On Mary, dna, and Jesus....bare with this humble soul

[setarcos]

I know, it’s been answered. Sitting here this question has just crossed my mind and since I happen to be on here rather than elsewhere I might as well pose the question here and begin my research with those wonderful scholars who happen to inhabit this venue.
The question…Did Mary contribute any DNA to Jesus…did the Holy Spirit? Being fully Human I assume Jesus would have to have fully human DNA? Those 46 chromosomes must have come from somewhere…right?

 

[JimG]

I’ll start by saying that the scripture says nothing whatever about DNA. I can only conclude that perhaps the author of scripture–ultimately the Holy Spirit–thought that this was none of our business.

Just making an informal guess and nothing more, it would seem that all of Jesus’ DNA came from Mary. The Holy Spirit does not have DNA.

 

[TK421]

Well, perhaps we could ask another question: what DNA did Eve have?

 

[TheDoctor]

I think there are only two choices. Being fully human, Jesus had to have human DNA so it was either fully supplied by Mary or 1/2 from Mary and 1/2 from God. While it is true the Holy Spirit has no DNA, that does not preclude the Holy Spirit from making DNA, does it?

I think the only thing we cannot assume is that Mary contributed no DNA, for in that case she would be just an incubator and not the Mother of God.

The same logic seems to hold for Adam and Eve. They had the DNA that God made for them, which He can do, because He is God.

 

[TK421]

I’ll start by saying that the scripture says nothing whatever about DNA. I can only conclude that perhaps the author of scripture–ultimately the Holy Spirit–thought that this was none of our business.

Just making an informal guess and nothing more, it would seem that all of Jesus’ DNA came from Mary. The Holy Spirit does not have DNA.

Having all of Mary’s DNA would make him a clone, not a son.

 

[JerryZ]

She was human and therefore her DNA was human.

Jesus WAS and IS fully human and fully Divine. Hence HIS DNA was fully human.

Now since GOD is the Creator of the Universe and we are also HIS Creation therefore our DNA is also HIS Creation.
It is to me a moot and futile point discussing where did Jesus get HIS DNA!
As when we try, we get bogged down to the mechanics of biology, which are important for you and me but irrelevant to GOD.
It is my belief though, that HIS DNA was perfect! With none of the mutations that our life on earth as fallen creatures that have corrupted ours.
Also as we know, that Mary the Mother of GOD was preserved from original sin and conceived full of grace, I would also venture that her DNA was also free of any corruption (mutations).

…

 

[McCartney]

Some Eucharists that have turned into human flesh have been examined. They all contain LIVING blood of type AB+. I say living blood because white cells die within a short time of being outside the body. No DNA was possible to be analysed. DNA comes from the mother and father. Since Christ had n human father He has no DNA.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

The body and blood of Jesus would have been formed of Mary’s substance. However, since Mary could only provide the X chromosome, the Y chromosome would have had to have been supplied by God when the power of the Most High overshadowed her, according to the Latin maxim Nemo dat quod non habet.

 

[Thorolfr]

Just making an informal guess and nothing more, it would seem that all of Jesus’ DNA came from Mary. The Holy Spirit does not have DNA.

That really would be a miracle for all of Jesus’ DNA to come from Mary and for him to be born a man. Woman have no Y chromosomes, so since a man gets a Y-chromosome from his father and an X-chromosome from his mother, where did Jesus get his Y-chromosome? If he only had two X chromosomes from his mother, he would have been a woman.

 

[JerryZ]

Some Eucharists that have turned into human flesh have been examined. They all contain LIVING blood of type AB+. I say living blood because white cells die within a short time of being outside the body. No DNA was possible to be analysed. DNA comes from the mother and father. Since Christ had n human father He has no DNA.

The fact that our science cannot retrieve DNA from the Eucharistic miracles does not mean there is none, only shows that GOD is really omniscient and a joker.
Only HIM can play such a monumental joke on our “scientists”. Give them a piece of Himself to put under the microscope, but they cannot retrieve HIS DNA!

Lest they try and outdo themselves and start toying with the idea they CAN recreate GOD. Human foolishness!

…

 

[lmelahn]

I’ll start by saying that the scripture says nothing whatever about DNA. I can only conclude that perhaps the author of scripture–ultimately the Holy Spirit–thought that this was none of our business.

Just making an informal guess and nothing more, it would seem that all of Jesus’ DNA came from Mary. The Holy Spirit does not have DNA.

I don’t think is a problem to speculate about it, however.

From a biological point of view, Jesus could not have received all of his DNA from Mary, because Mary did not, of course, possess a Y chromosome.

Moreover, when children receive both members of a pair of chromosomes from one parent (as happens occasionally, although extremely rarely), there are usually problems with something that geneticists called imprinting: a chromosome receives a conditioning, depending on whether it originates from the father or the mother, and the child needs both kinds.

Hence, my conclusion is that Jesus probably received half his DNA from Mary (as is normal), and the other half was created specially for him. (Not a difficult task for the Holy Spirit.)

 

[Memaw]

That really would be a miracle for all of Jesus’ DNA to come from Mary and for him to be born a man. Woman have no Y chromosomes, so since a man gets a Y-chromosome from his father and an X-chromosome from his mother, where did Jesus get his Y-chromosome? If he only had two X chromosomes from his mother, he would have been a woman.

