What would you say if I were to ask you, “Do you believe in the ‘Immaculate Conception?’” If you are like many Christians you would answer emphatically, “Yes, of course, I believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.”
“That’s good,” I’d say. “But that’s not what I asked you. I said, ‘Do you believe in the ‘Immaculate Conception?’”
You might then say, “What’s the difference?” Well, let’s see.
In this Christmas season our thoughts, as Christians, turn toward the birth of Jesus. Unfortunately, the thoughts of our culture have almost completely excluded Jesus from the holiday festivities.
How many television networks include any mention at all of the birth of Christ in their holiday programming?
And the radio? One little girl was asked, “What is your favorite Christmas Carol?” She replied, “All I want for Christmas is You.”
Thankfully “A Charlie Brown Christmas” still is shown each year which includes Linus telling the story of the birth of Jesus: “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
In any case, a key figure in the Gospel narratives of the birth of Jesus is, of course, His mother Mary. We all know the story in Luke’s Gospel of how she was confronted by the angel Gabriel in Nazareth who announced she was to be mother of the Messiah.
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged (betrothed) to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin (Lit – know no man)?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38 NASB)
The most significant verses in this passage are the following. In verse 27, Luke tells us that Mary was a virgin who was engaged to be married to Joseph. In verse 31, Gabriel tells her that she will conceive a child whom she will name Jesus. Verse 34 is Mary’s response in which she questions how that is possible since she had not been with a man and was still a virgin. Gabriel explains, in verse 35, that the conception will be by the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit, and her child will the Son of God. How is this possible? Gabriel says, in verse 37, that “nothing will be impossible with God.”
The same phenomenon is described in Matthew’s Gospel when Joseph is told by an angel about Mary’s miraculous pregnancy in a dream.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25 NASB)
The main point of both of those passages is that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus. It is what we call the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. Actually it should be called the Virgin Conception. It was Jesus’ conception that was miraculous, not His birth in Bethlehem. His birth was fairly normal except that He was laid in manger afterward. That being said, that is not what is meant by the phrase “The Immaculate Conception.” That term does not refer to Jesus’ miraculous conception, it refers to Mary’s supposed sinless conception – which is not found in the Bible, but in the dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church.
As Bible believing evangelical Christians and Protestants, we honor Mary as a great godly woman who was a wonderful example of someone who was willing to give all for God. Centuries ago, however, the Roman Catholic Church elevated her status in their church life far beyond what the Bible reveals. The Catholic Church teaches as official church doctrine that Mary had a physical mother and father. Nonetheless, she was somehow conceived without sin and, therefore, unlike all other humans, was not stained by original sin. This is what they call the doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception.” They also believe she remained a virgin after Jesus’ birth. As we said, this tenet is not found in the Bible, but was canonized in Catholic dogma by the Council of Trent between 1545 and 1563, and by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Today all faithful Catholics are required to believe it. Many non-Catholics assume that the term refers to Jesus’ conception, but, as we said, it actually refers to Mary.
But that’s not the only issue where evangelicals and Catholics differ about Mary. The Roman Catholic Church also asserts that she was, at the moment of her death, or even before that point, taken immediately and bodily into heaven to be Mediatrix (mediator between man and God) with Jesus. In other words, she did not really suffer physical death. They call this the doctrine of the “Assumption” (from Latin assumptio, meaning “a taking”). Pope Pius XII dogmatically defined it only 73 years ago on November 1, 1950, in his apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus. Since that date all Catholics are expected to believe it is unquestionably true.
Neither of the above Catholic doctrines are found anywhere in Scripture. They were added to Catholic dogma (official theology) by tradition, and the supposedly infallible “ex Cathedra” (from the Throne) declarations of popes. However, as biblical Christians we must stick only to what the Bible says for our essential doctrinal tenets. There is no scriptural evidence Mary was without sin or that she did not die in the usual way.
The consequences of these Marian doctrines can be seen plainly in the common practices of the Catholic people. They are encouraged to pray to Mary as the Mediatrix (mediator) between Catholic believers in this world and her son Jesus (and therefore on to the Father) because of the special relationship she has with Him. Many Catholics carry prayer beads called “the Rosary” which they use as a mnemonic tool to recite the “Hail Mary (Ave Maria), full of grace” prayer daily. Of course, they are also encouraged to pray to other saints as well, but she is extraordinary in their zeal.
Some Catholic theologians in recent decades have even advocated that the church declare Mary as virtually equal in her ability to dispense salvation as Jesus Himself. So far the Vatican has been unwilling to go to that extent in defining Mary’s theological status. Nonetheless, for many Roman Catholics, the worship and prayers to Mary take virtual priority in their devotion over that of Jesus. Many Catholics take pilgrimages to various shrines around the world where supposed miraculous appearances of Mary have taken place in order receive special blessings or healings.
It is not our intention, of course, to diminish the significance of Mary in the birth and life of the Lord Jesus. But our understanding of who she was and what she did must be understood in the light of Scripture. Mary was a wonderful woman who God gave one of the most challenging and important tasks ever bestowed: to give birth to and to raise to adulthood the Son of God on earth. That being said, Mary was, nonetheless, a human. She was a sinner as we all are, and was as dependent on Jesus as anyone else for her eternal salvation.
This Christmas we can honor her, but just keep in mind that hers was not an “Immaculate Conception.” Perhaps this Christmas season, as you interact with your Catholic friends, you might ask them what that term means to them (they may not even know). Ask them where it is taught in the Bible. It may open an opportunity to witness to them about the uniqueness of Jesus. Remember, only Jesus was born without sin. Only He died for our sins. Only He rose from the dead. And it is only through our faith in Him that we can find salvation.
© 2023 Tal Davis