Jesus Does Not Allow Devotion to His Mother!

In Luke 11:27, the Blessed Physician gives the record of an anonymous woman, who said to Jesus, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts at which You nursed!" This is one of the texts that Roman Catholics cite to justify their adoration of Mary.

The problem with that use is that it is possible only if one stops at verse 27. The next verse, Luke 11:28, records the reaction of Jesus to the woman's statement: "But He said, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'" 

Jesus denies that Mary has a special status on the basis of her having given birth to Him. Rather, He said, spiritual status comes from being a disciple! I will certainly grant that Mary was almost-certainly a disciple of Jesus. However, that makes her equal to every other disciple, not superior. Much less does it earn her special status, with the divine attributes of omnipresence and omniscience, as is implied by Catholic reverence for her.

Mediators Between God and Man: Our Choice or His?

We all know the story of Moses. God chose him, speaking to him out the burning bush, to be His representative in the redemption of His people Israel from bondage in Egypt, and to represent the people to Him. This is what the Bible calls a mediator.

In Exodus 20:18-20, we see Moses as the representative of the people: "Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, 'You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.' Moses said to the people, 'Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.' The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was." The people feared to enter the presence of God, properly understanding that they were not worthy.

Moses's account continues (Exodus 20:21-24): "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: "You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you."'" In these verses, we see the other side of the coin. Where in the first verses, God appointed Moses to mediate between Him and the people, here we see the negative side, His forbidding of any other mediator.

When Catholics or Eastern Orthodox pray to Mary or any of their other myriad of so-called "saints," they ask them to intercede for them with Jesus. They ask them to serve as mediators!  The Catholic Answers website says, "Not only do those in heaven pray with us, they also pray for us." By whose appointment? Is it not by the appointment of men, in contravention of the commandment of God? Of course it is.

The Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception: Was Mary Really Sinless?

The Catholic Church holds as dogma the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Many Christians mistakenly believe that this refers to the sinlessness and virgin birth of Jesus. However, it is actually about the supposed sinless conception and life of Mary. Catholics claim that her sinlessness was

necessary to make her worthy of giving birth to the Lord. The doctrine is claimed to be from "tradition," but was only decreed as official by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854.

Christians should have a huge problem with this doctrine. For one thing, the Bible says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Jesus alone is exempted through His conception by the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 4:15, II Corinthians 5:21). If Mary escaped a sinful nature, then the Bible's teachings about our need of salvation all tumble like a house of cards.

However, in addition to this general objection, there are also specific biblical references which preclude the Catholic view.

We know, from Luke 2:24, that Mary made the sacrifice of atonement for a new mother (Leviticus 12:2). Specifically, she sacrificed two pigeons, the sacrifice for someone who was too poor to offer a lamb (Lev. 12:8). Mary was unclean, and thus had to atone, neither of which can be consistent with sinlessness.

The problem with the Catholic doctrine isn't simply that it is wrong, but rather because it undermines the office of Christ as Mediator between God and fallen Man. It has also led the Catholic Church actually to change Scripture. In Genesis 3:15, in what is called the Protevangelium, Catholic bibles have replaced "He will bruise your [i. e., the serpent's] head and you will bruise His heel," [emphasis added] with "she will bruise your head, and you will bruise her heel." These versions follow the Vulgate in changing the masculine singular of the Hebrew to the feminine singular in Latin. This has been used to justify giving a mediatorial and redemptive role to Mary alongside that of Christ, in explicit violation of I Timothy 2:5: "there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

This is how this works: by giving Mary a role of redemptrix and mediatrix next to that of Christ, and then pointing out that Protestants reject any such role, the Church of Rome lays claim to providing a supposedly-superior form of spiritual security. However, since that claim is based on both false and falsified evidence, it is a deception, one that will lead many sincere people on the wide road into Hell (Matthew 7:13). That is why I persist in calling the Roman Catholic Church a cult, and in urging people to abandon her for the sake of their souls (Revelation 18:4).

