C
ChrisRedfield47
Guest
Usually there are 3 main arguments as to why Mary shouldn’t be called “Mother of God”
The first argument:
1- The title means she existed before God and that she is the source of Jesus’ divinity.
Answer: Neither is Mary older than God nor is she the source of the Divinity of Jesus.
A mother is a person that either:
A) Gave Birth to a Child
B) Provided the genetic material for the human being to develop
C) Raised a child
Science has provided so that, A can exist without B (surrogate Mother) and C. B can exist without A and C (Biological mother). And finally, C can exist without A or B (non-biological mothers. Usually adoptive or stepmothers).
Usually though, all 3 cases apply. As for the Virgin Mary these are no exceptions. All 3 apply. However, some people (usually non-catholics) have argued that B is uknown, because we dont know how the other half of the genetic material (correspondant to that of the Male) was provided (Joseph was the adoptive Father of Jesus, not his biological Father). Some simply say that Mary provided all the genetic Material for Jesus. Some affirm that it is a miracle of God and it is uknown as to how it happend. Church Fathers like Augustine, Council of Ephesus etc, are clear that Jesus took from the Flesh of Mary, which seems to imply that he took from her genetic material.
“For He received earth from earth; because flesh is from the earth, and He took flesh from the flesh of Mary. He walked here in the same flesh, and gave us the same flesh to be eaten unto salvation.” (Explanation of the Psalms 98:9 [A.D. 411])
-St. Augustine
“…we confess the holy Virgin to be the Mother of God because God the Word took flesh and became man and from his very conception united to himself the temple he took from her” (Formula of Union [A.D. 431]).
-Council of Ephesus
Be that as it may, Mary did carry Jesus (God) in her womb and raised him (points A and C). These are enough elements for Mary to be considered “Mother” of Jesus.
This title then, does not mean that she is older than Jesus, even though of course earthly moms are older than their sons.
By definition, a mother is not a person older than another. Rather, the definition of what a mother is, was provided above and Mary has more than enough elements to be called “Mother” of Jesus, whom is God. Therefore Mary is Mother of God.
Second Argument:
2- Calling Mary “Mother of God”, is like considering her Mother of the Father and of the Holy Spirit.
Answer: While it is true that Mary is not the Mother of God the Father or of the Holy Spirit, by the fact that Jesus is God himself, the title is more than appropriate. Catholics in fact regard Mary as Mother of the Word (Jesus), Daughter of the Father, and Spouse of The Holy Spirit. But it is not wrong to call Mary “Mother of God” as long as we maintain that Jesus is God, which he is.
"The One whom [Mary] conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father’s eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly “Mother of God.” (CCC 495)
Third Argument:
3- Mary is only Mother of Jesus’ human nature, not his Divine nature. Or: She only carried Christ’s human nature in her womb, and not his divine nature.
This argument seems unreasonable because women cannot be mother’s of mere natures. You can’t just separate the person from his nature. Women don’t give birth to natures, they give birth to persons. Persons have natures. When a child is conceived he is a person, not a mere nature. Jesus has a Divine and Human nature. Mary gave birth to the person of Jesus Christ, the God-man.
There aren’t 2 Jesus, one Human and one Divine. There is only one Jesus, Human and Divine. And Mary gave birth to that Jesus. Therefore Mary is the Mother of God.
For more information regarding why Mary is Mother of God, go to the video I created titled “Mary Mother of God” on YouTube:
English Version:
youtube.com/watch?v=T0XweaBeZ0s
Spanish Version
youtube.com/watch?v=vwJbjpAVsS4
The first argument:
1- The title means she existed before God and that she is the source of Jesus’ divinity.
Answer: Neither is Mary older than God nor is she the source of the Divinity of Jesus.
A mother is a person that either:
A) Gave Birth to a Child
B) Provided the genetic material for the human being to develop
C) Raised a child
Science has provided so that, A can exist without B (surrogate Mother) and C. B can exist without A and C (Biological mother). And finally, C can exist without A or B (non-biological mothers. Usually adoptive or stepmothers).
Usually though, all 3 cases apply. As for the Virgin Mary these are no exceptions. All 3 apply. However, some people (usually non-catholics) have argued that B is uknown, because we dont know how the other half of the genetic material (correspondant to that of the Male) was provided (Joseph was the adoptive Father of Jesus, not his biological Father). Some simply say that Mary provided all the genetic Material for Jesus. Some affirm that it is a miracle of God and it is uknown as to how it happend. Church Fathers like Augustine, Council of Ephesus etc, are clear that Jesus took from the Flesh of Mary, which seems to imply that he took from her genetic material.
“For He received earth from earth; because flesh is from the earth, and He took flesh from the flesh of Mary. He walked here in the same flesh, and gave us the same flesh to be eaten unto salvation.” (Explanation of the Psalms 98:9 [A.D. 411])
-St. Augustine
“…we confess the holy Virgin to be the Mother of God because God the Word took flesh and became man and from his very conception united to himself the temple he took from her” (Formula of Union [A.D. 431]).
-Council of Ephesus
Be that as it may, Mary did carry Jesus (God) in her womb and raised him (points A and C). These are enough elements for Mary to be considered “Mother” of Jesus.
This title then, does not mean that she is older than Jesus, even though of course earthly moms are older than their sons.
By definition, a mother is not a person older than another. Rather, the definition of what a mother is, was provided above and Mary has more than enough elements to be called “Mother” of Jesus, whom is God. Therefore Mary is Mother of God.
Second Argument:
2- Calling Mary “Mother of God”, is like considering her Mother of the Father and of the Holy Spirit.
Answer: While it is true that Mary is not the Mother of God the Father or of the Holy Spirit, by the fact that Jesus is God himself, the title is more than appropriate. Catholics in fact regard Mary as Mother of the Word (Jesus), Daughter of the Father, and Spouse of The Holy Spirit. But it is not wrong to call Mary “Mother of God” as long as we maintain that Jesus is God, which he is.
"The One whom [Mary] conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father’s eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly “Mother of God.” (CCC 495)
Third Argument:
3- Mary is only Mother of Jesus’ human nature, not his Divine nature. Or: She only carried Christ’s human nature in her womb, and not his divine nature.
This argument seems unreasonable because women cannot be mother’s of mere natures. You can’t just separate the person from his nature. Women don’t give birth to natures, they give birth to persons. Persons have natures. When a child is conceived he is a person, not a mere nature. Jesus has a Divine and Human nature. Mary gave birth to the person of Jesus Christ, the God-man.
There aren’t 2 Jesus, one Human and one Divine. There is only one Jesus, Human and Divine. And Mary gave birth to that Jesus. Therefore Mary is the Mother of God.
For more information regarding why Mary is Mother of God, go to the video I created titled “Mary Mother of God” on YouTube:
English Version:
youtube.com/watch?v=T0XweaBeZ0s
Spanish Version
youtube.com/watch?v=vwJbjpAVsS4
