Should This Matter?

“And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

‭‭ Luke 11:27-28‬ ‬ ‭KJV

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One of the many concepts that separate Catholics from Protestants is the ritual of praying to Mary and the saints. While Catholics do pray to Jesus, they will also ask Mary and other saints (basically those who are extra “righteous”) in heaven to pray for them. On the surface, this action may not seem all that bad. Wouldn’t it be great if Mary prayed for us? Couldn’t we use the extra prayers from the saints who have walked before us? Is it really a big deal if someone prays to Mary?

Whenever we evaluate a spiritual practice, we should ALWAYS filter it through Scripture. The practice of praying to Mary just doesn’t hold up to what Christ says. In fact, Jesus rebukes a woman for an improper elevation of the person of Mary. And that is the passage I want to address today: Luke 11:27-28. After reading this passage (among other teachings of Scripture), how do you feel about praying to Mary?

Why do Catholics pray to Mary in the first place?

As a lifetime Protestant, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would feel the need to pray to Mary instead of just going to Jesus. So, the best way to start this study is to see why Mary is so revered in the Catholic religion and why anyone would pray to her. According to the Diocese of Brooklyn and DenverCatholic.org, the reason a Catholic will pray to Mary is as follows (note: I have provided their “supporting” scripture as well which we will address next):

1. Catholics attest that Mary is the most righteous person 2nd to Christ (Luke 1:28, 42).

2. As the mother of Christ, she is essentially the mother of all humans as the “New Eve” (just as Jesus is the “New Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:21-23) and the “woman” of the Genesis 3:15 curse against Satan (John 19:26-27).

3. She prays for Christians on earth along with angels and other saints (Revelation 5:8 and 8:2-4).

4. Catholics do pray to Jesus because he is the main mediator, but they also pray to Mary to ask her to pray for them just like you may ask your friend to pray for you. Because God chose to use Mary to come to earth, He uses her to lead us to Him.

How did Jesus view Mary?

As stated above, the passage that I want to highlight in this post is Luke 11:27-28.

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.

Luke 11:27-28

Here we see a woman who tried to give Jesus honor by acknowledging His mother. Instead of accepting this honor, Christ rebukes her! Jesus’ mother holds no extra blessing just because she gave birth to the Son of God. He tells the woman that the blessed are really those who keep the Word of God. While Mary had an awesome ministry, Mary holds no extra significance over any other believer.

This isn’t the only time that Jesus makes this point. In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus again repeats that his physical family has no special significance. In fact, it is his spiritual family that are blessed. Who is His spiritual family? Those who obey God!

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and they brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And he starched forth is hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Matthew 12:46-50

In truth, it is hard not to admire Mary and the ministry that God gave her. She obeyed even under difficult circumstances. She was certainly blessed with a great honor to birth the Son of God! However, praying to Mary in any way just doesn’t make sense Biblically. With the passages above in mind, lets go through the 4 reasons the Catholic Church provides for praying to Mary that I listed above.

1. Mary is the most righteous person after Christ. Their Biblical evidence for this is Luke 1:28, 42.

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Luke 1:28.

And she spake out with a a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Luke 1:42

This passage certainly expresses the honor that Mary was given to carry Christ in her womb, but was that honor bestowed upon her for being righteous? These verses in no way indicate that she was any more righteous than any other. They are merely stating the honor she has, not because of herself, but due to the child she carried. To take these verses and imply that Mary was more righteous than any other is a MAJOR stretch.

What is the correct Biblical view on our own righteousness as Christians anyway? Fortunately, the disciples help us answer this question in Luke 9:46-48., the disciples were arguing about which of them “should be greatest.” Christ quickly puts them in their place saying, “for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.” Jesus did not view any believer as better than another even among the disciples. Why would Mary be viewed as better?

2. Mary holds as special office as the “New Eve” and is the “woman” of Genesis 3:15. The Biblical support is 1 Corinthians 15:21-23, Genesis 3:15, and John 19:26-27.

