Thematic Study: Mary in Scripture

"The New Eve, and
the Ark of the New Covenant"

Development of Marian Doctrine.

Marian Doctrine is a common point of contention between Catholics and non-Catholics. In this study we'll hope to uncover some of the historic and biblical evidence concerning the role of Mary in Christ's Redemption, in the Church, and in our lives today. As a beginning, let us consider the following question: How has Marian Doctrine evolved in the Church over the last 2000 years? In answer, let us look at the example of the Annunciation. At the Annunciation, Mary is given her opportunity to fulfill God's magnificent plan. However, we notice there is not a lot of dialogue. The Angel Gabriel announces God's plan, and Mary accepts it. She does not say anything else in Scripture until she arrives at her cousin Elizabeth's home, at least a three day journey.

During these three days, we assume Mary has reflected on what the Angel Gabriel announced, and as a result was able to state the wonderous Magnificat. In similar fashion, our Holy Church has had time to reflect on what God has told us, not only with respect to Mary, but with many theological developments, and has pronounced Her own wonderous insights. Due to time constraints, we must discuss the Charism of Infallibility possessed by the Church at another time (see Matthew 16:15-19).

Typology:

In order to better understand where we find Mary in Scripture, we must first understand how to approach the study of Sacred Scripture in a typological sense. The Catechism of the Catholic Church offers the following insight:

"The Church, as early as apostolic times, and then constantly in her Tradition, has illuminated the unity of the divine plan in the two Testaments through typology, which discerns in God's works of the Old Covenant prefigurations of what he accomplished in the fullness of time in the person of his incarnate Son.

Christians therefore read the Old Testament in the light of Christ crucified and risen. Such typological reading discloses the inexhaustible content of the Old Testament; but it must not make us forget that the Old Testament retains its own intrinsic value as Revelation reaffirmed by our Lord himself. Besides, the New Testament has to be read in the light of the Old. Early Christian catechesis made constant use of the Old Testament. As an old saying put it, the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New." (St. Augustine) [1]

In other words, typological study of the Bible focuses upon Old Testament people, places, and events that pre-figure or foreshadow New Testament people, places, and events. We find typological examples many places in Scripture.

Jesus Christ Himself provides an example in the Gospel of Matthew

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matt 12:40)

and another in the Gospel of John

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:14-15)

And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Num 21:8-9)

St. Peter also provides a clear example of typology:

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Pet 3:18-21)

St. Paul provides probably the best known use of typology in his Epistle to the Romans:

Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. (Rom 5:14)

In other words, St. Paul is saying that Adam typologically references Jesus: both go to a garden, both go to a tree, both leave a garden, and both are tested. However, where Adam disobeyed, Christ obeyed. Adam is not the only proto-type to Christ. Isaac, son of Abraham, also is another type of Christ: both carry the wood for their own sacrifice and both willingly succomb to their Father's will. As previously stated, there are many other examples of typology throughout Scripture, however, time constraints won't allow us to explore all cases.

Three major OT types of Mary:

Let us now consider how Mary is typologically represented in Scripture. There are three major Old Testament types of Mary. The first is as the New Eve, second as the Ark of the New Covenant, and third as the Queen Mother. For the purposes of this lesson we will focus on the first two types. However, the idea of the Queen Mother can be seen throughout almost all ancient Middle Eastern societies. The first chapter of 1 Kings provides an example of the importance of the role of the Queen Mother.

Mary as the New Eve:

Scripture and the Church Fathers both recognize Mary as the New Eve. Around 145-150 AD, St. Justin Martyr refers to Mary as the New Eve in his writings. Let us examine the following passages in order to gain a better understanding of this teaching.

Genesis 3:1-15 -- First Eve, woman's seed alludes to virgin birth. Also illustrates how Adam failed Mary because he failed to protect her from the Nahash (Serpent).

