the two teachings compared
1. MARY AND SIN
Catholic teaching
Mary was conceived without sin. "Mary in the first instant of her conception, by a special grace, was preserved pure from every stain of original sin." (Bernardo Bartmann, Manual of Dogmatic Theology, vol. II, p. 168). The dogma of the immaculate conception of Mary was emanated by Pius IX in 1854: "The most blessed Virgin Mary in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, in anticipation of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind , has been preserved intact from every stain of original sin "(Bolla Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December 1854).
The teaching of the Bible
All human beings are in sin: "Since sin entered the world through one man, and death entered through sin, and in this way death passed on to all men, because all have sinned "(Romans 5:12).
Even the most righteous of men, with the sole exception of the Son of God, is a sinner and "falls seven times" (Proverbs 24:16). "There is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but they are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3: 23,24).
Mary was no different from other human beings and never claimed to be born without sin. Indeed, she herself recognized that God was her Savior, saying: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1: 46,47).
Revealed truth cannot be circumvented by resorting to sophisms such as that of "salvation in preservation and not in liberation from sin" (redemptio praeservativa, non reparativa), which Catholic theologians would like to apply to Mary.
As proof that Mary was not born without sin, we recall the sacrifice that Joseph and Mary offered in the temple when they went to present the baby Jesus (see Luke 2: 22-24). In fact, the Mosaic law said: "And if (she) has no means to offer a lamb, she will catch two turtle doves or two young pigeons: one for the burnt offering and the other for the sin offering. The priest will make atonement. for her, and she will be pure "(Lev. 12: 8). Mary also offered that sacrifice for her own sin.
Therefore, the Catholic idea that in order for Jesus to be born immaculate it was necessary that his mother also be so is unfounded. Jesus was born sinless not because his mother was sinless, but because he was begotten in her by the Spirit of God, who is absolutely Holy.
This, on the other hand, was also the position of the first Christians. Saint Eusebius wrote (260-340 AD): "No one is exempt from the stain of original sin, not even the mother of the Redeemer of the world. Jesus alone is exempt from the law of sin, although born of a woman subjected to sin" (Eusebius, Issued in Orat. II de Nativ.).
2. MARY AND GOD
Catholic teaching
Mary is the mother of God. "Mary is the Mother of God in a real sense." (Bernardo Bartmann, op. Cit., Page 157). Mary was defined as the mother of God by the council of Ephesus in 431. The second council of Constantinople launched the following anathema against those who do not consider her as such: "If someone affirms that the glorious and always virgin saint Mary is only improperly and not according to truth of God ... and does not really consider her and according to truth mother of God ... let him be anathema ".
The teaching of the Bible
God is the only Creator of all things visible and invisible. Jesus is the living Word of God, who was with God before He created all living things and creatures (see John's Gospel chapter 1), including Mary. It is through the Word, the Word (Jesus) that all things were made, and without Him "not a single thing was done" (John 1: 3). Therefore Mary cannot be defined as "mother of God"; she was the mother of Jesus according to the flesh.
Let us remember that one day while Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Jesus: "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that you suckled! But he said: Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and the 'they observe! " (Luke 11: 27,28). Jesus knew that Mary had been chosen by God to conceive and give birth to him; he knew that Mary was blessed among women precisely for having brought into the world he who was the Son of God, and yet when that woman in front of so many people proclaimed Mary blessed, Jesus proclaimed the beatitude of those who hear the Word of God and they observe it.
3. PERPETUAL VIRGINITY OF MARY
This topic has already been covered on this other page.
4. MARY AND THE SKY
Catholic teaching
Mary was assumed into heaven. "Finally the Immaculate Virgin preserved immune from any stain of original guilt, finished the course of her earthly life, was assumed to celestial glory with her body and soul, and exalted by the Lord as the Queen of the Universe, so that she was more fully conformed to his Son "(Vatican Council II, Sess. V, chap. VIII). The dogma of the Assumption of Mary into heaven was proclaimed by Pius XII in 1950. The feast of the Assumption of Mary occurs on August 15th.
