You might have an easier time if you reestablish the framework of the argument.
Consider the following:
- Jesus taught orally when He walked the earth. He never wrote a book or commanded anyone else to write a book. He taught the Apostles orally.
- SOME of what He taught orally was eventually written down, but not all. (See John 21:25)
- Yet, Jesus commanded the Apostles (and, by extension, their successors, the bishops) to teach “all” that He had taught them. (See Matt. 28:20) So, if he told them to teach “all” He taught them, but “all” is not in the Bible, where’s the rest?! In Sacred Tradition (oral teachings of Christ) referenced by 2 Thes 2:15.
So, anytime anyone insists that you “show them in the Bible” where something is, that’s a foolish and incorrect assumption.
Jesus did not write a book to spread His truths. He established a (one!) Church. Historically, this can ONLY be the Catholic Church since
there were no other Christian churches till 1054 A.D., when the Orthodox split off. Protestantism didn’t begin till 1517 A.D., when an ex-Catholic priest (Augustinian monk), Martin Luther, broke off. Since that time, Protestantism has continually splintered into literally thousands of man-made, doctirnally contradicting denominations, all based on some individual’s personal interpretation of the Scriptures, which St. Peter warns against in 2 Peter 1:20. The Bible was not assembled till the 4th century, and the canon was decided by the Catholic Church (there were no other Christian churches then!). Add to that the fact that universal literacy was not a concern to humanity till the late 1800’s, and a “Bible only” Church makes absolutely no sense, because it would preclude the vast majority of people on earth for the first 18 centuries!
With regard to venerating (honoring) Mary, one could argue along these lines:
- Did Jesus every commit a sin while He was on earth? (No!)
- Are we supposed to be as much like Jesus as possible? (Yes!)
- The 4th Commandment (for Catholics) is to Honor thy Father and Mother.
Jesus, therefore, honored His mother. If we are to emulate Him, we honor her, too, since she is our mother whom He gave to us when He was on the cross.
The reason we call Mary “Queen of Heaven” is because we call Jesus Our King. The King’s mother was always called the Queen. The Book of Revelation refers to Mary in Rev. 12:1 “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.”
The Immaculate Conception can be proven by going to the original Greek of Luke 1:28, where the angel appeared to Mary and addressed her as “full of grace.” The actual Greek term was “kecharitomene” and the English translation does not do it full justice. The real meaning of “kecharitomene” in the context in which it was used indicates that Mary was “full of grace” (without sin!) from the very first moment of her being (conception), in such a way as to be permanent forever. Someone “full of grace” cannot have sin, even Original Sin. Therefore, we say she was, by a singular grace of God, conceived without Original sin!
All the Sacraments are in the Bible. Sacrament of the Sick?
James 5:14-16: “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins he will be forgiven.”
Faith vs. works? Here’s a good article:
catholic.com/magazine/articles/we-can-work-it-out
I’m not sure about English translations of the Bible, but I do know several of the first tries at translating into English had errors in them. For example, one had forgotten the word “not” in the Commandments. It read, “Thou shalt take the name of the Lord in vain.” Typo, but a big one!
Hope this helps!