Mariolatry and the Deceit of Rome

One of the points of controversy that is still acknowledged between biblical Protestants and the Church of Rome is over the place of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. I want to examine what the official documents of the Catholic Church say, because Catholic apologists often tell a different story. The quotes below are from Lumen Gentium ("Light of the Nations"), promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1964, out of the work of the Second Vatican Council. So, it is not one man's opinion, nor is it some obscure ancient document. These portions, from Chapter VIII, "The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the Mystery of Christ and the Church," are from the English translation found on the Vatican's own website. So, again, there is no allowance for claiming that I am using distorted or obscure sources.

"She is already prophetically foreshadowed in the promise of victory over the serpent, which was given to our first parents after their fall into sin" (sec. 55). The text cites Genesis 3:15 for this statement. In the Douay-Rheims translation, that verse reads, "I will put enmities [sic] between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she [sic] shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." "She" is from the Latin version. In the Hebrew, the pronoun is masculine singular, which is why most translations read "he" (or "He"). In apparent embarrassment over this error, the New Jerusalem Bible reads "it," and the New American Bible puts "they." All three are Catholic versions of the Bible. The use of "He" points to Jesus as the seed of the woman, i. e., of Eve, not Mary, who shall crush the head of Satan, and we in Him (Romans 16:20). Pope Pius IX (in Ineffabilis Deus) said of this verse, "These ecclesiastical writers in quoting the words by which at the beginning of the world God announced his merciful remedies prepared for the regeneration of mankind . . . saying, 'I will put enmities between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed' taught . . . that his most Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, was prophetically indicated; and, at the same time, the very enmity of both [Mary and her Son] against the evil one was significantly expressed." And Pope John-Paul II wrote (in Mulieris Dignitatem) "It is significant that [in Galatians 4:4] St. Paul does not call the Mother of Christ by her own name, 'Mary,' but calls her 'woman': This coincides with the words of the Protoevangelium in the book of Genesis (cf. Gen. 3:15). She is that 'woman' who is present in the central salvific event that marks the 'fullness of time: This event is realized in her and through her."

"The Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix ["helper"], Adjutrix [also meaning "helper"], and Mediatrix [the Latin feminine form of "mediator"]. This, however, is to be so understood that it neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficaciousness of Christ, the one Mediator" (sec. 62). So, Mary is called "advocate," "helper," and "mediator." "Advocate" (I John 2:1) and "Mediator" (I Timothy 2:5) are titles of Christ, and "helper" (John 14:16) is a title of the Holy Spirit, but,

The Pope

we are assured, the use of those titles for Mary does not impinge on the dignity of Christ. Well, if they say so, who am I to argue? The document continues, "The unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude, but rather gives rise to, a manifold cooperation, which is but a sharing in this one source." That is utter gobbledygook. If one gives the title of mediator to someone other than Christ, it is mere doublespeak then to claim that the title does not impinge on the mediatorial role of Christ.

"The Church indeed, contemplating her [i. e., Mary's] hidden sanctity, imitating her charity, and faithfully fulfilling the Father's will by receiving the word of God in faith, becomes, herself, a mother... Imitating the mother of her Lord, and by the Holy Spirit, she keeps with virginal purity an entire faith, a firm hope, and a sincere charity" (sec. 64). So, here, the Catholic Church applies to herself the attributes that she has ascribed to her mythical Mother Mary. Thus, all the circumlocutions that they have used to worship (without worshiping) Mary were really for the benefit of creating an aura of perfection for herself! "While in the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she is without spot or wrinkle, the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin" (sec. 65). So, while the Church is perfect, holy, and without sin, the members thereof are not. Is the subterfuge not plain? By proclaiming the church free of sin, but the members not, she can then assume a tyrannical place over her members, a place from which her teachings and demands are above scrutiny or doubt.

