Problems with the Mary of Roman Catholicism
She is called The 2nd Eve
Since through Eve the original fall occurred it is through the 2nd woman mankind would be restored. There is no term for a second Eve, but there is a last Adam. In 1 Cor.15. Jesus is called this because both Adam and He had a supernatural birth. God blamed Adam for the fall; Jesus brings us back from the fall to restore us to God (not Mary).
Eve had other children, Eve also fell before she had other children; Eve had sin. If there is any correlation, so did Mary. Yet Catholics deny Mary had a family. Some Catholics even claim Mary was the first Christian; the very definition of being a Christian means one is a sinner in need of a Savior. To say this means she is sinful not sinless. Something the Mary of the Scripture would agree with but the Catholic church does not. Yet Scripture records she said, I rejoice in God my savior..
NAMES OF MARY
The Church calls Mary the “inexpressible gift of the Almighty,” (384)
The Bible in Jn.3:16 says, Christ is the gift from the Father. This is high treason to compete Mary to Jesus her creator.
Rom. 5:15: “… the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.”
Rom. 5:18: “so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”
Rom. 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2 Cor. 9:15: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
In Catholicism Mary is called the “Cause of Our joy,” (385)
The Bible-Rom. 14:17, “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Ps 16:11, “in Your presence is fullness of joy.”
Mary is called the “Gate of Heaven,”(387 )
The Bible-Jesus said in Jn.14:6 he is the way (the gate) Jesus says in Jn.10:2, He is the shepherd of the gate if anyone tries to come up any other way they are a thief and a robber.
Mary is called the “Morning Star,”(386)
The Bible-in Rev 22:16, “I, Jesus, … I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Mary is the “Mother of Mercy (2677)
The Bible-In 2 Corinthians 1:3God is the “Father of mercies.” Paul writes in 2 Tim 1:2,” To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The same is written to Titus 1:4. Speaking of Christ Heb. 9:5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat Heb. 4:16 the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 2 Jn. 1:3, “ Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:21: “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Mary is called the “Refuge of Sinners (388)
The Bible-Ps 9:9, “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Ps. 31:2, “deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me.” Mt.11:22 “Jesus says come unto him.” Nowhere does he ever hint to go through his mother to get to him.
Mary is called “Our Lady of Perpetual Help”( 389 )
The Bible-Ps 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Mary with Christ, is said to be “… the instrument and guardian of our salvation” (390)
The Bible-Ps 3:8 Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah Ps 38:22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
Luke 2:30: “For my eyes have seen Your salvation” (speaking of Jesus)
Acts 4:12: ,”Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Rom. 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.”
The Church promises that “all those who seek Mary’s protection will be saved for all eternity.”(391)
The Catholic church teaches that one should entrust themselves to Mary, surrendering “‘the hour of our death’ wholly to her care.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, (2677)
The Church describes Mary as the “Seat of Wisdom. (397 The Scriptures describe God as the source of all wisdom (James 1:5). The Church says that Mary is the “Mother of the living.(398) The Bible says that God is the God of the living (Mark 12:27).
Mary, according to the Church, is “‘the All-Holy’ (Panagia)”(493) God dwells in perfect holiness seated on a throne guarded by Seraphim (Isaiah 6:1-3).
Therefore the blessed Virgin is invoked in the church under the titles of ADVOCATE, HELPER, BENEFACTRESS, AND MEDIATRIX” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, chap. 8, II, 62, pp. 382-383).
The Bible-1 Tim 2:5 “ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”
Heb 8:6 inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
Heb 9:15” He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death.” “To Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant” (Heb. 12:24)
Mary did not die for your sins so she cannot be called a mediator for the redemption of sins in anyway shape or fashion. It is wrong to apply to her what only Jesus, the God/man could do.
“ And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
(I Jn. 2:1) Mary cannot be your advocate because she does not have the righteousness required.
Everything that is applied to God and Christ the Catholic church applies to Mary also. The implications of this position soon become evident, we now have a woman whom their Church has exalted above every other creature. If she has all the attributes of God then she must be God. If she is not God then why does she have all His attributes? The only missing attributes are that she is eternal, omnipresent, but that may soon be forthcoming. The only way to come to the truth is to look to The Bible which records what God had said, since He does not lie.
