Mary, the mother of Jesus, holds a special place of honor for Christians. She was chosen by God to bear the Son of God and played a vital role in the life and ministry of Jesus. However, while Mary is venerated, she is not worshipped in the same sense that God or Jesus Christ are worshipped. There are several theological and historical reasons why Mary is not an object of worship for most Christians.
Mary’s Role in Salvation History
Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, not through Mary or any other human being. While Mary participated in God’s plan of salvation by bearing the Messiah, she is not the source of salvation. Worship is due to God alone, who saves us through His Son.
Mary prophesied of her own secondary role when she declared, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47). Even at the pinnacle of her earthly joy, Mary’s focus was on praising God, not herself.
The Bible Forbids Worship of Anyone But God
The Ten Commandments instruct God’s people to worship no idols or false gods (Exodus 20:3-6). As a faithful Jewish woman, Mary would have understood well the prohibition against worshipping any deity but the Lord. There are no examples in the Bible of Mary accepting worship or promoting devotion to herself rather than God.
When her cousin Elizabeth greeted her with “Blessed are you among women,” Mary responded by saying, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:42-46). Mary directed the praise towards God, not herself.
The Bible warns against worshipping created beings rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). As a fellow creature, Mary is not due the kind of praise, honor, and devotion that is reserved solely for the Lord God Almighty.
Early Church Fathers Rejected Marian Worship
The first major Christian thinkers after the time of the apostles, known as the Church Fathers, strongly opposed any notion of worshipping Mary. For example:
- Irenaeus (2nd century): “The Virgin Mary…being obedient, became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.”
- Origen (3rd century): “Mary, now in heaven, is worthy of our veneration but not of worship, which is reserved for Him who created all things.”
- Epiphanius (4th century): “Let Mary be held in honor, but let the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit alone be worshipped.”
The early church saw Mary as a model of obedience and submission to God, but they did not place her on par with the Holy Trinity.
Differences Between Catholic and Protestant Views of Mary
Among Christians, Roman Catholics take a higher view of Mary than Protestants generally do. Catholics refer to Mary as the Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, and Mother of the Church. Some of the Catholic teachings and practices regarding Mary that concern Protestants are:
- Perpetual Virginity – Catholics teach Mary was a virgin for her entire life.
- Immaculate Conception – Catholics believe Mary was conceived without original sin.
- Assumption – Catholics hold that Mary’s body was assumed directly into heaven at the end of her life.
- Mediatrix Role – Catholics pray to Mary to intercede or mediate on their behalf.
- Veneration – Catholics kiss statues of Mary, pray rosary prayers to her, and exalt shrines devoted to her (Fatima, Lourdes).
Protestants view some of these Catholic Marian doctrines and practices as unbiblical and dangerous, potentially shifting devotion and glory from Christ to Mary. Protestants believe that some Catholics cross a line into worship of Mary that should be reserved for God alone.
Key Differences in Protestant and Catholic Views on Mary:
| Protestant View | Catholic View |
|---|---|
| Mary was a grace-filled but ordinary, sinful woman who needed a Savior. | Mary was conceived without original sin and lived a sinless life. |
| Mary was virgin until Jesus’ birth, but likely had other children later. | Mary remained a virgin her entire life. |
| Mary’s body corrupted in the grave, like all others. | Mary was assumed bodily into heaven at the end of her life. |
| Prayer should only be directed to God. | It’s acceptable and encouraged to pray to Mary to intercede. |
| Exalting Mary too much takes glory from Christ. | Veneration of Mary points more people to Christ. |
Catholics respond to concerns about worshipping Mary by arguing they are only venerating or honoring her, not adoring her as divine. But Protestants fear the line between veneration and worship often gets blurred in Catholic practice.
Key Reasons Christians Don’t Worship Mary:
- The Bible commands worship of God alone.
- Mary’s role was as a humble servant who glorified God, not herself.
- The early Church Fathers condemned worship of anyone but the Trinity.
- Protestants view some Catholic Marian doctrines and practices as unbiblical and dangerous.
- Praying to Mary or exalting her too much takes glory away from Christ.
Mary is not the source of salvation – that role belongs to Jesus Christ alone. While Mary should be respected as the Mother of Jesus, she should not receive the kind of devotion, veneration, and glory that only God deserves.
Mary as a Model Saint
While they avoid worshipping her, Christians still find much to admire about the Virgin Mary. Her noble characteristics make her a model saint that all believers can learn from. Some of her virtues that Christians emulate include:
- Faith – She believed the incredible message from God delivered by the angel (Luke 1:38).
- Obedience – She submitted completely to God’s will for her life (Luke 1:38).
- Courage – She said yes to God despite potential disgrace (Matthew 1:18-25).
- Humility – She praised God rather than seeking attention for herself (Luke 1:46-55).
- Purity – She was a virgin and a model of holiness (Luke 1:34).
- Motherly care – She loved and nurtured the Christ child (Luke 2:19-20).
Mary’s sincere faith, sacrificial obedience, and virtuous life make her an inspirational example for how all Christians should respond to God. She sets a pattern to follow in her humble devotion to the Lord.
Mary in Prophecy and Revelation
While she requires no worship, Mary does have an important symbolic role in prophecy and Scripture. Revelation 12 presents a vision of a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head (symbolizing Israel). This woman bore a male child who would rule the nations (Jesus).
Many Christians understand the vision in Revelation 12 to be a symbolic reference to Mary as the mother of the Messiah. The passage shows Mary’s significance in God’s plan of redemption through her Son. Through bearing and nurturing Christ, Mary participated in an essential way in the fulfillment of God’s purposes.
Conclusion
Mary is a central figure in Christianity and a model of faith for all believers. However, the clear teaching of Scripture is that she is not to be worshipped or exalted to the position only God deserves. Though she should be honored, Mary points us to the one Object of worship – the Lord Jesus Christ who accomplished our salvation. The appropriate response to Mary is to respect her example while offering our worship to the Savior she gave birth to and gladly served.