CATHOLICISM

Mary, the Mother of Jesus (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

In last month’s Gospel Journal, we began a study of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as viewed by the Catholic Church.  We examined the doctrine known as “The Immaculate Conception of Mary.”  This doctrine teaches that Mary was born without Original Sin.  But, according to Catholicism, Mary was even more fortunate than that.  Mary, they teach, lived a sinless life.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn about the sinless life of Mary on page 116.  It states:  “Mary benefited first of all and uniquely from Christ’s victory over sin:  she was preserved from all stain of original sin and by a special grace of God committed no sin of any kind during her whole entire earthly life.”  If this teaching is true, Mary was just as “perfect” as her Son Jesus.  Peter tells us that He “did not sin” (I Pet. 2:22) and neither did His mother.  Let’s consider some points as we seek to refute this doctrine about Mary.

Mary was not told that she was highly favored of God until she was an adult.  A few questions come to this writer’s mind because of this.  Did Mary know she was immaculately conceived?  Was Mary perceived as just an ordinary woman among the Jews until she was chosen to give birth to Jesus?  Was Mary aware while she was growing up that others sinned, but she did not?  Did Mary’s parents notice that their daughter never transgressed the Law of Moses?  Did Mary ever participate in the Day of Atonement?  Was Mary the only person in all of Judaism who NEVER offered a sin offering?  If Mary never sinned, all of these things need to be answered.  Most likely, Catholics have never considered these questions.  Too, they would most likely respond to the questions in a way that is consistent with the sinless life of Mary.  If they chose that manner of answering the questions, Mary would have stood out like a sore thumb in Judaism.  Here is a woman who lived her teenage years and early adult years without committing one sin.   

There are two passages that refute the doctrine of the sinless life of Mary.  Luke 1:46-47 is one of them.  “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”  Mary refers to God as her Savior.  If Mary never committed a sin, she had nothing from which to be saved.  One cannot be saved from sins that have never been committed.  Mary knew she had sin.  She rejoiced that God was her Savior.

The second passage that refutes the sinless life of Mary is Romans 3:23.  Paul writes:  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  Paul did not say:  “For all have sinned, except Mary, and come short of the grace of God.”  Mary is included in the word “all.”  In verse ten, Paul had said this:  “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”  None were righteous.   The word “none” includes the mother of Jesus.

Let’s assume that Mary was sinless.  Now, let’s read I John 2:2.  “And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  John says Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.  Mary, we are told, had no sins.  Therefore, Jesus did not die for Mary.  Jesus did not die for His own mother.  In other words, Jesus would not be Mary’s Savior.

A final point we will make regarding the Catholic doctrine of the sinless life of Mary comes in the form of a question:  “If Mary was not born with Original Sin, and if Mary never committed a sin, why couldn’t she have been offered for the sins of the world?”  Mary was a human.  Mary was perfect it is asserted.  Therefore, she would have been a perfect offering for the sins of the world.  If a perfect sacrifice was on earth, why did God have to send His Son to die for mankind?  Who honestly believes that Jesus would have been offered for the sins of the world if another sacrifice was available? 

Dear readers, Mary was not “full of grace” in the sense that she had no sin.  However, she was highly favored.  She was given a special place of honor.  She was compassed about with the grace of God when she was chosen to bring the Messiah into the world.  Mary was not a perfect human being, but she was a righteous woman who stood out in the mind of God.  God knew that Jesus was in safe-keeping in her hands.  He knew this woman would truly care for His needs as He grew.  He knew she and her husband would instruct Jesus in the teachings of Moses and the prophets.  God chose a woman who would watch Jesus closely (Luke 2:51) who would allow Him to be given to God’s purpose.