Mary the Ark
Some have gone as far as to claim Mary is a type of the Ark of the Covenant. Jn.1:14 the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory. In the Greek the word dwelt is skeinoo from the Hebrew word shekinah which was the word for God residing in the tabernacle. Jesus clothed himself in human flesh Phil.2:5-8, the ark was His body it had carried the creator of the universe. It was not Mary who was the ark Jesus’ body was the tabernacle. Mary is not the fullness of Graces the scripture is clear on this particular matter. The law came through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ and it does state of his fullness we have received grace by grace. (Titus 2:11) For the grace of God has appeared to all men. Through all of the letters we find Grace to you and peace from God our father and the lord Jesus Christ. There is no Mary involved in dispensing grace.
Mother of God
Mary appears only four times in Scripture and her words are recorded in only one of the occasions Jn.2:11. She appears only twice in the public ministry of Jesus Mt.12:46-50.
She is titled by the RCC as “…the mighty Mother of God.( 395) “Virgin Most Powerful.(394) The power “…in her hands is all but unlimited. (396)
The Roman Catholic view is God the Father and Mary. As God is our Father, “Mary is our Mother.(392 ) Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father, so Mary remained a virgin her whole life that Jesus might be the “only-begotten son of His Mother. (393) He is then the only begotten of the father and Mary.
But here is no such thing in Scripture, since God has no mother, Mary is the mother of his flesh body only, since He pre-existed before He came to earth as her creator.
The Catholic argument is since Jesus is God, Mary is the mother of Jesus, therefore she is the mother of God. It is not the title of Mother of God that is contrary to Scripture as much as the meaning that is poured into it. Mary is the mother of Jesus humanity only. Yet He is one person, which has two natures. When we think of God He is triune, certainly Mary is not the mother of the trinity, Father, Son and Comforter. Jesus before He came to earth was her creator. For her to actually be the mother of God she would have needed to exist alongside Him before He came to earth. The title mother of God is not found in Scripture nor is it insinuated to be taught. Jesus never called Mary his mother, but woman. How does one give her titles that the Holy Spirit has not revealed to us in Scripture or said by Jesus. This can certainly be misleading, and needs to be better qualified otherwise one might consider the eternal God has a eternal mother. It would be beneficial to Catholics instead of arguing Mary is the mother of God, to say the son who created her chose her to be his earthly mother.
The Catholic teaching is Mary is the Mother of the Church. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 963, 975)
But the very scripture they use for Peter being the Pope refutes this. Mt.16:16 Jesus said “I will build my church…” Jesus owns and builds the church, the Bible says He is the head of the church and shares this position with no one. Col.1:18: “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He preeminent.” Eph. 5:27, “that He might present her (the church) to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5:23, “as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” In the book of revelation he addresses the churches not Mary.
When Jesus rose from the dead he didn’t appear to Mary His mother but instead to Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph. Mary is another member of the church, she is not put in a special place above any.( Acts 1:14; I Corinthians 12:13, 27) She was not made an apostle and she stayed in the upper room with the rest of the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit.
The Bible does not teach Mary is our mother, Paul writes in Gal. 4:24-27 “for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children– but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.”
Praying to her
The whole Trinity, O Mary, gave thee a name…above every name, that at Thy name, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, p. 260).
Phil.2 “Every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Pope Pius the 12th “Mary is indeed worthy to receive honor and glory and might, she is exalted to hypostatic union with the blessed Trinity.” This hypostatic union makes her part of the Godhead.
How different is the Biblical portrayal of Jesus to Mary?
Ps. 21:5, “His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him.”
Ps. 8:5, “For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.”
John 5:23, “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Rev. 5:12, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
Rev. 19:1, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”
“The Holy Church commands a worship peculiar to Mary “ (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri p. 130).
The bible says only God is to be worshipped, if you worship any saint it is idolatry.
Many things…are asked from God, and are not granted; they are asked from Mary, and are obtained, for She…is even Queen of Hell, and Sovereign Mistress of the Devils.” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, 1931). pp. 127, 141, 143).
John 14:13-14”And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 15:16 “that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 16:23 “whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” Nowhere are we told to pray to anyone but God.
Queen of Heaven
Pius the 12th 1950 said of Mary “reigns in heaven with her son.”
God has exalted Mary in heavenly glory as Queen of Heaven and Earth (966). She is to be praised with special devotion. Catechism of the Catholic Church, (2675)
The name of the Lord is to be praised, for He alone is exalted above heaven and earth. (Psalms 148:13).
The Catholic Church has made Mary the “Queen of Heaven”. The mention of the “queen of heaven” in the Bible makes God angry, it is not a good thing for the simple reason there is no biblical queen. The similarities of the practices of these people who worshipped her in the OT and the Catholic Church are not to be overlooked.
