by Gene Poschman

Created on: July 09, 2009

Is Mary, the mother of Jesus in the New Testament of the "Bible", divine? I hesitated in weighing in on this question because I am not a Christian, so for me most of this falls under the category of folklore. However, since I have no emotional tie to Mary, in some ways that makes me an impartial arbiter in the matter.

I only have the folklore of the "Bible" to provide me with any clues to her divinity. My first question would be; what within the "Bible", itself would lend credibility to that claim in the first place?

In the New Testament of the "Bible" the "Gospels" are the authority on the life of Jesus. If Mary's divinity were to be revealed, then surely it would be mentioned in the "Gospels". It is not there. Nor is there a book in the New Testament of the "Bible" dedicated to Mary, or her family. The "Gospels" are dedicated to establishing Jesus as the Son of God and moving forward the Christian Religion.

The early ecumenical councils decided many of the tenants of the church and its dogma; including whether or not Jesus was divine, when Easter would be celebrated, and which gospels to include in the "Bible". During that time clearly they found no Gospels that supported Mary's divinity that they were willing to put into the "Bible".

My next question would be why all the concern about Mary's divinity in the first place? There are actually three events that occurred within the history of Judeo Christian folklore that make this matter relevant to Christianity.

The first event takes place in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament and the Torah. It has to do with the first two commandments that Moses brought down from mountain:

1. I am the Lord your God, who led you from the land of the Pharaohs, and set you free.

2. You will have no other gods before me. You will not make an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in the heavens or upon earth beneath, or beneath the waters or under the earth. You will not bow down to them or worship them. I am the Lord your God, I am a jealous God, who punishes children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generations of those who reject me. I will show steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

This was pretty heady stuff and although early Judeo events appear to have little to do with Mary, however, as it comes together with other events, it becomes clear as to its relevance. When Moses came down the mountain with the commandments from God,

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