One argument in favor of the perpetual virginity of Mary is describing her as the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark in the Old Testament could not be touched by just anyone. How would you respond to someone who said she was no longer the Ark after Jesus was born? In that case, Joseph could have relations with her.
I read through some good responses. But, I’m going to try to stick to the argument of Mary being a type of Ark. There is two ways we can look at Mary being a type of Ark. She was like the vessel of Noah and she was like Moses Ark of the Covenant.
Vessel that traverses over dark waters:
In Jewish symbology, ‘dark waters’ represented death and sin. People where “they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day” in sin right up till the day the rains fell. Deep and dark waters brought them death, only Noah escaped in a vessel that brought him and eight others to the shores of life. Likewise, Mary was the vessel that carried Christ across the dark waters of time since Adam. Being Immaculate, never having known original sin or actual sin she brought the New Adam safely on to the shores of redemption .
A type Tabernacle Ark
Moses was ordered by God to build a Tabernacle. It contained an outer court and inner court. [Cf. Ex 25-31; 39-40]. Moses “commissioned” Beseleel, to be the architect of the tabernacle and its furnishings; he was the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur. Beseleel along with Ooliab who actually built the tabernacle. In viewing the Tabernacle we move from outside toward the inside we first find a structure surrounded by a wall. Only one gate faces the east, a narrow gate; prefiguring Christ’s warning, “narrow is the gate of righteousness.” The gate opens into the outer court in which we find the sacrificial altar and the bronze laver. On this altar is where the immolation of the perfect Lamb took place sacrificed.
The inner court has a antechamber containing the Menorah, the Altar of Incense, the Table of Shewbread (otherwise known as The Proposition Loaves), behind the veil was the Holy of Holies. In this most Holy place was the Ark of the Covenant
God took residence in a place made holy by his commands to Moses to keep the Tabernacle clean. The Ark of the Testimony (Exodus 25:16, 22; 26:33, etc.), the Ark of the Testament (Exodus 30:26), the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord (Numbers 10:33; Deuteronomy 10:8, etc.), the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 3:6, etc.), the Ark of God (1 Samuel 3:3, etc.), the Ark of the Lord (1 Samuel 4:6, etc.) was the Incarnate Word of God; the Hebrew would never suggest that it reside in an unholy place? Why then would Jesus, who is both man and God, the Word Incarnate, reside in any less a holy place? , The visible presence of God overshadowed the Ark of Moses; "And the glory of the Lord dwelt upon Sinai, covering it with a cloud six days: and the seventh day he called him out of the midst of the cloud” [Exodus 24:16] Just as Mary was called out and overshadowed. When the Ark carried in David’s Jubilee David Jumped for Joy just as the baby in jumped in the womb of Elizabeth when the Ark in the person of Mary passed by. [Cf. Luke 1:44] It is said that Moses Ark carried the Covenant Law of God. Mary was the Ark of the New Covenant.
The spouse taken by God was made both spiritually and carnally pure. The flesh of the woman was purified and made immaculate, kept perpetually pure, though the grace of God, just as the Moses kept the tabernacle clean. The chaste spouse of God she was protected from anything impure touching the Ark would defile the temple God made of her. Mary vowed to remain the chaste spouse dedicating herself as the “handmaid” of the Lord in complete submission to her spouse [Luke 1:38] Not only was Mary chaste, so too was Joseph. Just as Uzzah put his hand on the Ark and died, Joseph being a just, knew to lay hands on Mary as the Ark of Covenant would mean death. We can presume therefore, that Joseph was also chaste.
The Ark was the birth place of the Jewish religion, as well as, our Catholic faith. Christ said “Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” He came to live, with perfection, the consummate the Old Covenant and to establish the New Covenant.
JoeT