Jeremiah 7:18, “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes (wafers?) to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings (wine) unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.” Why would God be angry? Because He is a jealous God, and does not want any false replacements.
Jeremiah 44:15-25, “Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not harken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense (candles, worship?) unto the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes (wafers) to WORSHIP HER, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.”
The word to make cakes in Hebrew atsab has the connotation of carving in worship, this was done by the women. They were in rebellion to God, notice they say, “for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not harken unto thee.” They didn’t listen, without obedience to the word they went into idolatry. Incense, burnt drink offerings made her cakes and worshiped her. As Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. False worship is practiced today and is just as wrong as when this was written. As we can see the Queen of heaven is not a good thing but a rebuke.
There is no Queen mentioned in Scripture, but we do have a King.
Mary never had so many problems until the Roman Catholic church gave her the offices and positions that God did not.
GRACE FROM MARY
Leo the 12th 1891 “nothing according to the will of God comes to us except through Mary”
“No grace is bestowed upon man without her intercessory cooperation she is the mediator of all graces by her intercession in heaven.”
The Bible teaches Jn.1 “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” v.16 “and of his fulness we have all received and grace by grace.”
Throughout the Scripture we find grace coming from Jesus Christ and God the father there is no Mary mentioned, a strange omission if it is true. Grace comes from God and Jesus Christ, this is why there is no other included (Gal.1:3; 6:18; 2 Cor.13:14; Phil.4:23; 1Thess1:1,4:28; 2 Thess.1:2, 1 Tim.1:2; 2 Tim.1:2; Philemon 25.)
1 Pt.3:18 Nowhere does it say it comes from Mary. Grace is found in God and through the Gospel; the correct one. (Acts 20:24). No gospel of salvation– then there is no grace.
Those who know and have experienced Gods grace and mercy certainly don’t look to Mary for this. No apostle did, neither does the Bible teach this. So why are Catholics practicing this?
Salvation found in Mary?
Mary is called…the gate of heaven because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without passing through her (p. 160). The way of salvation is open to none otherwise than through Mary, and since our salvation is in the hands of Mary…he who is protected by Mary will be saved, he who is not will be lost” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri, Redemptorist Fathers, 1931 p. 169-170).
The Bible says Jesus is the gate, the way, the door, anyone else who comes up another way is a thief.
“Taken up to heaven she [Mary] did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation…” [new Catechism of the Catholic Church, page 252, number 969]
Pius IX, Ubi Primum, 1849: “For God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that THROUGH HER are obtained every hope, every grace, and ALL SALVATION. For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary.”
Peter who Catholics claim is there first Pope stated Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation IN ANY OTHER ( not Mary either): for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” If they were in the first century would they listen to Peter or their Church?
Mary is the co-redeemer, for she participated with Christ in the painful act of redemption. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 618, 964, 968, 970) “All power is given to thee in Heaven and on earth, so that at the command of Mary all obey-even God…and thus…God has placed the whole Church…under the dominion of Mary” (pp. 180-181). “Mary is also the Advocate of the whole human race…for she can do what she wills with God” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, p. 193).
The Bible-Ps 49:7-8 “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him–For the redemption of their souls is costly, and it shall cease forever.”
The Bible teaches Christ alone is the Redeemer, for He alone suffered and died for sin. I Peter 1:18,19. It is an Enigma that the church that claims to have given the world the Bible, now ignores its teachings the most.
Mary is the co-Mediator to whom we can entrust all our cares and petitions. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 968-970, 2677)
Christ Jesus is the one mediator to whom we can entrust all our cares and prayers to. The Scripture says, “ cast your cares upon him.” He alone sends the Holy Spirit. I Timothy 2:5; John 14:13,14; I Peter 5:7. This is a affront to the very work and purpose of the savior.
Bishop Alphonse de Liquori The Glories of Mary p.160 “the way of salvation is open to none otherwise than through Mary.”
The Bible– John 10:9: “And being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.” “I AM the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, BUT BY ME. “Who are we to believe? The Church who leads people away from the Son or the Son who leads people to the Father.” There is but one way and it is by Christ alone, not the Church. The true Church proclaims Christ alone by faith and by the Scripture. If they do not do this can they be God’s Church?
Transubstantiation is the teaching that during the Mass, at the consecration in the Lord’s Supper (Communion), the elements of the Eucharist, bread and wine, are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus and that they are no longer bread and wine, but only retain their appearance of bread and wine.