Psalm 29 -- Sound ("qol") of God, gives us an idea of the why Adam and Eve may have hidden themselves from God.

The following passage illustrates how Mary was with Jesus, even through His painful death. She accompanied Him throughout his Passion, watching her own Son die:

But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag'dalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:25b-27)

Just as the first Eve cooperated with Adam by listening to a fallen angel and succombing to temptation, so Mary cooperated with an unfallen angel to help bring about, through Jesus Christ, our redemption. This is where we get the idea of Mary being a "Co-Redemptrix". This is not too say that God needed Mary to fulfill the Redemptive Act, but that God, in His Fatherly Love, has allowed, not only Mary, but all of us to share in the work of salvation.

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. (1 Cor 3:9)

Paul is not taking away any glory from God by stating that we are God's fellow workers. When we pray for one another, help one another, or when our priests, bishops, and popes perform their ministerial duties, we are not stating that God's redemptive act was insufficient. We are instead performing the role of children and doing what our Father asks of us. This opportunity to share in God's Salvific Plan is at the heart of our Catholic faith. As succinctly stated in the Catechism:

The Virgin Mary "co-operated through free faith and obedience in human salvation" (LG 56). She uttered her yes "in the name of all human nature" (St. Thomas Aquinas, S Th III, 30, 1). By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living. [2]

Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant:

Let us now examine how Mary is the "Ark of the New Covenant". To better understand this, let us recall the role of the Old Testament Ark. The Old Testament Ark held the written Word of God, the manna from heaven which saved the Israelites from starvation. Also, the Ark was housed in the Tabernacle also constructed by Moses under the direction of God. The tabernacle was made holy by the Shekina, the presence of God. Scott Hahn provides an excellent definition of the Shekina:

"What's a shekina? That is the dwelling presence of God, the glory cloud which at once is luminous and yet dark. It's that within which you saw all the thunder and the lightning. It's that which Moses entered, the shekina. It's what made the tabernacle so holy. In fact when this glorious cloud descended from heaven down to the tabernacle that had been built, Moses himself couldn't even enter the tabernacle, much less the other priests, to do service because the glorious, smoky cloud of God's presence filled it, once the Ark had been consecrated." [3]

As the Ark of the New Covenant, Mary held the Living Word of God, the Bread from Heaven that grants eternal life, as well as the physical and spiritual presence of God. Just as God protected the Old Testament Ark from profanation and violation, so we also expect that God similarly protected Mary's body. Let us explore the following passages as a quick overview to the Ark typology of Mary:

Physicality of the Ark

Exodus 25:10-22 -- Note the great care and detail given the Ark by God and the Israelites.

Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; (Rev 11:19 - 12:1)

Both experienced an overshadowing (epischiadze) by the Holy Spirit

And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. (Lk 1:35)

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Ex 40:34-35)

Both Mary and David "arose and made the journey"

And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba'ale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. (2 Sam 6:2)

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, (Lk 1:39)

Rare liturgical greeting, anfametzen, used for both greetings

And David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" (2 Sam 6:9)

"And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Lk 1:43)

Mary stayed three months, the Ark stayed for three months.

And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of O'bed-e'dom the Gittite three months; and the LORD blessed O'bed-e'dom and all his household. (2 Sam 6:11)

And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. (Lk 1:56)

John the Baptist leapt for joy, just as David leapt and danced when the Ark approached.