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Genesis 3:15

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

John 19:26-27

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

1 Corinthians 15:21-2

I can see how one can arrive at connecting the passage in John 19 to the curse on Satan in Genesis 3:15 via the term “woman” that Jesus uses in referring to His mother. In some sense, Mary is the woman whose seed crushes Satan’s head by defeating death but so is Eve. However, placing the verses in John 19 in context provides a better interpretation. When Jesus is saying, “Woman, behold thy son,” at first glance it may appear He is speaking of Himself as the “son”, however, in the next verse, Jesus tells “the disciple,” which is John, to “Behold thy mother!” Notice the next phrase: “ And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home.” Mary was not the mother of John, but Jesus is asking John to take Mary in to his home as if she were his own mother. Matthew 27:55, Mark 15:40, and Luke 23:49 tell us that the women who stood afar off at the crucifixion were women who followed Jesus from Galilee. So, Mary, who presumably was also always following Jesus, needed a home once Christ died, resurrected, and ascended. John was to take her with him.

As for connecting Mary specifically as the “woman” of Genesis 3:15, it requires a giant leap. I can find no Biblical evidence that she is ever considered a “New Eve.” In fact, in Genesis 3:15, the mention of “woman” doesn’t seem to be all that specific. In some sense, Eve is represented there and so would Mary and any other woman in the lineage of Christ, but the point is that it is through childbirth that salvation will come. And, that childbirth will be through a woman which is ironic because Satan deceived the woman. Paul teaches on this in 1 Timothy 2:13-15 where he states that while the woman was indeed deceived by the serpent, her salvation will come through childbirth.

For Adam was first formed then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

1 Timothy 2:13-15

Revelation 12 highlights this point as well when John sees the red dragon, Satan, waiting for the pregnant woman, Israel, to deliver. Satan thought that he had the human race beat when he deceived the woman, Eve, however, Satan’s defeat will come through Israel via childbirth. In fact, in light of this vision, the woman of Genesis 3:15 is better described as Israel than specifically Mary.

3. Mary prays for Christians still on earth from heaven. Catholics utilize Revelation 5:8 and 8:2-4 for this one.

This is another example of taking verses out of context and making giant interpretative leaps. A careful reading of these passages in no way indicates that angels are praying. In these passages, the angels offer incense and odors in heaven along with the prayers of the saints. The passage is clear that the angel is not praying, but the angel is offering incense with prayers. Prayers are mentioned, however, as coming from the “saints.” So, the question that we must ask is this: who are the saints? There is absolutely NO evidence that these prayers are from saints in heaven. In fact, it makes much more sense Biblically that these prayers are from the saints still on earth!

The earthly tabernacle provides an excellent understanding of the heavenly temple, for it is the earthly tabernacle that was designed to represent the perfect heavenly reality. Exodus 30:1-10 describes the alter of incense (a.k.a. The golden altar) of the tabernacle. The golden altar sat in the Holy place directly in front of the veil leading to the Holy of Holies (where the Ark of the Covenant was placed). Aaron was required to burn incense there every morning and evening so that incense was constantly burning before the Lord. The passages of Revelation 5:8 and 8:2-4 describe the heavenly altar of incense as being related to prayer of the saints. David also associates the burning of incense as a representation of his prayers in Psalm 141:2. Again, there is no mention of angels or those passed as being included. The golden altar represented the prayers of the saints on earth.

In Luke 16:19-31 provides the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Basically, both men die. Despite his wealth, the rich man ends up in hell but the beggar, Lazarus, goes to heaven. The rich man sees Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom and calls Abraham to him. The rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers still living to entice them to be righteous and go to heaven instead of hell. However, Abraham refuses his request saying, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them…if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” The point I want to make here is that Lazarus or Abraham did not offer to pray from this man’s brethren, but instead left their conversion up to the people on earth to hear God’s Word and believe. According to this story, those in heaven do not influence those on earth to believe. God has provided the information we need to follow and trust in Him.

As you can see, there is no real evidence that Mary (or any other saint) is praying for people on earth. In fact, there is direct evidence that they are NOT praying for those on earth. They are busy receiving their reward, and it is up to us to hear God’s Word and obey.

So, is it a big deal to pray to Mary? Yes. It is simply not Biblical. Jesus is the ONLY one who determines our fate. Mary has no significance over any other believer. Why waste our time praying to a person in heaven when we can simply go to Christ? As a believer, we are just as important to Christ as Mary. Don’t spend your time praying to Mary when you can go directly to GOD!

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References:

Why pray to Mary and the Saints when I can go straight to Jesus?

https://denvercatholic.org/why-is-devotion-to-mary-important/