Why do people believe Mary to be the Mother of God?

Answer 1

Mary was a godly Jewish women, through whom God honored and chose to bring His eternal Son into the World, as the New Testament reveals. There is no Biblical basis for continuing calling the Mother of Jesus virgin, after his birth. This is a doctrine of man, not of God. Also, the claim for appearances of Mary, as a perpetual virgin is anti-Biblical on two counts.

Firstly, Joseph "knew her (had marital relations) not till she had brought forth her first-born Son: and he called Him Jesus." Matthew 1:25. By that reason alone, Mary was only virgin for the birth of Jesus Christ, not after the normal relations of marriage, which obviously took place with Joseph.

Even if there were no children conceived, the definition of virgin means to not have any relationships of sexual nature. Yet, if we honestly check the Scriptures, we find, "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is this not His Mother called Mary? And His brethren (Greek: adelphoi)*, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas (not Iscariot)? And His sisters, are they not all with us?" Matthew 13:55. *Mark 6:3 also clearly calls these His brothers, Greek: adelphos. There were at least 2 sisters (Greek: adelphai), possibly more by the wording, "are they not all with us?" So, Jesus had at least 6 or more siblings through Mary and Joseph.

The reason that Mary was a virgin for Christ's birth, was so that God could send His sinless Son into the world to bear our sins. If He came like you or I did, by man and woman, then he would have been born a sinner. That means that He could not have died for our sins, because God requires a perfect sacrifice for sin.

God pictured this in the Old Testament by requiring a spotless, blemish free, perfect lamb for sacrifice for sins. Of Jesus, John the Baptist said: "Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Through Jesus we can find forgiveness of sin and restoration to God.

So, to call the Mother of Christ, "the Virgin Mary," is a complete misconception of God's purpose, which defeats the truth of Christianity. Mary was blessed of God to bring our Savior into the world. Secondly, to classify her in spiritist appearances, is a violation of Scriptures, since God condemns such activity for His people. "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination,...Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." Deuteronomy 18:10,11. This is not the Mary of the Bible, who was blessed of God, but a fake, made up by man. Mary was a godly Jewish maiden, who paid strict attention to the Law of God, and would never condone the unscriptural spiritist actions that some claim for her. ANSWER It is right to call Mary "Virgin" according to Catholics. Some will point to Matthew's gospel to say that Mary did not remain a virgin for he says "he knew her not, till she brought forth her son..." The Greek heos hou (till) however only deals with the time up to the birth of Christ and not after, Mattew 26:36 is a good example of this, where the disciples stay rather than leaving Jesus. Some also note that Jesus had brothers, but the Greek adelphos, had a much broader meaning including children of the father but not the mother. In Acts ch. 15 we read of about 120 brothers. In Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 we see that some of his 'brothers' are actually his cousins, their mother being another Mary. There are also many cultural aspects such as the fact the Jesus was rebuked by his 'brothers' - something younger brothers did not do. On the cross Jesus gave Mary into the care of John yet under the law if Jesus had brothers the next oldest would take care of Mary, for the oldest child had to care for a widowed woman. St Jerome wrote a whole piece titled 'the perpetual virgintiy of the Blessed Virgin Mary,' St Augstine refered to as "heretics" those who do not believe in her perpetual virginity, and St Basil said true friends of Christ believe in it. As to why the Virgin Mary appears to people, who knows. God's will is God's will. The people in heaven are alive of course (Matthew 22:32), those who are 'dead' can appear on earth for example Moses and Elijah appear in Matthew 17:3 and in Matthew 27:53 we read that "coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, [many saints] came into the holy city and appeared to many." Not that Mary is an angel, but another verse to consider is Matthew 18:10 "See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." === === Jesus himself reveals a possible reason why Mary may "appear" to some people... Matthew 24:24, 25 - For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.

Answer 2

The Virgin Mary is known to appear mainly because she wants us to live in her Son's presence without sin. She is fully aware of what goes on in the world and she knows it makes her Son sad.

She also appears to converts and children mainly because they have the purest hearts.

She might also appear because she wants a Church to be built there in Jesus' name.

Answer 3

Robert A. Scott explains this in Miracle Cures: Saints, Pilgrimages, and the Healing Power of Belief . He says "Reports of apparitions before the eleventh century were almost always of Christ or one of the apostles, or sometimes a martyr or confessor. Only in the eleventh and twelfth centuries did the Virgin begin to appear to people. Sightings were regularly reported until the sixteenth century. After that, she seems to have disappeared from view until the middle of the nineteenth century."

Almost always, the Virgin Mary only appears to children, usually in isolated peasant locations. And usually the apparition is later identified as Mary by adults who do not see the Virgin themselves.