Who is my mother? : the role and status of the mother of Jesus in the New Testament and in Roman Catholicism

Thesis (Ph.D. (New Testament))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002This work begins by providing an historical overview of Mariology, tracing Marian issues from the early fathers, to the Mariology of the Middle Age, to the apex of Mariology during the time of the Reformation and beyond. A contrast is then noted between pre-Vatican II Mariology and post-Vatican II Mariology. Matthew 1:18-25 is our first treatment of the biblical text. Here the work surveys the various views of issues related to Mary, including the meaning of Joseph's "righteousness," the meaning of "before they came together" (v. 18) and the meaning of "until" (v. 25). An indepth study is provided on the use of the phrase ("until") in the NT to see whether there are any implications for the Roman Catholic teaching of Mary's perpetual virginity. The work continues its investigation of the phrase in the LXX and in the Hellenistic literature of the two centuries surrounding the birth of Christ to see whether any clear examples of this phrase can be adduced in support of the Roman Catholic understanding of Matt 1:25. Since much of the literature examined is not available in English translation, the author has done the primary translation work himself. Equally important in this regard is the identity of the "brothers" of Jesus in the NT. A survey is provided of the three major views on the identity of those called the brothers of Jesus in the NT, listing each one's strengths and weaknesses. The work also investigates the semantic range of the words in the LXX, the NT, and the surrounding Hellenistic literature. Again, Mary's perpetual virginity is at issue. Next, we begin our examination of the status of Mary in the New Testament, starting with the Synoptic Gospels. The work surveys the common Marian accounts found in the Synoptic Gospels, and examines their impact on our understanding of the relationship between Jesus and his mother vis-a-vis her status as mother. Special considerations are given to Luke's account, which includes Marian episodes not found in the other gospels. This intent is to determine whether Luke views Mary in a different way than the other Gospel writers, and what status he gives to Mary. The work also examines the evidence for seeing special Marian symbolism in Luke. It investigates the common understanding among Roman Catholic interpreters that Luke, in his Annunciation and Infancy narratives, intends for us to see in Mary OT allusions to the Ark of the Covenant, the daughter of Zion, the Ana win, and the like. Once our investigation of the Synoptics is over, we turn our attention to John's gospel, which contains two passages of particularly Marian significance. We first examine the issues surrounding the encounter between Jesus and his mother in John 2:1-6 to see what impact, if any, this passage has on our overall understanding of Mary's role and status in the church, particularly in regard to her role in Roman Catholicism as Mediat1:ix. Next, we examine the issues surrounding the encounter between Jesus and his mother in John 19:25- 27 (at the foot of the cross) to see what impact, if any, this passage has on our overall understanding of Mary's role and status in the church, particularly in regard to her role in Roman Catholicism as Mother of the church. Our inquiry reaches its conclusion with an investigation of the possible Marian significance in Revelation 12. Here we examine the meaning of the "woman clothed with the sun," to see whether there is an allusion to Mary, as well as to the Roman Catholic understanding of her Assumption. A survey of the various views is included, as well as a survey of views throughout the history of the church. Once finished, we propose a Mario logy that is at once biblical and honouring to the woman of whom it is said, "all generations will call [her] blessed."Doctora