Mary Mother of God

By Reverend Richard Burgett

Was Mary really the Mother of God? Can a sinful being produce a righteous offspring? Was divinity and humanity fused within the body of Mary? At the time of birth, was the Christ child passed through the birth cannel or transported from the womb to the manger? Can Mary intercede for sinners as the Mother of God? Does Mary come from her Son's throne with messages for the saints of today? Jesus being divine, would His mother also be divine?

Let us look at the manner that Jesus addressed Mary. Matthew 12: 47-48 says, "Then one said unto Him (Jesus) behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand outside, desiring to speak with you. But He answered and said unto him that told Him, who is my mother? and who are my brethren?" If Mary were divine, would Jesus have spoken in such a manner? In Mark's gospel, Jesus states that those who do the will of God is His brother, His sister and His mother. The family tie is not blood, but spirit (Mark 3: 31-35).

The kingdom of God is not like the kingdom of Israel. There is no new birth according to flesh. We are adopted sons by flesh (Romans 8: 17, Galatians 4:7, James 2:5; I Peter 3:7). In John 3: 1-21, Nicodemus received a lesson on kingdom birth. We can call it "Born Again 101" Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". Nicodemus said unto Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can He enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit is spirit."

At the time of Jesus being crucified according to John 19: 25-27; Jesus saw His mother standing by the beloved disciple. He said to her, "woman, behold thy son" (speaking of the disciple) and to the beloved disciple He said, "Behold thy mother" (speaking of Mary).

Let us go back to the first miracle at Cana. There was a marriage in Galilee where Jesus and Mary both were in attendance. When there arose a need for more wine, Mary tells Jesus that the host has run out of wine. Jesus's reaction to Mary was "woman, what have I to do with thee?" As you can read, Jesus provided wine and this was the beginning of His miracles (John 2: 1-11).

After Jesus had risen from the dead and departed, His followers return to Jerusalem as commanded to wait on the promise of the Holy Ghost. Mary was with the group (Acts 1: 1-14) She is there in Acts 2: 1-11; when it says, "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. Mary was there; she was a tongue talking, fire baptized, Holy Ghost filled, worshiper, and a member of the church: not a holy icon or living saint.

Now, Mary is a woman to be loved and honored by every Christian. She was "highly favored" and Mary had found grace with God. She was a virgin, not only in body, but also equally in spirit. The angel Gabriel was sent from God to Mary's house. The message was: Mary, God wants to use your body to bring Himself into this world. Why would God do such a thing? Because God created the world and all that is within it. This is a physical world with physical laws of creation. Because God is a God of law and order, He cannot break His own word or laws.

This world was made for man (Gen. 1:26), and God gave man dominion over all creation. Please note the man "Adam" was not created. He was formed (Gen. 2:7) and Eve was not created or formed. She was made from Adam's rib (Gen. 2:22). Other men and women were created (Gen. 1:26) and from their offsprings, Cain took a wife and raised up children (Gen. 4:17).

May I also point out that God rested on the seventh day and blessed that day (Gen. 2:2). Then in Gen. 2;7-25, we read of the forming of Adam and the making of Eve, the garden being prepared by God just for them, this was the eighth day. This day after the day of rest is typed as a day of resurrection, the number of the double world of the cosmos in antithesis of Heaven and Earth. The act of a new creation on that day made Adam and Eve, a special work of creation pointing to salvation that was to come.

Let me assure you I am not off of my subject. The created men and women had power over the created world, but no personal fellowship with God is recorded. The man and the woman of the garden had fellowship with God but no contact with the world. They were in the world but not of the world ( John 17:6, 14, 16; Rom.. 12:2; II Cor. 6:17). Eve through disobedience brought the world's influence into her paradise. By sin through transgression, she brought down Adam and all of mankind. By partaking from the forbidden fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, Eve and Adam tasted death. But Mary undid that curse when she stood by Calvary's tree and watched the flesh she had brought into the world die so all of mankind might live.

The fellowship of the garden which was lost because of Adam was totally restored in Christ, even to take all believers to a higher level than that of Adam and Eve. In the garden, God came down for fellowship with Adam and Eve. In the kingdom, we sit with Him in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3; 2:6; 3:10). There are times we see the shadows of heavenly things (Heb. 8:5; 9:23). There is a heavenly country to which all believers are going, so call it heaven, but all believers will call it home (Heb. 11: 16). This happens when all believers are caught away with Him in the air, forever to be with the Lord ( I Thess. 4: 17). Then will the desire of God's heart be completely known of Him when He said, "Let us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness" (Gen. 1:26).

So woman brought sin to man, man brought sin to mankind. Likewise, woman brought salvation to man and the Man (Jesus) brought salvation to all of mankind. This was the promise to Eve in the garden (Gen. 3: 1-15) that from a woman's "seed" there would be the bruiser of the serpent's head. By the work of the cross of Christ, we have peace with God, fulfilling His promise to Eve. By His flesh, Christ abolished the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, to make in Himself of two, one "new man", so making peace. Because of Christ, we now have access by the spirit unto God.

A song of some years ago said, "Mary did you know". I believe that Mary knew enough to obey. That was why she was favored and that is why she was blessed. Millions all over the world know Mary as "Mary Mother of God". She was the vessel through which Jesus, Who was God in the flesh, came into the world (Jh. 1:1-14; Heb. 10:5; Matt. 1:20). Mary was and is a very special person. Simeon's address to her at the presentation of the baby Jesus at the temple found in Luke 1: 25-35 says: "Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary, behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against, that the thought of many hearts may be revealed." The words, "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also" were not part of the original writings and were added in the attempt to make Mary divine, to give the appearance that Mary of the sacred heart knows the thoughts of man and can hear their prayers and bring salvation to those who ask for her help while calling upon her Son.

There is no Apostolic teachings, no records in the Bible to back such a teaching. Mary was regarded with respect as the Mother of Jesus by the Apostles and first century church, but she was not worshipped nor placed in a divine office by the church. All women should take her example of obedience and all men should praise her gift of the Savior of all mankind.