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 horn. As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; (2 Sam 6:14-16a)

For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. (Lk 1:44)

Let us also consider how the ancient Israelites viewed the Ark of the Old Covenant. The Israelites had a great reverential fear for the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament. Only the priests were allowed to touch it. The Lord struck down Oza for touching the Ark when the Israelites were moving it to Jerusalem (2 Kings 6:6-7). This great respect shown the Ark of the Old Covenant should be an example of the least amount of respect we are to show The Blessed Mother. Just as the New Covenant supercedes the Old so the new Ark supercedes the old. A Coptic sermon, attributed to St. Anthanasius, addresses the Holy Virgin Mary as follows:

"O Ark of the new covenant, clad on all sides with purity in place of gold; the one in whom is found the golden vase with its true manna, that is the flesh in which lies the God-head." (St. Anthanasius, 4th century A.D.) [4]

Common Questions:

Mary as the model of our faith:

Pope John Paul II uses three verbs many times when speaking of Mary. These are assent, consent, and obedience. Assent is agreeing to what God wants because we intellectually understand what is being asked. Consent is when God proposes to do something, but God wants our complete cooperation. Obedience, when what God reveals requires an action on our part. These last two do not depend on our understanding God's will, only that we accept His will. In Redemptoris Mater, the Holy Father states the following:

"Part of Mary's suffering is the perfection of her faith. At the foot of the cross, in a human sense, Mary underwent a complete negation of the words spoken by Gabriel at the Annunciation." [5]

At the Annunciation, Gabriel speaks of a Kingdom without end. How could a Kingdom be endless if the King is dead? Therefore, Mary's faith, especially at the time of the Crucifixion, is a model of perfection for us to emulate. [6]

Is it possible to to pay too much attention to Mary?

The only way this is possible is to worship Mary and place her as an equal or above God. We must remember that Mary is a creature, God's greatest creation, but still a creature. The following is an example.

Collyridianism -- Heresy which tried to deify the Virgin Mary. Not much is known about the founders of the heresy other than that there devotion to the Blessed Mother degenerated into an idolotrous worship of Mary. Collyridianism existed from about 350 to 450 A.D. Epiphanius, in Panarion, wrote the refutation of not only the Collyridian heresy (Mary as divine), but also of the Antidicomarianitic heresy (debasement of Mary). The latter went so far as to claim that Mary had intercourse with Joseph after the birth of Christ. The Collyridians, primarily women, developed a strange combination of Catholicism and pagan goddess cult customs. Epiphanius writes, "Certain women there in Arabia have introduced this absurd teaching from Thracia: how they offer up a sacrifice of bread rolls in the name of the ever-Virgin Mary, and all partake of this bread" ( 78:13). Let us remember Scripture, particularly the case of the angel who rebuked John the Evangelist for his temptation to idolatry "At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!'" (Rev. 19:10). [7]

Assumption of Mary:

Scriptural precedence may be found with Enoch, Gen 5:25, Elijah, 2 Kings 2:11, and Moses, Jude v9, as well as Matt 27. In Rev 12 right after describing the Ark, John identifies the Ark of the Covenant as the woman. Remember that the ancient texts had no chapter divisions. Note that this woman has a body, a physical nature.

The apocryphal Gospel of Thomas describes Mary's assumption, thus verifying that this idea was being circulated in the early history of the Church. Given the incorrupt nature of Mary's body, as well as the fact that there is no grave site or recorded pilgrimages to her grave (a common practice in the early Church), we can see that there is sound basis for this doctrine. As Catholics, to deny the dogma of The Assumption is anathema.

Mary as Mediatrix:

The Israelites believed in God and in Moses. Moses is acknowledged as a mediator.

"And Israel saw the great work which the LORD did against the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses." (Ex 14:31)

Is it acceptable to pray for Mary to do something directly, or should we only ask her to present our petition to Jesus?

Either one is acceptable. In answering whether Mary can do something directly, consider the following passage by St. Paul:

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

Sinless Life:

The Immaculate Conception of Mary is not unique, Adam and Eve were also immaculately created. Bringing us back to Mary as the New Eve. The enmity placed between the serpent and the woman is a total opposition. Thus there could not be a time when the woman would be under the control of Satan. Thus, the woman could not be stained with Original Sin.

The Marian doctrines can be based on the concept of intactness. Just as the Old Testament Ark was kept intact, so also Mary was kept not only physically intact, but also spiritually intact. The sinless nature of Mary is a grace from God, not anything that Mary did on her own. Jesus, on the other hand, remained sinless through his own power.