"Placed by the grace of God, as God's Mother, next to her Son, and exalted above all angels and men, Mary intervened in the mysteries of Christ, and is justly honored by a special cult [sic] in the Church" (sec. 66). So, while claiming that she doesn't worship Mary (or the other saints), Rome at the same time teaches a cult of Mary, a distinction without a difference. "The various forms of piety toward the Mother of God, which the Church, within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the conditions of time and place and the nature and ingenuity of the faithful, has approved, bring it about that, while the Mother is honored, the Son, through Whom all things have their being, and in Whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, is rightly known, loved, and glorified, and that all His commands are observed" (ibid.). So, how do we know that all the worship of Mary stays within "sound and orthodox" limits? Well, because the Catholic Church says so. And if that strikes you as circular, well, according to the Vatican Council, you just are not understanding things correctly. Maybe you should ask the "Helper" for help with that.

Why have I written all of this? Because Protestants have been pointing out the idolatry of the Catholic Church for hundreds of years. Yet, Rome has denied it from one side of their mouths while promoting it from the other. That is simple deception, equivocation, obfuscation. Use what term you will. What it cannot be called is Christian. It is baptized paganism, destructive of the soul, and under the judgment of God. All of the self-serving doublespeak of Rome merely proves all the more that she is no church of Christ, but a mere cult, the synagogue of Satan, the Whore of Revelation 17, and the enslaver of men's souls.

The Ministry of Paul and the Worship that Is Due to God Alone

"Now at Lystra there was a man sitting, who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, 'Stand upright on your feet.' And he sprang up and began walking.

"And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, 'The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!' Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

"But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 'Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations He allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet He did not leave himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.' Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them."
-Acts 14:8-18



I find this passage significant, in the face of the worship of saints in the Church of Rome. Of course, they deny that they worship the saints; rather, they call it adoration. Check this article in the Catholic Encyclopedia for their defense. However, this article demonstrates that there has been a lot of inconsistency in Catholic explanations on this issue.

In response to this Romanist defense, Archibald Alexander Hodge (son of the better-known Princeton Professor Charles Hodge) wrote, "The distinction they make between the different degrees of worship due to God and to holy creatures, and between the indirect worship which terminates upon the image or picture and the direct worship which terminates upon the person represented by it, are not their peculiar property, but, as every missionary knows, are common to them with the educated among all idolaters. If the Romanists be not idolaters, the sins forbidden in the First and Second Commandments have never been committed." In other words, just as the Hindu priest would explain that the many-armed idol is not the actual deity, but merely represents him/her, and that the local spirits aren't gods themselves, but rather intermediaries to the gods, the acceptance or rejection of that explanation applies equally to Romanist veneration of images and saints as intermediaries: if one is idolatry, both are; if either is not, then neither are.

I make the same urging as Paul and Barnabas did, whether one is a Pagan or a Catholic crypto-Pagan, turn from dead images to the living God, because He alone can save.

Jesus Versus the Cult of Mary

"While He was still speaking to the people, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him. But He replied to the man who told Him, 'Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?' And stretching out His hand toward his disciples, He said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.'"
- Matthew 12:46-50

Paralleled in Mark 3:31-35 and Luke 8:19-21.

Most people are aware of the Catholic practice of the veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus. In fact, she is even referred to as "co-redemptrix," that is, that she shares the role of redeemer with her divine Son. In 1997, then-Pope John-Paul II prayed to Mary, "Sustain us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation." In fact, here is a website devoted to Mary in the particular role of "co-redemptrix."

Yet, what does Jesus say about His mother? Not that she is a bad person, by any means, but certainly that she has no claim to special consideration. His very words are that any man or woman who is doing the will of God is at least equal to His biological mother, and He specifically points out His disciples, standing close by. One source attempted to avoid this implication by claiming that the veneration of Mary is no more than the veneration of the other saints (officially perhaps, but certainly not in practice!). However, as I have said elsewhere, the veneration of any saints is contrary to the express will of God.