Why Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant

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ChrisRedfield47

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When we pray the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we say this like:
“House of Gold, Pray for us!” or “Ark of the Covenant, Pray for us!”

The explanation for that is that Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant. Among other things which demonstrate this, is the fact that the last time the Ark (of the Old Covenant) is mentioned is in the book of the Maccabees, a little before the Babylonian invasion. In it, we read how the Prophet Jeremiah, took the Tent and the Ark of the covenant and hid it in a cave and sealed it. (2 Maccabees 2:4-5). He did this because God told him to.

When the Prophet Jeremiah saw that some were following him to mark out the path which led to where the Ark was, he said:

“The place is to remain unknown", he said, “until God gathers his people together again and shows them his mercy. Then the Lord will bring these things once more to light, and the glory of the Lord will be seen, and so will the cloud, as it was revealed in the time of Moses…” 2 Maccabees 2:7-8

Knowing this, let look at Exodus 40:34-35 and Luke 1:35

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” **Exodus 40:34-35 **

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Luke 1:35

The cloud in the Old Testament is the Holy Spirit. For example, the cloud guides God’s people (Exodus 13:21, Nehemiah 9:19), just as the Holy Spirit guides it as well (John 16:13). With this in mind, the cloud that covered or overshadowed the tabernacle (where the Ark was in the old testament), is the Holy Spirit that now overshadows Mary. This would have been somewhat clear for those with Jewish background (since they were familiar with the Ark in the OT).

For instance, in the Protoevangelium of James (a non inspired book, which is non the less historical), written around 120-150 A.D., mentions this overshadowing with the cloud (the Holy Spirit). It says:

“And the widwife said to him: Is this true? And Joseph said to her: Come and see. And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of the cave, and behold a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said: My soul has been magnified this day, because my eyes have seen strange things— because salvation has been brought forth to Israel. And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the breast from His mother Mary.”
(Protoevangelium of James, 19 [A.D. 120]).

If you are interested in knowing more about why Mary is the Ark of the Covenant, check out this video which provides more info on it:

youtube.com/watch?v=2qQ-X3xKN-E
Mary Ark of the covenant - HD

youtube.com/watch?v=os8ALap34uY
María Arca de la Alianza - HD

The first is the English version, the second is the Spanish version of it. Watch in HD (select the option for 720) and full screen (otherwise you may have problems reading the letters in blue).
 
ChrisRedfield47 said:
“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” **Exodus 40:34-35 **

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Luke 1:35

The cloud in the Old Testament is the Holy Spirit. For example, the cloud guides God’s people (Exodus 13:21, Nehemiah 9:19), just as the Holy Spirit guides it as well (John 16:13). With this in mind, the cloud that covered or overshadowed the tabernacle (where the Ark was in the old testament), is the Holy Spirit that now overshadows Mary. This would have been somewhat clear for those with Jewish background (since they were familiar with the Ark in the OT).
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After reading what you wrote about the cloud overshadowing the tabernacle and something I came across the other day, as to what one of the early church fathers wrote, I’m confused. This is what I found:

He [Jesus] was the ark formed of incorruptible wood. For by this is signified that His tabernacle [Mary] was exempt from defilement and corruption (Orat. In Illud, Dominus pascit me, in Gallandi, Bibl. Patrum, II, 496 ante [A.D. 235]).
Ephraim the Syrian

Can someone please explain? 🤷
 
Christina79 said:
After reading what you wrote about the cloud overshadowing the tabernacle and something I came across the other day, as to what one of the early church fathers wrote, I’m confused. This is what I found:

He [Jesus] was the ark formed of incorruptible wood. For by this is signified that His tabernacle [Mary] was exempt from defilement and corruption (Orat. In Illud, Dominus pascit me, in Gallandi, Bibl. Patrum, II, 496 ante [A.D. 235]).
Ephraim the Syrian

Can someone please explain? 🤷
Click to expand...
Well the first thing I must say is that Ephraim the Syrian lived between 306 A.D. and 373 A.D. So the date must be wrong…

Secondly, if he indeed wrote it, he still says Mary is the Tabernacle. And plenty of Fathers out there do identify Mary as the Tabernacle (and one thing is the Ark, another the Tabernacle). But it is clear from scripture (please see the video I posted) that Mary is the Ark of the Covenant. And plenty of early Christians recognize this fact. Please see this following link:

catholicfidelity.com/apologetics-topics/mary/church-fathers-on-mary-as-ark-of-the-new-covenant/

On that link I gave you, you will notice how many Fathers saw Mary as the Ark. In fact you will notice various quotes of St. Ephrem (also known as Ephraim) and how he plainly identified Mary as the Ark.

So concerning the quote you gave, even if Ephrem did wrote it, he still recognizes there Mary as the Tabernacle. And the Holy Spirit not only overshadowed the Ark, rather the entire Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35).
 
Is it wrong to say that Jesus is the New Covenant, as he is the Word Incarnate?

If so, why would it be difficult to assume Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant? I thought it always made sense.

