Here is an online exchange between myself and Matt Petersen, following up on a conversation we had at church this past Sunday.
The starting point for our discussion: Can we say that Jesus now is enclosed within or dependent on Mary, the woman who became His mother? In what way could this be true?
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Mary as a "mirror" of Christ
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4 comments:
Jeff, interesting exchange. I would say the problem is that Mary is not God and Jesus, even incarnate is God. Mary has one nature. A fallen, in need of redemption nature. Jesus does not. We can say the Father is greater than Jesus and Jesus is greater than the Father, but to put Mary in the same conversation is problematic in my mind. Also where do the Scriptures teach that Mary is the mirror of Christ.
Peter Jones
Peter Jones
Peter, of course we agree completely that there is no comparison between Mary and Christ, as far as Christ's divine nature is concerned. Mary is a sinner saved by the grace of her own sinless and glorious Son.
Mary as a mirror of Christ is a particular application of 2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding [or "reflecting," katoptrizomenoi] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
By the grace of the Spirit, every one of us is enabled to mirror the Lord's glory in our own lives. For this reason we can learn much about Christ from every one of His disciples -- but especially those whose lives are recorded for us in Scripture. My friend Matt's point is that Mary is a pre-eminent reflection of Christ because she was closer to Him than anyone else has been, humanly speaking.
Thanks, Jeff that is helpful. I did not mean to imply anything. I was just trying to understand better what was being said.
Peter
I think it is also worth noting (rather tangentially) that II Corinthians 3:18 is referencing both Mounts of Transfiguration. We are like Moses reflecting the glory of God. But we are also like Christ, reflecting the Glory of the Lord. And in that the glory of the Lord is the glory of Christ, we mirror the Father because the Father is a mirror of the glory of Christ. (See for instance I John 1:7 which states that we are in the light as the Father is in the Light by being in the presence of the blood of Christ; and Hebrews which states that both Heaven and us had to be purified by the Blood of Christ.)
Regarding whether Mary is greater than Jesus, I think at least that she was is relatively easy to see. Jesus would have died if not for the womb-like protection of His mother. Jesus would have died if not for the milk of his mother. Jesus so thouroughly emptied Himself, that not only did he not have glory, he did not have virtue, and--as any child does--received that virtue from His mother.
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