What about Mary?
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." - Acts 4:12
I was asked what I was taught as a Roman Catholic growing up about Mary as well I want to share what the Bible has to say about it. I no longer follow the teachings of the RC church and have been scripturally born again, water baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, all according to John 3:3.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - John 8:32
Who the Son sets free is free indeed! Also a good way to refute any discussion quoting scripture is to read the verses before and after to get the context, please feel free to do so with my scripture references.
The format is laid out below is first what I was "Taught" and then second what the "Bible" says about it. I can't help thinking of all the customs and prayers the Catholic church does is not based in Scripture.
One of the many resources I used to compile this is: http://www.gotquestions.org/worship-saints-Mary.html and most scripture quotes are from the Online Parallel Bible - http://bible.cc/. A good comparison of the different versions.
Click here for a link about the Rosary.
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So then, what about Mary?
Taught: Mary is the Holy Queen of Heaven,
Mother of God, our most gracious advocate.
Bible: Interestingly she is never referred to this way, only as "the
mother of Jesus" and there is only one reference in the Bible as to the queen of
heaven - a false god talked about in Jeremiah.
The Roman Catholic Church states that it worships God alone but that they “venerate” Mary and the saints. What is the difference? The “Hail, Holy Queen” calls Mary our “most gracious advocate,” but the Bible says Jesus is our advocate to the Father and our only mediator.
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus;
Acts 1:14
"These all continued with one accord in Prayer and supplication, and with
the women, and MARY the Mother of
Jesus, and with HIS Brethren."
Only 'Queen of Heaven' the Bible speaks about
is a false god...
Jeremiah 7:18 "... the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of
heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke
Me to anger!"
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Taught: Mary is the Immaculate Virgin:
Bible: She had other children meaning Jesus had brothers and sisters, as
in Joseph and her had a normal marriage.
Matthew 1:25
And knew her not till she had brought
forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Matthew 12:46
"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren
stood without, desiring to speak with him."
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?"
Mark 3:31
"There came then His Brethren and His Mother, and standing without, sent
unto Him calling Him."
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."
Mark 15:40
"There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;"
Mark 16:1
"And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Mother of James
and Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him."
John 2:12
"After this He went down to Capernaum, He, and His Mother, and His Brethren,
and His disciples: and they continued there not many days."
John 7:3-5
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."
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."
Galatians 1:19
"But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."
NOTE: Yes, even back then they had a word meaning for 'brother' and 'cousin' in the Greek and Aramaic...
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Taught: The Assumption of Mary
Bible: The Bible does not record Mary's death or again mention Mary
after Acts chapter 1. Paul or any other epistle writer afterwards do not speak
of Mary or in such light as the Roman Catholic church does.
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Taught: Catholics do not pray TO saints or Mary, but rather that Catholics
can ask saints or Mary to pray FOR them. Mary and saints are "intercessors"
before God.
Bible: Only Jesus can intercede for us.
John 14:6
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me."
1 Timothy 2:5
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus."
Hebrews 4:16
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him,
because He always lives to intercede for them"
Romans 8:26-27
26- In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not
know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with
groans that words cannot express.
27- And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Mary and the saints are not omniscient,
(the capacity to know everything infinitely, or at least everything that can be
known about a character including thoughts, feelings, life and the universe,
etc.) and seems the dead don't like to be bothered.
1 Samuel 28:7-19 (paraphrased)
Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" "Bring up Samuel," he
said.
...The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground."
..."What does he look like?" he asked "An old man wearing a robe is coming up,"
she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself
with his face to the ground.
...Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"
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Taught: God will always answer Mary's intercessions
Bible: God answers those who seek Him with faith and ask according to
His will.
1 John 5:14-15.
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing
according to his will, he heareth us.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may
receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
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Taught: Lady of Fatima, Mary is sinless because she carried Jesus in her
womb.
Bible: Not so, Mary had to get saved by faith as well.
Quote from Lady of Fatima: "Our Lady stressed the importance of praying
the Rosary in each of Her apparitions, asking the children to pray the Rosary
every day for peace. Another principal part of the Message of Fatima is devotion
to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, which is terribly outraged and offended by the
sins of humanity, and we are lovingly urged to console Her by making reparation.
She showed Her Heart, surrounded by piercing thorns (which represented the sins
against Her Immaculate Heart), to the children, who understood that their
sacrifices could help to console Her."
Read in the Bible: Never does the Bible refer to Mary as being sinless. Never
does it refer to her having an immaculate heart. Rather, she refers to God as
her Savior
Luke 1:47
...and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
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Taught: Kneel before Mary's statue:
Bible: Do not bow to any god or statue graven image or symbol of Mary,
Peter, or any of the saints.
Deuteronomy 5:8-9
8- Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters
beneath the earth
9- Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy
God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
Only to Jesus do we bow.
Philippians 2:9-10
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is
above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth"
Isaiah 42:8
"I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images."
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Notice how many times Mary is worshipped versus how many time Jesus is
mentioned.
MEMORARE:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who
fled to Your protection, implored Your help, or sought Your intercession was
left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly to you, O Virgin of virgins,
our Mother. To You we come; before You we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother
of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in Your mercy, hear and
answer us. Amen.
So what about Mary? Let's see what Jesus says:
Luke 11:27-28
27- "And it came to pass, as he
spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said
unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast
sucked."
28- “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and
keep it."
Click here for:
- What about the Rosary?
- What about Salvation?
- Prayer of Salvation