The Incarnation IS a MIRACLE!!! God Bless, Memaw

 

[OraLabora]

I’ll start by saying that the scripture says nothing whatever about DNA. I can only conclude that perhaps the author of scripture–ultimately the Holy Spirit–thought that this was none of our business.

Just making an informal guess and nothing more, it would seem that all of Jesus’ DNA came from Mary. The Holy Spirit does not have DNA.

DNA is a fairly recent human discovery. Talking about it in words set to parchment 2000 years ago would have been totally meaningless to the reader of those times. The Bible directs its wisdom with the understanding level appropriate for all time, not just for modern times. We are free to speculate on Jesus’s DNA and no doubt some theologians do so, but the only thing necessary to understand who he is, is that he is both fully divine and fully human.

 

[frangiuliano115]

Well, perhaps we could ask another question: what DNA did Eve have?

Well, of all the answers, I like yours the best.

You hit the nail on the head.

What DNA did Mary have?

Anyone hear of the immaculate conception?

Ever wonder where that concept comes from?

Why did Mary have to be immaculate?
Was Jesus sinless? And born without orignal sin?

So many questions, so little time!

Very good TK421!

God bless you

 

[AnneElizabeth]

I hope this doesn’t sound glib… Its not supposed to, but …

Since God is the creator of DNA, I’d think He could do with it whatever He wants. He doesn’t have to follow ‘nature’s rules’, He is the author and creator of it and therefore has total power over it. That’s what the term “miracle” is all about. It goes outside our limits of understanding. Its “SUPER-natural”, rather than just ‘natural’.

I think its as simple as that. We can’t pin God down in some sort of “a-ha! Gotcha!” moment. His ways are far above our ways, but I understand the desire to figure it all out, to have “proof” so that we can feel secure in believing. I think Jesus in the Gospels had something to say about that.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

Well, of all the answers, I like yours the best.

You hit the nail on the head.

What DNA did Mary have?

Anyone hear of the immaculate conception?

Ever wonder where that concept comes from?

Why did Mary have to be immaculate?
Was Jesus sinless? And born without orignal sin?

So many questions, so little time!

Very good TK421!

God bless you

Mary had to be immaculate because she was carrying the Son of God. She is the new arc of the covenant. Remember in the Old Testament, the arc was holy and if anyone touched it they would die. (I’m reminded of the scene in that Indiana Jones movie where all the people who watched the arc being opened basically got obliterated in a horrific way) Inside of the arc was the golden pot of manna (a prefigure of the Eucharist), Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant (The Law of God). This link has reading that goes into it more… catholic.com/magazine/articles/mary-the-ark-of-the-new-covenant

If Jesus was not sinless, forget the whole thing.

 

[frangiuliano115]

Mary had to be immaculate because she was carrying the Son of God. She is the new arc of the covenant. Remember in the Old Testament, the arc was holy and if anyone touched it they would die. (I’m reminded of the scene in that Indiana Jones movie where all the people who watched the arc being opened basically got obliterated in a horrific way) Inside of the arc was the golden pot of manna (a prefigure of the Eucharist), Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant (The Law of God). This link has reading that goes into it more… catholic.com/magazine/articles/mary-the-ark-of-the-new-covenant

If Jesus was not sinless, forget the whole thing.

Hello AnneElizabeth,

Very good! If Jesus was 100% man and 100% God, he must have had both the DNA of God AND the Holy Spirit. If he had to have the DNA of Mary, of course it had to be immaculate.

But, of course, she was human and made immaculate at, or just before, conception. Jesus was by His nature born without original sin.

I sometimes wonder how people can think of such things! But it’s very interesting, isn’t it?

I love re Mary being the New Ark.
Could I just change it just a bit?
MANNA = JESUS - the bread of life. The Israelites ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. Those who eat of the bread of life will never die.
TABLETS OF THE COVENANT=10 Commandments is the Law
Jesus is the new “tablet”, He is grace which is not written on stone but on the heart.

God bless you

 

[JimG]

Well it remains true that the Holy Spirit is pure spirit: he has no DNA. He could have either created the necessary chromosomes within Mary’s womb, or he could have changed the process of conception from the first instant of Jesus’ existence to make a male child. But I still say it’s none of our business.

 

[frangiuliano115]

Well it remains true that the Holy Spirit is pure spirit: he has no DNA. He could have either created the necessary chromosomes within Mary’s womb, or he could have changed the process of conception from the first instant of Jesus’ existence to make a male child. But I still say it’s none of our business.

You’re right JimG. God could do whatever He wants. He created the universe.

It’s difficult to stop the brain from thinking, though. So it’s okay to wonder about anything having to do with God, as long as it’s not blasphemous.

Now when Mary was declared Immac. conc. we didn’t know too much about DNA and the such.

Isn’t it interesting that science could make the dogma of the church better understood YEARS after it is proclaimed?

Now I find THAT interesting!

God bless you

 

[JimG]

Just a note about Mary’s immaculate conception. She was conceived in the usual manner by her parents and received their DNA of course. The fact that she was preserved from original sin had nothing to do with her biological conception (other than the fact that she was free from original sin from the first instant of her conception.) But Jesus was conceived without a human father.