Who dare infer that God should then cease to be: Also in the first book of Machabees 5. 54, And they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, and offered holocausts, because not one of them was slain till they had returned in peace. That is, not one was slain before or after they had returned. God saith to his divine Son: Sit on my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstool. Shall he sit no longer after his enemies are subdued? Yea and for all eternity. St. Jerome also proves by Scripture examples, that an only begotten son, was also called firstborn, or first begotten: because according to the law, the firstborn males were to be consecrated to God; Sanctify unto me, saith the Lord, every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, etc. Ex. 13. 2.
Douay-Rheims Footnote On Matthew 1:25 Protestants also quote this passage to try to prove that Christ had biological brothers and sisters:
Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude: And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?
Matthew 13:55-56 When the Bible talks about Jesus’s “brethren” or “brothers” and “sisters” it was never meant literally.
It was meant in the same way as you call a close friend or family member “brother” or “sister.”
The term used could refer not only to blood-siblings, but also cousins, family friends and personal friends:
“His brethren”: These were the children of Mary the wife of Cleophas, sister to our Blessed Lady, (St. Matt. 27. 56; St. John 19. 25,) and therefore, according to the usual style of the Scripture, they were called brethren, that is, near relations to our Saviour.
Douay-Rheims Footnote On Matthew 13:55-56 On The Contrary… Catholics appeal to this passage:
When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.
John 19:26-27 If Jesus had brothers and sisters to take care of His Mother, then why did he entrust her to St. John?
Some Protestants claim that it could be because His brothers and sisters weren’t believers, quoting this:
For neither did his brethren believe in him.
John 7:5 But if St. James and St. Jude were Apostles of Christ by the time of His crucifixion, this doesn’t make sense.
If they were actual half-brothers to Christ, in addition to being Apostles, then Christ would’ve realized that His Mother would be in their care.
Thus, it makes more sense that Christ gave His Mother to the care of St. John, since He had no half-siblings.
Moreover, St. Jerome, the same person that wrote the Latin Vulgate, the first Holy Bible, actually defended Mary’s perpetual virginity in The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary.
Read that, and you will see how the writer of the original New Testament canon read the Greek New Testament as not saying that Christ had siblings.
Mary perpetual virgin Doubting The Immaculate Conception Catholics believe that Mary was without sin, even original sin.
Protestants doubt this dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
The Protestants quote these passages:
For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8 However, we know that Christ was without sin:
For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
1 Peter 2:21-22 And since Christ didn’t sin, it follows that it is possible for others to not have the stain of sin.
(Even though Catholics would admit that sinlessness is an exception given by God for a select few).
Thus, we would say Mary is another exception, and we have Scripture that supports this.
On The Contrary… The Biblical justification for the Immaculate Conception comes from these passages:
I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.
Genesis 3:15 Mary was created by God to be a creature that is essentially Satan’s counterpart.
Satan is full of pride and sin, so Mary had to be a created non-divine creature that is full of humility and free of sin, in order to be his antitype and put him in his place.
And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luke 1:28 The archangel St. Gabriel tells Mary that she is full of grace.
And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Luke 1:42 Likewise, St. Elizabeth declares Mary to be blessed at the mere sight of her.
The reason Catholics believe that Mary had to be created sinless was so that she could be the spotless Ark for Our Lord.
Had she had the stain of sin, her dirtiness would have been offensive to Our Lord and defiled His human nature.
This obviously couldn’t be allowed, so the Father had to create the most purest creature to be the Ark that bore His only begotten Son.
Moreover, while growing up, Christ was bound to obedience to His parents, and thus, the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph would need the graces to keep them from sin.
Therefore, it makes the most sense that Mary was created by God and given significant graces (more than anyone) to keep her free from sin to be the Ark of Christ.
Mary Immaculate Conception Doubting The Assumption Of Mary The Protestants disbelieve the Assumption of Mary, citing this passages:
And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.
John 3:13 And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But every one in his own order: the firstfruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 These passages make it look like that only Christ is in Heaven, until the Resurrection of the Dead.
But is this true?
Well, we already talked about how there are Saints in Heaven
On The Contrary… Scripture tells us that Henoch (Enoch) was assumed into Heaven:
And he walked with God, and was seen no more: because God took him.
Genesis 5:24 Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may give repentance to the nations.
