Jesus Relating to His Mother Mary
Catholics worship Mary, claiming that she has “divine maternity” (“Dogmatic Constitution on the Church” 1964, 8.3, Second Vatican Council). They also assign to her an intercessory role for the believers. Let’s examine the New Testament to see how Jesus related to His mother:
1-On one occasion when Jesus was teaching a crowd, Mary arrived with her other children and sought to speak to Him:
“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and 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, emp. added).
Jesus was not being disrespectful to His physical mother, but he explained that while His earthly mother deserved all respect (Luke 2:51; Ephesians 6:1-3), she came second to His spiritual concerns.
2-On another incident, some accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, and asked Him to produce a sign from heaven proving His divinity. As Jesus addressed His accusers “it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!’ ” (Luke 11:27). But Jesus answered her saying, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28).
Jesus does not contradict the woman’s eulogy of Mary; like any good mother, she is deserving of honor. Instead, Jesus points out the inadequacy of the speaker’s proclamation so far as the kingdom of heaven is concerned. Thus, in Matthew 12:46–50, Jesus denies any special importance that was given to His mother. Had Jesus intended that Christians should give honor to Mary, this stranger’s comment of honor to her would have been a great opportunity for Him to set forth an example, or give an approval of what had been said.
In these two incidents, Jesus was contradicting the very aspect of Mary’s status that is advocated by the Catholic Church. According to the Scriptures, the Christian’s declaration of Jesus divinity is most essential aspect for a person’s salvation. The idea of giving special honor to Mary is not taught in the Bible (Matthew 12:48, 50).
Mary herself acknowledged Jesus as her personal Savior “And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1: 47). Like every other human being, Mary was in need of salvation.
The Bible makes no call for worship, adoration, or veneration to Mary. All praise, worship, and adoration belongs to God alone (Matthew 4:10; Acts 10:25-26; 14:14-15; Revelation 19:10; 22:9). For how can Mary, a created being become the mother of the Creator Himself?
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
