The Virgin Mary

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Thoma
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The Virgin Mary

Post by Thoma »

Hello :)
I Had a recent discussion with some arab protestant christians and in some point the Virgin Mary was mentioned. i brought up the notion that it is not clear, according to the new testament alone, that Mary remaind a virgin after the birth of Christ. this is according to verses such as : Luke chapter 2, 7, Matthew chapter 13, 55, and Galatians, chapter 1, 19.
i know that the Catholic church hold Marry to be a Perpetual Virgin, this goes with her Greek title - Theotokos - God-Bearer. and this a church dogma.
to my surprise some of the protestants told me they agree she didnt remain a virgin.
what is your opinion concerning this matter? how do you interpret the verses i mentioned? (i dont quote them as i am sure you all know them already)
im not trying to extract any conclusion from these verses, im just curious :)
Ariel
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Post by Ariel »

Hi Thoma,

What you are writing doesn't surprise me. Unfortunately our Jewish mom Miriam (Mary) has been and continues to be a major point of contention between Catholics and Protestants to our own day.

To me personally she was one of the biggest stumbling blocks to my returning to the Catholic Church - because, admittedly, it is hard to find an explicit basis for the Marian dogmas in the NT.

But once I overcame these obstacles and understood the profound biblical basis as to why the Lord gave us his own mother to be our own mother, Miriam became in my eyes one of God's greatest gifts to us.

As for your specific questions and the verses about Jesus' brothers & sisters, etc, you can read about my thoughts about Miriam in my testimony, but I especially recommend that you study the lesson on Miriam that is part of our online course.
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” C.S. Lewis
Ariel
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Post by Ariel »

See also an excellent online lesson on Scott Hahn's St Paul Center website called Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” C.S. Lewis
Hadassah
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Post by Hadassah »

I heard Rosalind Moss speak recently of the Blessed Mother as espoused to the Holy Spirit, which I thought was just a beautiful way of thinking of this. Apparent, once pointed out, but really lovely. She gave a short exposition from Scripture, which spoke to perpetual virginity. I can't find my notes, however. If I can lay my hands on them, I will relay it.
mikemac
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Re: The Virgin Mary

Post by mikemac »

Hi Ariel

I'd just like to say that your lesson on Miriam, Our Jewish Mother is truly beautiful.

Along with Mary's perpetual virginity the 144 thousand from the twelve tribes that follow the Lamb are also virgins according to Revelation 14:4.

God bless
Mike
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