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 44:16 No man was born upon earth like Henoch: for he also was taken up from the earth.
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 49:16] By faith Henoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.
Hebrews 11:5 Elias (Elijah) was also assumed into Heaven:
And as they went on, walking and talking together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder: and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:11 Elias, while he was full of zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.
1 Machabees 2:58 So again, it appears that John 3:13 and 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 are not to be taken in a literal, absolutist sense, just like Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8.
There can be exceptions (very few) to these rules.
So the question again becomes: Is Mary an exception? Catholics would answer: yes.
Here is a passage that supports our view:
And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his heads seven diadems: And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne.
Apocalypse (Revelation) 12:1-5 This passages references a woman in Heaven, whose Son was taken up to God (the Father) to His throne.
Who else could be the woman, other than the Blessed Virgin Mary? The Son is clearly Christ.
Thus, the woman has to be Mary. And she has a head, feet, etc., or, in other words, a body.
So Scripture says that Mary is in Heaven with her body intact.
Assumption of Mary Catholics Are Right About Mary In conclusion, Catholics are correct about our dogmas and doctrines regarding Mary.
We can explain away every single Protestant argument.
Moreover, Protestants cannot justify their disrespect for the Mother of the God they proclaim to worship.
They also cannot explain why asking people they know for prayers is okay, while simultaneously asserting why it’s bad to ask Saints for prayers.
Most know Mary is the Mother of Christ, but doubting she is the Mother of God is a non sequitur if you believe that Christ is God.
Have fun explaining why Christ wouldn’t give Mary to Sts. James or Jude, if they were actually His half-brothers and Apostles; it just doesn’t make any sense.
Finally, Mary’s Immaculate Conception and Assumption both make sense, if you just assent to the fact that God loves His Mother more than all other created creatures.
It’s not a hard leap of logic: If you were omnipotent, wouldn’t you create the perfect Mother?
And if you created the perfect Mother, wouldn’t she be perfectly loveable and worthy of respect?
You don’t have to worship her. I don’t. Catholics aren’t supposed to.
But if you love Jesus, and He created His Perfect Mother, why can’t you just love her as your Mom too?
Who dare infer that God should then cease to be: Also in the first book of Machabees 5. 54, And they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, and offered holocausts, because not one of them was slain till they had returned in peace. That is, not one was slain before or after they had returned. God saith to his divine Son: Sit on my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstool. Shall he sit no longer after his enemies are subdued? Yea and for all eternity. St. Jerome also proves by Scripture examples, that an only begotten son, was also called firstborn, or first begotten: because according to the law, the firstborn males were to be consecrated to God; Sanctify unto me, saith the Lord, every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, etc. Ex. 13. 2.
Douay-Rheims Footnote On Matthew 1:25 Protestants also quote this passage to try to prove that Christ had biological brothers and sisters:
Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude: And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?
Matthew 13:55-56 When the Bible talks about Jesus’s “brethren” or “brothers” and “sisters” it was never meant literally.
It was meant in the same way as you call a close friend or family member “brother” or “sister.”
The term used could refer not only to blood-siblings, but also cousins, family friends and personal friends:
“His brethren”: These were the children of Mary the wife of Cleophas, sister to our Blessed Lady, (St. Matt. 27. 56; St. John 19. 25,) and therefore, according to the usual style of the Scripture, they were called brethren, that is, near relations to our Saviour.
Douay-Rheims Footnote On Matthew 13:55-56 On The Contrary… Catholics appeal to this passage:
When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.
John 19:26-27 If Jesus had brothers and sisters to take care of His Mother, then why did he entrust her to St. John?
Some Protestants claim that it could be because His brothers and sisters weren’t believers, quoting this:
For neither did his brethren believe in him.
John 7:5 But if St. James and St. Jude were Apostles of Christ by the time of His crucifixion, this doesn’t make sense.
If they were actual half-brothers to Christ, in addition to being Apostles, then Christ would’ve realized that His Mother would be in their care.
Thus, it makes more sense that Christ gave His Mother to the care of St. John, since He had no half-siblings.
Moreover, St. Jerome, the same person that wrote the Latin Vulgate, the first Holy Bible, actually defended Mary’s perpetual virginity in The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary.
Read that, and you will see how the writer of the original New Testament canon read the Greek New Testament as not saying that Christ had siblings.