The teaching of the Bible
The Bible makes no mention of Mary's assumption, nor does it support this idea. We can say that Mary, being a believer, when she died went to live in heaven with the Lord, but not that Mary died and rose again and was taken up into heaven with her body.
His soul is there as well as that of all the holy believers who have died until today, awaiting the resurrection of the body that will take place at the return of Christ. Indeed, the apostle Paul said that Christ is the first fruits of those who sleep and that those who are Christ's (therefore also Mary) will be quickened at his coming (cf. 1 Cor 15: 20-23).
5. MARY AND THE REDEMPTION
Catholic teaching
Mary is co-redemptrix of humanity. Mary "depending on Christ, but as the only principle with him, cooperated in the objective redemption and therefore was a true co-redemptrix ... depending on Jesus, but as the only principle with him, she satisfied for all the sins of humanity, paid the price to God of our liberation, he gained all the graces for men, placating (in his own way) God with his voluntary and necessary contribution to the sacrifice of the cross "(Pasquale Lorenzin, Dogmatic Theology, 1968, pag. 499-500).
The teaching of the Bible
God's Word continually reiterates that only Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world because he alone died on the cross for our sins and no one else with him.
- Jesus said: "I am the door: if anyone enters by me, he will be saved" (John 10: 9); "I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47).
- The apostle Peter said, "In no other is there salvation; for there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which we have to be saved" (Acts 4:12).
The claims that Mary suffered with Jesus for us are devoid of any biblical foundation. Who was nailed to the cross? Who shed his blood as a ransom for our sins? Who has risen for our justification? "Before me no God was formed, and after me, there will be none. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Savior " (Isaiah 43: 10-11).
"He (Jesus) was pierced because of our transgressions, cut off because of our iniquities; the chastisement, for which we have peace, fell upon him, and by his bruises we were healed. We were all lost like sheep. , each of us followed his own way; but the Eternal has made the iniquity of us all fall upon him "
6. MARY AS MEDIATOR
Catholic teaching
Mary prays for men. She acts as a mediator because she takes the prayers that are made to her and brings them to Christ. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council decreed: "Assumed into heaven she did not put down this mission of salvation, but with her multiple intercession she continues to obtain for us the gifts of eternal salvation ... For this reason the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church with the titles as a lawyer, helper, rescuer, mediator "(Vatican Council II, Sess. V, chap. VIII).
The teaching of the Bible
Jesus always directed people to go directly to him: "Come to me, all you who are troubled and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). By virtue of this freedom we have to draw close to Christ, Stephen looked to heaven before dying and said: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59); he addressed directly to Christ who was on the right hand of God and did not need to turn to third parties to make his prayer reach the Lord. The need for the mediation of Mary, nor of other saints, is never taught or practiced in the Bible. The idea that Mary knows the needs of men is also wrong, because God's Word says that "the dead know nothing" (Ecc. 9: 5).
Apart from Christ there is no other mediator, as he himself said: "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14: 6). Jesus "can also fully save those who draw near to God through him, always living to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
The teaching of the Lord and the apostles exhorts us to pray to God only in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord:
- Jesus said: "What you ask in my name, I will do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask for anything. in my name, I will do it "(John 14: 13,14).
- "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus ..." (Col. 3:17).
Finally, as regards the so-called advocacy of Mary, we must say that the Word of the Lord exhorts us to turn to One only as our advocate: "If anyone has sinned, we have an advocate with the Father, that is, Jesus Christ, the just" (1 John 2: 1). Whoever truly believes in Christ entrusts his cause to Christ, his advocate. "Having therefore a great high priest who passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, we stand firm in the faith we profess. In fact we have no high priest who cannot sympathize with us in our weaknesses, for he was tempted as us in everything, without committing sin.
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with full confidence, to obtain mercy and find grace and be helped at the opportune moment. "
(Hebrews 4: 14-16)
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