Doesn’t this mean that Jesus was not God?
Jesus is, was and always will be God—with two natures while He was on earth.
The title Theotokos is more important because of what it says about Jesus than because of what it says about Mary.
What Scriupture gives her that title? God only used her womb.
Have the unborn also sinned? If so, what do you make of Romans 9:11?
I guess you don’t believe in original sin?
Mary was saved from the stain of original sin, but this would not have been possible without Christ’s death; hence, Christ is Mary’s savior, but this doesn’t preclude her from being immaculately conceived.
What Scripture tells you that?
Have you read St. Jerome’s treatise on the perpetual virginity of Mary? If so, what did you think of his arguments?
It’s just his opinion. Not supported by Scripture. This is the same Augustine that declared the church was built on Peter’s faith and not Peter the man.
This James is identified as a member of the Apostolic college in Galatians 1:19. Which of the Twelve was he: James, the son of Alphaeus, or James, the son of Zebedee? Where does Scripture indicate that Mary was unfaithful to Joseph and that either Alphaeus or Zebedee was unfaithful to his wife?
**I don’t know which James you are writing about. I am writing about James the Lord’s brother.
Glatians 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.**
I’ve never seen this mentioned in any of the writings of the Early Church Fathers. Do you have a source I can look at?
Read the second epistle of Ignatius to John. *(For who would not rejoice to behold and to address her who bore the true God from her. And in like manner * the venerable James, who is surnamed Just, whom they relate to be very like Christ Jesus in appearance,1 Or, “face.” Some omit the word. in life, and in method of conduct, as if he were a twin-brother of the same womb. They say that, if I see him, I see also Jesus Himself, as to all the features and aspect of His body.) **
When Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always, until the very end of the age,” are we to take Him to mean that He won’t be with us after the end of the world?
He promised to be with us always!
Was Mary not smart enough to figure out who her next eldest son was on her own?
We don’t know what Mary thought.
If this was a temporary arrangement, why did Jesus say, “Behold, your mother,” and “Behold, your son,” rather than “Behold, your caretaker until you are delivered into the care of my siblings”?
This should be obvious. None of Jesus’ brothers were present and He was telling John to take care of Mary as if he was her son. This John did until Mary died.
Where is Mary mentioned in Psalm 69? Surely you aren’t referring to verses 8 and 9 – otherwise, Jesus must have sinned, because the Psalmist also uses the first person to refer to his follies and wrongs in verse 5.
You are missing the theological point here. This may aptly be applied to Christ, for he knew no sin, yet he was made sin for us; and God knew it, nor was it hidden from him, when it pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief. This does not represent a sin of Jesus.
Again: St. Jerome demolished the idea that Mary was not a virgin so thoroughly in response to the heretic Helvidius that even the Reformers were willing to admit that she had remained a virgin after the birth of Our Lord. Virtually every argument I’ve made here (except for the ones about the Immaculate Conception, which are irrelevant to the discussion of Mary’s virginity) was originally advanced in that tract. If you haven’t read it, I suggest you do; we’d all be interested to hear where you think Jerome erred.
**Jerome’s three propositions were all false. Joseph was indeed Mary’s husband, Scripture tells us so.
The Bible states brothers and not cousins. Jerome is wrong here also. Jerome’s opinion was not valid, according to Scripture.
If virginity was better than marriage, then why did God tell us to join together and procreate?
Jerome’s arguments would not hold water at all today! We know so much more about it now.**