Mary perpetual virgin Doubting The Immaculate Conception Catholics believe that Mary was without sin, even original sin.
Protestants doubt this dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
The Protestants quote these passages:
For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8 However, we know that Christ was without sin:
For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
1 Peter 2:21-22 And since Christ didn’t sin, it follows that it is possible for others to not have the stain of sin.
(Even though Catholics would admit that sinlessness is an exception given by God for a select few).
Thus, we would say Mary is another exception, and we have Scripture that supports this.
On The Contrary… The Biblical justification for the Immaculate Conception comes from these passages:
I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.
Genesis 3:15 Mary was created by God to be a creature that is essentially Satan’s counterpart.
Satan is full of pride and sin, so Mary had to be a created non-divine creature that is full of humility and free of sin, in order to be his antitype and put him in his place.
And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luke 1:28 The archangel St. Gabriel tells Mary that she is full of grace.
And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Luke 1:42 Likewise, St. Elizabeth declares Mary to be blessed at the mere sight of her.
The reason Catholics believe that Mary had to be created sinless was so that she could be the spotless Ark for Our Lord.
Had she had the stain of sin, her dirtiness would have been offensive to Our Lord and defiled His human nature.
This obviously couldn’t be allowed, so the Father had to create the most purest creature to be the Ark that bore His only begotten Son.
Moreover, while growing up, Christ was bound to obedience to His parents, and thus, the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph would need the graces to keep them from sin.
Therefore, it makes the most sense that Mary was created by God and given significant graces (more than anyone) to keep her free from sin to be the Ark of Christ.
Mary Immaculate Conception Doubting The Assumption Of Mary The Protestants disbelieve the Assumption of Mary, citing this passages:
And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.
John 3:13 And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But every one in his own order: the firstfruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 These passages make it look like that only Christ is in Heaven, until the Resurrection of the Dead.
But is this true?
Well, we already talked about how there are Saints in Heaven
On The Contrary… Scripture tells us that Henoch (Enoch) was assumed into Heaven:
And he walked with God, and was seen no more: because God took him.
Genesis 5:24 Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may give repentance to the nations.
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 44:16 No man was born upon earth like Henoch: for he also was taken up from the earth.
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 49:16] By faith Henoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.
Hebrews 11:5 Elias (Elijah) was also assumed into Heaven:
And as they went on, walking and talking together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder: and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:11 Elias, while he was full of zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.
1 Machabees 2:58 So again, it appears that John 3:13 and 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 are not to be taken in a literal, absolutist sense, just like Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8.
There can be exceptions (very few) to these rules.
So the question again becomes: Is Mary an exception? Catholics would answer: yes.
Here is a passage that supports our view:
And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his heads seven diadems: And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne.
Apocalypse (Revelation) 12:1-5 This passages references a woman in Heaven, whose Son was taken up to God (the Father) to His throne.
Who else could be the woman, other than the Blessed Virgin Mary? The Son is clearly Christ.
Thus, the woman has to be Mary. And she has a head, feet, etc., or, in other words, a body.
So Scripture says that Mary is in Heaven with her body intact.
Assumption of Mary Catholics Are Right About Mary In conclusion, Catholics are correct about our dogmas and doctrines regarding Mary.
We can explain away every single Protestant argument.
Moreover, Protestants cannot justify their disrespect for the Mother of the God they proclaim to worship.
They also cannot explain why asking people they know for prayers is okay, while simultaneously asserting why it’s bad to ask Saints for prayers.
Most know Mary is the Mother of Christ, but doubting she is the Mother of God is a non sequitur if you believe that Christ is God.
Have fun explaining why Christ wouldn’t give Mary to Sts. James or Jude, if they were actually His half-brothers and Apostles; it just doesn’t make any sense.
Finally, Mary’s Immaculate Conception and Assumption both make sense, if you just assent to the fact that God loves His Mother more than all other created creatures.
It’s not a hard leap of logic: If you were omnipotent, wouldn’t you create the perfect Mother?
And if you created the perfect Mother, wouldn’t she be perfectly loveable and worthy of respect?
You don’t have to worship her. I don’t. Catholics aren’t supposed to.
But if you love Jesus, and He created His Perfect Mother, why can’t you just love her as your Mom too?