perpetual virginity of mary

7/29/2019 Perpetual Virginity of Mary

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Perpetual

Virginity of Mary


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The point of the Virgin Birth is not something negative but

something positive: Christs divinity and humanity and her being amother. The Fathers see in the virginal conception the sign that it truly

was the Son of God who came in a humanity like our own (CCC496).

The gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesusas a divine workconceivedof the Holy Spirit (CCC 497),spiritually and supernaturally, instead of by Joseph, physically andnaturally. Christ had no human father because he has a divineFather, and he has his divine nature from his Father in eternity. Hereceived his human nature from his mother Mary in time, and fromher alone.


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The Church has always taught that Mary is

Aeiparthenos (Greek), ever-virgin before, during,and after Christs birth.

Semper virginem (Latin)

1. Marys conception of Christ (virginitas ante partum)2. Her giving birth to Christ (virginitas in partu)

3. Her remaining a virgin after the birth of Christ(virginitas post partum).

Perpetual Virginity of Mary


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The Lateran Synod of the year 649, under Pope Martin I,

stressed the threefold character of Marys virginityteaching of the blessed ever-virginal and immaculateMary that: she conceived without the seed, of the HolySpirit, generated without injury (to her virginity), and her

virginity continued unimpaired after the birth (D 256, cf.Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Dr. Ludwig Ott, p.203-204).


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Virginitas ante partum

Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit without thecooperation of man.



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Virginitas in partu

Mary bore her Son without any violation

of her virginal integrity.



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Virginitas post partum

Also after the Birth of Jesus

Mary remained a Virgin



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Against this doctrine the objection is sometimes raised

that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus.157In fact James and Joseph, brothers of Jesus [Mark 3:31-35; 6:3], are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christwhom Saint Matthew significantly calls the other Mary158

[Matthew 13:55; 28:1;27:56]. They are close relations ofJesus, according to an Old Testament expression(CCC500). The Hebrew expression can mean cousins as wellas brothers.



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Objection: Firstborn - Luke 2:7

The term first-born was a legal title under the MosaicLaw referring to the first male child born to Jewishparents regardless of whether or not there are any otherchildren that follow. It designates the male heir in the

family. Hence when Jesus is called the first-born ofMary, it does not mean that there were second or third-born children.



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Jesus is always referred to as THE Son of Mary. Thearticle the(ho) is significant in Greek because itsignifies the one and only. Jesus, being the Son ofMary, means that He is Marys only Son in the same

manner that Jesus, being the Son of God, means thathe is the only begotten Son of the Father.



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Objection: Until

But he had no union with her until she gave birth to ason. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matt. 1:25

heos hou - does not indicate change. It does not implyanything about what happens after the time indicated. Itonly emphasizes the Virgin Birth. It simply states thatJoseph had no relations with Mary before or during herpregnancy as can be plainly understood in the context.Matthew was not immediately concerned withdiscussing Marys continued virginity after the birth ofJesus.



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Reasons why God in his saving plan wanted his Son to be born of avirgin (CCC 502):

1) Marys virginity manifests Gods absolute initiative in theIncarnation. Jesus has only God as Father (CCC 503).

2) Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Marys wombbecause he is the New Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: Thefirst man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is fromheaven(1 Corinthians 15:45, 47; CCC 504). By his virginal conception,Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birthnot of blood nor of thewill of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God(John 1:13; CCC505).



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3) Mary is a virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith. Mary is moreblessed because she embraces faith in Christ than because she conceives the fleshof Christ169 (Saint Augustine; CCC 506).

4) Mary is not just virgin, but virgin mother; and not just the mother of Jesus,but also her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom he came to save(CCC 501). At once virgin and mother, Mary is the symbol and the most perfect

realization of the Church: the Church indeedby receiving the word of God infaith becomes herself a mother. By preaching and Baptism she [the Church] bringsforth sons, who are conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of God, to a new andimmortal life. She herself [the Church] is a virgin, who keeps in its entirety andpurity the faith she pledged to her spouse170 (CCC 507).


perpetual virginity of mary

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