Bible Questions Answered:
“Is Mary to be venerated or not?”
Harleen/ Liverpool, United Kingdom
(England)
Bible Answer:
Venerate:
To regard with respect, reverence, or
heartfelt deference.
(Thefreedictionary.com)
Reverence:
Feeling or attitude of deep respect
tinged with awe; veneration.
(Dictionary.com)
Blessed, deep respect with awe, yes.
Pronouncement of Elizabeth, who was
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:41-45 KJV
41 And it came to pass, that, when
Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb;
and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42 And she spake out with a loud
voice, and said, Blessed* art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that
the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of
thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for
joy.
45 And blessed* is she that
believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were
told her from the Lord.
*Blessed (Vs.42) Greek: Eulogeo
(Yoo-log-eh-o): To speak well of, i.e. (religiously) to bless
(thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper): bless, praise.
*Blessed (Vs. 45) Greek: Makarios
(Mak-ar-ee-os): Supremely blest; fortunate, well off: blessed,
happy.
Luke 1:48 KJV
For He hath regarded the low estate
of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall
call me blessed*.
Blessed - Greek - Makarizo
(Mak-ar-id-zo): To beatify*, i.e. pronounce (or esteem)
fortunate: call blessed, count happy.
Beatify: To make blissfully
happy.
(New World Dictionary)
Because Mary, was a mortal, humble,
devote, virgin, young lady, serving God with all her heart, she was
chosen by God for special service.
She was chosen to be the means of
“incarnation,” of God's eternal Son, come into the world.
(For this subject covered in great
detail, see the Book Listing at the top of this blog page for the
book
Salvation: We are not afraid)
Did she bring Christ into existence?
Never.
She was the way and means of God's
choosing to bring His Son into the world, in the flesh, so as to
become man's perfect atonement for sin.
Is she blessed among women?
Yes, because she was chosen of God, to
be the mother of the promised Messiah!
Now...............having said that, we
must “not,” stop here.
For there are some who would go on and
make Mary godlike.
This is not scriptural at all!
Neither is Mary “ever,” to be
worshiped or to be prayed to!
This is “not,” scriptural at all!
How can we know the truth?
Acts 17:11 NLT (The noble
Bereans.)
And the people of Berea were more
open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to
Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to
see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
If we would confront those who hold to
such beliefs, they would tell us, that such beliefs in their
teachings are by “tradition.”
One teacher decreed some belief. The
next decade another teacher decreed another belief, on and on, the
traditions of men. Men, adding their personal beliefs to word of God.
Revelation 22:18,19 KJV
18 For I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add
unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his
part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book.
Colossians 2:8 KJV
Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Colossians 2:8 NLT
Don’t let anyone capture you with
empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human
thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than
from Christ.
Friend, if its from God to us, then its
in the Word of God!
How blessed was Mary?
Why shouldn't we ask Jesus?
Luke 11:27,28 NLT
(Jesus)
27 As He was speaking, a woman in
the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which
you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”
28 Jesus replied, “But even
more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into
practice.”
Are you, highly favored of the Lord?
You are, if you heard the word of God, and put it into practice!
Who said so? Jesus said so!
Was Mary ever to be worshiped?
Worship:
Reverent honor and homage paid to God.
(Dictionary.com)
That is “not,” in the scripture at all!
Matter of fact this is what the Lord has said.....
Isaiah 42:8 KJV
I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory* will I
not give to another, neither My praise to graven
images.
*Glory – Hebrew Kabowd (Kaw-bode): Splendor or copiousness;
glorious, glory, honor.
Exodus 20:3-5 KJV
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I
the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
them that hate Me;
Exodus 34:14 KJV
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose
name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Deuteronomy 4:24 KJV
For the Lord thy God is a Consuming Fire, even a jealous God.
Matthew 17:4-6 KJV (A heavenly message from God The Father.)
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for
us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one
for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My
Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and
were sore afraid.
Was Mary to be prayed to?
No, we have a High Priest in heaven, who intercedes for us, who we
are to pray to.
Hebrews 2:17 KJV
Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His
brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest
in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of
the people.
Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed
into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession.
15 For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 7:26 KJV
For such an High Priest became us, who is Holy, Harmless,
Undefiled, Separate from sinners, and made Higher than the heavens;
Hebrews 8:1 KJV
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have
such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of
The Majesty in the heavens;
I Peter 5:7 KJV
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.
There is only “one,” redeemer, High Priest, our precious Lord
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.
Did Mary, need the Savior?
Luke 1:46,47 NLT (Mary)
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
Did Mary, need the enduing power of the Holy Spirit?
Acts 1:14 KJV (The 120 in the upper room.)
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,
with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.
Jesus Christ the Rock of salvation.
Acts 4:10-12 KJV
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that
by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified,
whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here
before you whole.
11 This is The Stone which was set at nought of you
builders, which is become The Head Of The Corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