A common objection is often raised by quoting a passage from Romans "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23). We must remember that Adam and Eve did not sin until the Original sin, and infants cannot willfully sin, but this sinless conduct/nature does not make them divine [9]. Obviously Jesus did not sin. Therefore, the term "all" is being used in a collective sense. In this sense the term "all" is not fully encompassing but merely generally held. Therefore, in a collective sense there may exist exceptions.

Eternal Virginity:

Matt 13:55, James, Joseph, Simon, Judas are His brothers. In Gen 14:14, Lot is called the brother of Abraham, but in Gen 11:26, we know that Lot and Abraham were uncle and nephew. If we compare Matt 27:56, and Mark 15:4, two of the so-called brothers of Jesus, are sons of another Mary, not the Mother of Jesus. John 19:25 identifies this other Mary as the wife of Clopus. Therefore, at least two are identified as not being blood brothers. We try to place 20th century definition of brother to the word instead of to how it was used in ancient Israel.

We also have many quotes from the early Church fathers describing Mary as "ever-virgin", with the earliest reference coming from the Protoevangelium of James (circa 120 A.D.). The following is a quote from Athanasius:

"Let those, therefore, who deny that the Son is by nature from the Father and proper to his essence deny also that he took true human flesh from the ever-virgin Mary" (Discourses Against the Arians 2:70 [A.D. 360]).

Images of Mary:

In Exodus 20, God forbade the making of images for the purpose of worship. The ancient temple had images of oxen, angels, palm trees, pomegranates, etc. (2 Chronicles 3). We also recall that God specifically instructed Moses to create a graven image in the form of the bronze serpent:

And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Num 21:8-9)

Repetitious prayer (The Rosary):

Matthew is often quoted as a condemnation of the prayer of the Rosary:

"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matt 6:7-8)

This was meant to refute a pagans belief that mere repetition would force their god to respond. Also, this idea of all repetitious prayer being wrong does not coincide with a later episode in Matthew where Jesus says the same prayer three times or the ceaseless praying found in Revelation:

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. (Matt 26:44)

And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" (Rev 4:6b-8)

It is not only acceptable, but reccomended to repeat the same prayer as long the prayer is performed with the proper attitude. We must always realize that God is God, awesome and almighty.

Mary as our Spiritual Mother:

Recall that in the Gospel of John we have the final command given by Christ from the cross:

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27)

Now let us recall that John the Baptist, in referring to Jesus, states "Behold the Lamb of God". Also Jesus refers to Mary as woman, an encompassing term, more than once. This now takes us back to the prophetic woman. The woman first mentioned in Genesis (Gen 3:15) and again in Revelation. Let us take a look at the first and last verses of Revelation Chapter 12:

And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; (Rev 12:1)

Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Rev 12:17)

Scripture tells us that "those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus" are her offspring. We now see that Mary serves a protective/defensive role, the role of a mother. This role is not from her alone, but from Christ and through Christ.

Mary, Mother of God (Theotokos):

The Council of Ephesus (Third Ecumenical Council, 431 AD), of more than 200 bishops, presided over by St. Cyril of Alexandria representing Pope Celestine I, defined the true personal unity of Christ, declared Mary the Mother of God (theotokos). [10]

"We confess, then, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, perfect God and perfect man, of a rational soul and a body, begotten before all ages from the Father in his Godhead, the same in the last days, for us and for our salvation, born of Mary the Virgin according to his humanity, one and the same consubstantial with the Father in Godhead and consubstantial with us in humanity, for a union of two natures took place. Therefore we confess one Christ, one Son, one Lord. According to this understanding of the unconfused union, we confess the holy Virgin to be the Mother of God because God the Word took flesh and became man and from his very conception united to himself the temple he took from her" (Formula of Union [A.D. 431]).

