[4]

Therefore, Jesus, as the eldest brother, had the duty of taking care of his mother. Rather then entrusting Mary to a younger sibling, Jesus entrusted Mary to John, his disciple. But, why wouldn’t Jesus entrust his mother to his next oldest brother? Some believe the reason is that Jesus didn’t actually have brothers and sisters but rather cousins. This theory ignores the biblical record. However, John’s Gospel gives us the clear answer. We are told: “even [Jesus’] brothers did not believe in him.”[5] Now it all makes sense. Jesus repeatedly stated that those who trust him and obey his words are his true family. By entrusting Mary to John, he revealed that Mary and John, as believers, were family!

The Bible never calls Mary the mother of us all. Interestingly, the New Testament states that Jerusalem is the mother of all believers: “But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.”[6] This is in fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham. Also, the Old Testament declares that Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is the mother of nations.[7] And God states that Eve is the “mother of all living.”[8] Nowhere in Scripture is Mary identified as our mother. Nor does Scripture imply that she is the mother of all.

Sinless?

Was Mary sinless? Scripture states that Mary called God her savior.[9] Only a sinner needs a Savior. In addition, the Bible says that ALL have sinned.[10] Furthermore, we are told that “when the days of her [Mary’s] purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him [Jesus] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord … and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.’”[11]

This revealing passage confirms that Mary was a sinner. Why? Because Mary, by obeying the law of Moses, (specifically Leviticus 12), acknowledged her sin. According to Leviticus 12, a turtledove was a sin offering. “When the days of her purification are fulfilled … she shall bring to the priest a lamb … or a turtledove as a sin offering. … Then [the priest] shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement for her.”[12] Only a sinner needs atonement for sins. Mary acknowledged her need for atonement and forgiveness.

Assumption?

As for Mary’s alleged bodily assumption, there is not a single Scripture that even hints that Mary was assumed bodily. This doctrine sprang from the belief that Mary was sinless. If she was sinless, then she would not be under the universal curse of death and decay. Therefore, proponents of this doctrine reason that because she was sinless, she did not experience the results of sin, namely death and decay, and would therefore had to have been assumed bodily. Of course, the Bible clearly states that all are under sin,[13] therefore all experience death and bodily decay.

Furthermore, if Mary had been taken up into heaven, wouldn’t the Bible have mentioned it? When Elijah was taken up into heaven, the Bible gives a detailed description of the event.[14] Certainly Mary’s assumption would have been reported.

Queen?

Is Mary the queen? There is absolutely no mention of Mary as queen in the Scriptures. Many point to the woman of Revelation 12 and say that this woman, with a crown of twelve stars, is Mary. “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.”[15]

However, Bible students understand that the woman of Revelation 12 is a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel who were sealed by God for salvation in Revelation 7. In the Old Testament, Israel is the earthly bride of God the Father.[16] During earth’s final period, God again deals with Israel.[17] The period described in Revelation 6–19 is even called “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.”[18] Of course, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.[19]

Most importantly, according to Joseph’s dream recorded in Genesis 37:5–11, the twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel, and the son and the moon represent Jacob (i.e., Israel) and his wife. Therefore, the woman of Revelation, from a scriptural perspective, is Israel. In addition, God states clearly in Romans 11 that he is not through with Israel but that he will again deal with her in the last days.[20]

That she is with child[21] also speaks of Israel’s role in the last days. Israel’s repentance in the last days ushers in—or gives birth to—Jesus’ Second Coming. The prophet Zechariah describes the events surrounding Jesus’ return:

And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn. …

And in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.[22]

Notice that it is Israel’s mourning and repentance that ushers in Jesus’ Second Coming. Also notice that Jesus is considered Israel’s son. It is Israel who gave the world the Messiah. Mary, as a Jew, was the instrument God chose, but Israel, as God’s wife, brought forth the Savior.

Finally, we are told in Revelation 12:2 that this woman is in pain. This directly contradicts the Catholic doctrine that Mary, because she was sinless, did not experience the consequences of the curse—namely, that she was exempt from pain and death.[23] Genesis 3:16 shows that pain in childbirth is the direct result of the curse. Therefore, if Mary was sinless, she cannot be the woman of Revelation 12 who is experiencing pain.

Catholic Theologian Agrees

Roman Catholic theologian Father Hubert J. Richards agrees that the Revelation 12 woman refers to Israel. His book What The Spirit Says to the Churches: A Key to the Apocalypse of John carries the nihil obstat and imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church.[24] Concerning the woman of Revelation 12, Father Hubert J. Richards writes:

The vision proper, then, begins with the figure of a Woman clothed with the sun and the stars. We think naturally enough of our Lady, to whom this description has traditionally been applied. After all, we say, of whom else could John be thinking when he speaks of the mother of the Messiah? However it is clear from the rest of the chapter that this interpretation will stand only if the verse is isolated: what follows has very little relevance to our Lady. Nor is it any honor to Mary to apply any and every text to her without thought. …

Who then is she? The source to which John has turned for his imagery throughout this book is the Old Testament. There, the Woman, the bride of God who brings forth the Messiah, is Israel, the true Israel, the chosen people of God. It is quite certain that this is what is in John’s mind when he begins his description with a quotation from Gen. 37:9–10, where the sun and moon and twelve stars represent the twelve-fold Israel.

This Woman will later be contrasted with the Harlot (the collective personality of Rome, opposed to the true Israel), and will be specified at the end of the book, again appearing in light and splendour for her marriage with the Lamb, as the twelve-gated Jerusalem which forms the new Israel. In fact the number twelve occurs so frequently in the Apocalypse in reference to Israel that it cannot have a different meaning here. All the early Fathers of the Church interpreted these verses as about the Israel of God.[25]

Conclusion

Finally, Luke’s Gospel describes the first recorded instance of Marian devotion. “And it happened as [Jesus] spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!” Jesus’ response, as always, put things into perspective. “But he said, ‘More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’”[26]

Mary is a wonderful role model for all Christians. She is indeed blessed among women. The Bible tells us these facts—but no more. The humble girl from Nazareth is not our mother, she was not sinless, and she is not our queen. The Bible repeatedly commands us not to go beyond what is written.[27]

[2] Matthew 1:25.

[3] Matthew 13:55, 56.

[4] Joseph is not mentioned during Jesus’ adult ministry.

[5] John 7:5.

[6] Galatians 4:26.

[7] Genesis 17:16.

[8] Genesis 3:20.

[9] Luke 1:47.

[10] Romans 3:9, 10; 3:23; Psalm 14:1; 53:1.

[11] Luke 2:22–24.

[12] Leviticus 12:6, 7.

[13] Galatians 3:22.

[14] 2 Kings 2:1–18.

[15] Revelation 12:1, 2.

[16] Isaiah 54:5. Cf. Isaiah 26:17, 18 and 66:7, 8 where Israel is portrayed as a woman in labor.

[17] Revelation 7; Daniel 9.

[18] Jeremiah 30:7.

[19] Genesis 35:10.

[20] Romans 11:25–32.

[21] Revelation 12:2.

[22] Zechariah 12:10; 14:4.

[23] Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 491, 492, 966.

[24] The nihil obstat and imprimatur are a declaration that a book is considered to be free from doctrinal and moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the nihil obstat and imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

[25] Hubert J. Richards, What the Spirit Says to the Churches: A Key to the Apocalypse of John (New York: P. J. Kenedy and Sons, 1967), 93–94.

[26] Luke 11:28.

[27] Deuteronomy 4:2; Matthew 15:3, 6; 1 Corinthians 4:6; Revelation 22:18, 19.

NEXT: Tim Staples responds to Jim Tetlow.