The Maculate Conception of Mary... or Mary, a Sinner
Whether you know it or not, there is a bit of a disagreement over Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Protestants generally hold that Mary was a sinner (we mean no disrespect to Mary but just simply recognise the fact that she was a sinner, like everyone else).
Roman Catholics hold that Mary was immaculately conceived; in other words, that Mary was born sinless and lived a sinless life. The point being they seek to find a way to protect the sinlessness of Jesus Christ (I understand this and don’t mean to cast aspersion on the reason for the doctrine).
I do however think it is worth reflecting on the doctrine of Mary’s sin for several reasons.
The First: Mary was a sinner.
There is no getting around this simple fact. Using basic logic:
Was Mary a human being naturally conceived? Yes.
Do all human beings naturally conceived inherit original sin? Yes.
Then Mary, naturally conceived, is a sinner in need of salvation.
The Second: The Bible Tells Me So.
In Luke’s account, while he does not spell out Mary’s specific sins, he does show Mary’s need of redemption. If Mary needs redemption, then Mary is a sinner.
Note with me Mary’s song (The Magnificat) where she starts:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”
There isn’t any way to get around the simple reading of the text. Mary says “God my Saviour.” This is the same root where we get the word salvation — that which was accomplished by the Saviour!
So Mary speaks of God as her Saviour, meaning that Mary needed salvation.
In addition, Luke points out that Mary needs ‘purification’ (Luke 2:22).
Leviticus 12 speaks of a woman being ceremonially ‘unclean’ after giving birth. Mary, after giving birth to Jesus, was considered unclean. Not to get too graphic or into the weeds, but there is blood associated with birth. This symbolises death and as such, a woman, after giving birth, could not come into the sanctuary (which symbolises life). Mary, through this, would have been further reminded of her sin when she would have been forbidden to come near the temple until she was ritually clean.
We also read of Mary and Joseph offering sacrifices in the temple, which further confirms the testimony of the Scriptures that Mary (and Joseph) were sinners.
The Third: Show Me the Money (or evidence)
Drawing our conclusions from this data, we would be hard pressed to find a good reason to view Mary as sinless. To my knowledge, there is no Bible verse or any way by “good and necessary consequences” that we could deduce this!
It must go as a doctrine. You cannot and should not bind people to believe in things that are not found in Scripture, and as I point out below, are actually contrary to Scripture.
(As an aside, I deeply apologise for that bad Jerry Maguire quote).
A Manger & A Womb
The message of Christmas is that Christ was laid in a manager. He was born on the outskirts of human society. He left his throne of glory for a feeding trough in a dirty stable.
If we backtrack just briefly, we see that Jesus took on FLESH. He was made like us in nearly every way. That includes being in the womb of the Virgin Mary.
Think then what it means that Jesus was born to sinful parents. Just like you and me. But without sin. To save the likes of you and me.
How was Jesus born without sin, if Mary was a sinner? Easy. Gabriel announces that “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).
Did you catch that? Jesus is without sin because of the Holy Spirit. That which is conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit is then, in fact, holy, i.e. without sin!
There is no need for the doctrine of immaculate conception of Mary. It simply pushes the question backwards — how was Mary conceived without sin from sinful parents? If (according to the Roman Catholic doctrine) she could be conceived without sin to sinful parents, then so could Jesus. Once again, the doctrine of Mary’s Immaculate Conception isn’t needed. (Many thanks to my Systematics Profession R. J. Gore for this line of reasoning … see Professor, I was listening).
Without the immaculate conception of Mary we find ourselves, as Mary did, rejoicing in God our Saviour. We do not need to exalt her above who she really is. She is certainly ‘blessed of all women’ (Luke 1:42, 48) but not as co-redemptrix or mediatrix. She could never have been either of these, since she needed a mediator and redeemer herself. We honour her but remember her as she is. She is just an ordinary woman who was given the greatest privilege of being the mother of Jesus! She cannot hear our prayers. She does not make intercession for us. Only her sinless Son can do that. Only God can save. And only God can hear (and act) upon our prayers!
Do not dishonour Mary by thinking more of her than she really is. That is idolatry. Let us have a Merry Christmas, and like Mary, exult in her Son!