Consecration to Mary:

From Vatican II, "Let the faithful remember moreover, that true devotion to Mary consists neither in sterile or transitory affections, but it proceeds from true faith by which we are led to know the excellence of the Mother of God and we are moved to love her with a son's or daughter's love and to imitate her virtues.: [8] (Lumen Gentium, 67)

Let us first consider what it means to consecrate oneself to Mary. In the strictest sense, there can be only one type of consecration, consecration to God. This is because only God can make something, or someone sacred. It is in consecrating ourselves to God that we hope to be more in His image.

Given that Mary is not the Creator, the Redeemer, nor the Sanctifier, then how can one consecrate themselves to her? On the surface, this would seem to be idolotrous. However, let us not forget that Mary is "handmaid of the Lord" (Luke 1:38), and as such, the prototype of perfect consecration. Consecration through her intercession and by her maternal care will lead us to a greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's inspiration, and as such to the will of God in our lives. The following paragraph may help to further explain this consecration:

All consecrations to Mary have a Spirit-oriented (meaning christocentric and theocentric) meaning. Consecration to Mary is consecration to the "perfect means" (Montfort) which Jesus chose to unite himself with us and vice versa. Consecration to Mary heightens the depth and truth of our commitment to Christ. Consecration to Mary must explicitly state that our ultimate goal and end is God (Holy Spirit; Christ our Lord). Consecrations to Mary where one pledges to perform all actions "through Mary, in Mary, and for Mary" are in fact a pledge to perform them more perfectly through Jesus Christ, with him, in, and for him. Dedication to the Heart of Mary must therefore maintain the vital unity between the Heart of Mary and the Heart of Jesus. We must confide ourselves to the Heart of Mary in view of our consecration to God. We offer ourselves to this divine consecration through Mary, for she points the way to the heart of Jesus.

Consecration to Mary opens up vast reservoirs of divine grace. What Mary tells those who consecrate themselves to her, is the same she told the servants at the Wedding Feast at Canaan, "Do whatever He tells you". She is therefore not a short-cut to bypass obedience, but rather a guide to show us how to be obedient.

She is a mother who accompanied her Son, Jesus to the cross. If Jesus was not exempt from the cross, then certainly her sinful sons and daughters cannot be exempted from their own cross, from their sharing in the suffering of Christ.

Types of consecration:

Montfort Consecration: To become servants of Mary and no one serves quite as devoutly or as intimately, as a son or a daughter.

Kolbe Consecration: To become property of Mary. The homeowners are the Mother and the Father, therefore, if, through the Spirit, we are sons and daughters, then we aknowledge the Queenship of Mary in order to have Mary view us as hers. In other words that she may view us as hers so that she may also accompany us on our personal Way of the Cross.

Therefore, the more we participate in God's redemptive work, the more the grace imparted to Mary from God is effective. As a result, this increase of redemptive work and Marian grace can only glorify God. God's Fatherhood is magnified precisely because of His success in raising up His sons and daughters to do His work with Him. [3] We are once again reminded of Mary's own words in the Magnificat:

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)

References:

[1] The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), paragraphs 128 - 129.

[2] Ibid, paragraph 511.

[3] Scott Hahn, PHD, Institute of Applied Biblical Studies

[4] "The Ark of the Covenant", by John O'Connell

[5] Encyclical by JPII, "Redemptoris Mater", on Mary's interior life.

[6] Professor Douglas Bushman, Director of Institute for Pastoral Theology, Ave Maria University

[7] "Collyridianism", by Patrick Madrid, from a 1994 issue of "This Rock Magazine".

[8] "Lumen Gentium", paragraph 67.

[9] Jim Burnam, Director San Juan Catholic Seminars

[10] "General Councils", Catholic Encyclopdia.

[11] Father William G. Most, noted theologian

Resources:

The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

San Jose Bible Study
Alfredo Nevarez
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