Is Mary The Mother of God?

The Catholic church has given hundreds, even thousands of titles to Mary the Mother of Jesus. Of all of them, Mother of God is one of the most common. In fact, some Catholics like to just use the impressive, synonymous term theotokos when referring to Mary. This title seems logical when one considers that Jesus is God and Mary gave birth to him. In other words, from a Catholic’s perspective a syllogism could be erected to read as follows:

Jesus is God.
Mary is Jesus’ mother.
Therefore, Mary is the mother of God.

Jesus is both God and Man

If Mary is not the mother of God, then that syllogism is flawed somehow, but where? Let’s look at the Scriptures to gather more information. First of all, regarding Jesus’ identity, we learn that he is both God and man. (Because Jesus’ deity is not questioned among Catholics, only proof for his humanity will be cited here.) Please note the following Scriptures which state Jesus is man:

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5)

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:15-17)

It can also be easily proven that Jesus was man because he got hungry, thirsty, slept, etc. just like all other men. God became flesh is what the Bible teaches. Ponder this passage:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:1-4,14)

The whole of Scripture shows Jesus is God, who became a man. This truth is the simple answer to the syllogism error, as cited earlier. Hence, it should be revised in the initial premise to read: Jesus is God, who became man. But by stating only a partial truth about Jesus’ identity people have gotten a fallacious idea about Mary. This in turn has led to the unscriptural title about Mary being the mother of God and worse—trusting in her for salvation. This additional fact about Jesus being man helps us to rightly conclude that Mary was the mother of his humanity or of the man Christ Jesus. This is why we never read in the Bible that she is the mother of God, but only that she is Jesus’ mother or the mother of Jesus, as identified in Scripture:

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. (Mark 3:31)

Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. (Luke 8:19)

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14)

Jesus Existed Before His Birth in Bethlehem

One should also logically reject the Catholic concept that God could or does have a mother based on the fact that such a mother would have to be in existence before God, which is impossible. The Bible states that God is eternal and had no beginning. God can have no mother and still be God. Also, there can be no person who existed before God.

I still remember, as a former Catholic, the surprise I had when I learned from reading the Bible, that Jesus existed before he was born in Bethlehem . I wonder how many Catholics are aware of this precious truth. Ponder a few Scriptures which show this:

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58)

Jesus existed before Abraham, who was a character from Genesis! To be more precise, Jesus stated his eternal existence in John 8:58 by using the words I am, which refer back to Exodus 3:14 and YHWH describing himself. Another verse which shows Jesus existed before his human birth is Micah 5:2:

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

So, there are irreconcilable problems with the unscriptural title given to Mary as mother of God. If Mary is the mother of God, then how could he have been in existence before his mother? Impossible. Jesus has always been God from the very beginning who became man when born in Bethlehem . Jesus only got his humanity from Mary and, therefore, she can’t be correctly labeled Mother of God. The aforementioned syllogism is in error.

The Mary of Catholicism is not the Mary of the Bible. They are totally two different characters, with the similar trait of bearing the man Jesus. Once we realize this it will be much easier for us to extend a 100% trusting-submitting faith in Jesus alone for our soul’s salvation, as the Bible teaches to be saved. Jesus is the all-sufficient Savior, who needs no help from another to save us. In fact, to believe on Jesus and Mary for salvation, as some do, is to be in disobedience to what the Bible teaches and will not bring true salvation.

Dan and Cheryl Corner

Evangelical Outreach
PO Box 265 , Washington , PA 15301

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/motherofgod.htm