Mary

Mary, in the Bible, is the mother of Jesus. She is an extremely important part of the gospel because she is the woman through whom the promise of God, (his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ) was born in human flesh to be the Savior of us all. It was through her, through her faith in God and her servant heart of being the “handmaiden of the Lord,” that God's promise was fulfilled. Full of true faith in God, Mary was also proclaimed to be “full of Grace.”

Mary, in nearly every culture has become an icon to some extent. She has been a special source of comfort particularly to those who look to her as a model for women of love for the Lord as well as motherly love. In some cases people think so highly of her that they see Mary as one who, like God answers our prayer, one who we can petition for assistance.

The prayer called the Hail Mary, says, “Hail Mary.... Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” It is a prayer asking for her intercession on behalf of a sinner, it's said with a humble heart, both good things, but where is Jesus?

Scripture says that there is one mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Tim 2:5) Hebrews 4:14-16, teaches the reader who listened to the words that we have Jesus as a high priest, and that he is approachable and holy, understanding and knowing our weakness, but more importantly, because he is out high priest, we can come boldly to the throne of grace. Not only that, but scripture tells us emphatically that it is Jesus, (not Mary or anyone else,) who is the mediator of our covenant with God. (Hebrews 8:6) People do pray to Mary, but Mary is not the answer to sin, nor is she the savior. Sad to say, such a prayer is really more like praying to the ancient goddess Artemis or Diana, than to God who forgives our sin "in Christ."

Like Artemis or Diana, Mary in such instances is on some sort of spiritual pedestal, like the goddess of old people think of her virtue in her act of motherhood to mankind or her perpetual virginity. If you read about these ancient goddesses you can see the similarities. Catholic teaching, for example is that Mary was not REALLY married to Joseph, who took her to be his wife. He was not her husband, but rather the guardian of her virginity.

Perhaps the woman of Luke 11:27 also had these "goddess" thoughts when she said to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” This notion, whatever it was, stood to be corrected. Jesus replied, “Blessed rather are they who that hear the word of God, and keep it.”
Mary, sweet Blessed Mary, was indeed blessed by God to receive His son, and birth the savior into the world and she did so, by God’s grace... and this was God's will, not her own. She was blessed because she heard the promise of God and believed.

Mary rejoiced over the good news the angel brought her and Mary received God’s incredible gift pondering in her heart over the work of salvation. She said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” Mary had a savior. She was not a goddess, but a woman. She was human, and she chose to say yes to God because, like the rest of humanity, she needed some good news from heaven.

^{Luke 1:46-55}
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.