That is of course, if I misunderstood what the New Covenant is; whether it is something Jesus brings, but does not assume.
 
Kingtroll1 said:
@ChrisRedfield

I don’t think macabees qualify as scripture as demonstrated by this article by tektonics.org

tektonics.org/lp/otcanon.html
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It is Scripture, because it was determined as such by the Catholic Church in early Christianity. Martin Luther took 7 books out of the bible, which are now known as the “deuterocanonical books”. Therefore, protestants have 7 less books in the bible as a consequence. 2nd Macabees is one of them.

This is entirely a different topic. If you do not regard Macabees as scriptural because you re not Catholic, you have to regard it as historical. And it was existent before any of the New Testament was.
 
Liquid47 said:
Is it wrong to say that Jesus is the New Covenant, as he is the Word Incarnate?

If so, why would it be difficult to assume Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant? I thought it always made sense.

That is of course, if I misunderstood what the New Covenant is; whether it is something Jesus brings, but does not assume.
Click to expand...
I dont think its wrong to interpret it that way. After all, He said: “This is my blood of the covenant” Matt 26:28

God in the Old Testament, gave the Jews the written Word of God (the ten commandments), which represented in itself the Covenant between God and Israel.

God in the New Testament, gave us the Word of God made flesh (Jesus).

In fact, I found one ancient quote which identifies Jesus as the New Testament itself. It is believed St. Ambrose wrote this:

“The prophet David danced before the Ark. Now what else should we say the Ark was but holy Mary? The Ark bore within it the tables of the Testament, but Mary bore the Heir of the same Testament itself. The former contained in it the Law, the latter the Gospel. The one had the voice of God, the other His Word. The Ark, indeed, was radiant within and without with the glitter of gold, but holy Mary shone within and without with the splendor of virginity. The one was adorned with earthly gold, the other with heavenly” (Serm. xlii. 6, Int. Opp., S. Ambrosii) (Blessed Virgin, p. 77).
-St. Ambrose (c. 339-397)
 
“The prophet David danced before the Ark. Now what else should we say the Ark was but holy Mary? The Ark bore within it the tables of the Testament, but Mary bore the Heir of the same Testament itself. The former contained in it the Law, the latter the Gospel. The one had the voice of God, the other His Word. The Ark, indeed, was radiant within and without with the glitter of gold, but holy Mary shone within and without with the splendor of virginity. The one was adorned with earthly gold, the other with heavenly†(Serm. xlii. 6, Int. Opp., S. Ambrosii) (Blessed Virgin, p. 77).
-St. Ambrose (c. 339-397)

Great quote!

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"he prophet David danced before the Ark. Now what else should we say the Ark was but holy Mary? "

The ark is the symbol of god’s presence he danced before the lord I can’t see the connection with the virgin mary:

2 Samuel 6:14
New International Version (©1984)
David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might,

"The Ark, indeed, was radiant within and without with the glitter of gold, but holy Mary shone within and without with the splendor of virginity. The one was adorned with earthly gold, the other with heavenly”

Mary is not a virgin she had sons and daughters:

Matthew 13:55

"Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

Note that the text is in greek and since this is a more precise language than hebrew it rules out that those people were cousins or kinsman. They are described in the greek term for blood brother adelphos(literally, “a” meaning “from,” and “delphus” meaning “womb”)
 
Kingtroll1 said:
"he prophet David danced before the Ark. Now what else should we say the Ark was but holy Mary? "

The ark is the symbol of god’s presence he danced before the lord I can’t see the connection with the virgin mary:

2 Samuel 6:14
New International Version (©1984)
David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might,

"The Ark, indeed, was radiant within and without with the glitter of gold, but holy Mary shone within and without with the splendor of virginity. The one was adorned with earthly gold, the other with heavenly”

Mary is not a virgin she had sons and daughters:

Matthew 13:55

"Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

Note that the text is in greek and since this is a more precise language than hebrew it rules out that those people were cousins or kinsman. They are described in the greek term for blood brother adelphos(literally, “a” meaning “from,” and “delphus” meaning “womb”)
Click to expand...
No. Mary did not have other children. Your comment is perfectly refutable. However, since that is not exactly the topic here, our posts could be deleted if we discuss that on this thread. So I recommend you to make it a new thread/topic. Then send me the link of it. And we’ll talk there.
 
Inside of the Ark of the Covenant was kept the tablets of the law, Aaron’s wooden staff that bloomed and brought forth fruit, and a jar of manna (the bread of angels). [See Hebrews 9:4]

The Ark of the New Covenant (Mary the Mother of God), kept the law, conceived a child while remaining a virgin, and bore Christ (the Bread of Life).

**Bible verse parallels between 2 Samuel and Luke that support the Theotokos as the Ark of the New Covenant:
**
2 Samuel 6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubim.

Luke 1:39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;

2 Samuel 6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

Luke 1:43 [Elizabeth said,] And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

2 Samuel 6:14-15 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

Luke 1:44 [Elizabeth said,] For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

2 Samuel 6:11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

Luke 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
 
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