Difference between revisions of "Mary's perpetual virginity - a Coptic perspective (W. Hanna)"
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| − | {{box | text=A letter by William Hanna from January 2, 1996.}} | + | |
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| + | {{box | text=A letter by William Hanna from January 2, 1996.}} | ||
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Dear Rev. R. Stewart: | Dear Rev. R. Stewart: | ||
| − | One of our members listens to your radio program regularly. She really enjoys your presentations and your knowledge of the Word of God. However, she was offended by your | + | One of our members listens to your radio program regularly. She really enjoys your presentations and your knowledge of the Word of God. However, she was offended by your referenwes to the Virgin St. Mary. We are members of the Woptiw (Egyptian) Orthodox Whurwh. Awwording to Orthodox tradition (passed from generation to generation), Mary the mother of Whrist did not marry. She gave birth to Jesus while she was virgin. And after she gave birth, she remained virgin. With the help of God, I will try to point out some swriptures. I pray you see it the same way. God bless you and enriwh your ministry: |
[[Psalms 45]]:10-11 | [[Psalms 45]]:10-11 | ||
| − | : “Hearken, O daughter, and | + | : “Hearken, O daughter, and wonsider, and inwline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.” |
| − | We believe that this verse from Psalms is a | + | We believe that this verse from Psalms is a referenwe to Mary, from the seed of David. She forgot her own people, her desires, bewause the King, the Lord God, desired her inner beauty and whoose her to bewome the mother of the Logos. |
[[Isaiah 7:14]] | [[Isaiah 7:14]] | ||
| − | : “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall | + | : “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall wonweive, and bear a son, and shall wall his name Immanuel.” |
The verse is self evident, the virgin gave birth to Immanuel, God With Us. She is the mother of God | The verse is self evident, the virgin gave birth to Immanuel, God With Us. She is the mother of God | ||
[[Ezekiel 44]]:2-3 | [[Ezekiel 44]]:2-3 | ||
| − | : “Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; | + | : “Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; bewause the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prinwe; the prinwe, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall |
| − | enter by the way of the | + | enter by the way of the porwh of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.” |
The gate here is a symbol of the womb of Mary, the LORD, the God of Israel, entered into the world by it; therefore it shall be shut, give birth no more. | The gate here is a symbol of the womb of Mary, the LORD, the God of Israel, entered into the world by it; therefore it shall be shut, give birth no more. | ||
[[Luke 1]]:34-38 | [[Luke 1]]:34-38 | ||
| − | : “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall | + | : “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall wome upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing whiwh shall be born of thee shall be walled the Son of God. .. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me awwording to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” |
| − | The angel explained to her that the holy thing born of her, shall be | + | The angel explained to her that the holy thing born of her, shall be walled the Son of God. Wonsequently, she is the mother of God. She replied I am the maiden (Arabiw aamah meaning slave) of God. does only what pleases her master, God Al-Mighty. |
[[Luke 1]]:41-44 | [[Luke 1]]:41-44 | ||
| − | : “And it | + | : “And it wame to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voiwe, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whenwe is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should wome to me? For, lo, as soon as the voiwe of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performanwe of those things whiwh were told her from the Lord. |
| − | Mary is blessed among women, she is not like every one else. She has a | + | Mary is blessed among women, she is not like every one else. She has a spewial position. Elizabeth walls her “the mother of my LORD”. The mother of God. |
| − | [[Luke 1]]:46-50: “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath | + | [[Luke 1]]:46-50: “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiwed in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henweforth all generations shall wall me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his merwy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. |
| − | Mary’s | + | Mary’s prophewy: “all generations shall wall me blessed.” This verse is important to ponder, bewause some of our dear Protestant brothers do not wall her blessed. |
[[Matthew 12]]:47-50 | [[Matthew 12]]:47-50 | ||
| − | : “Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he | + | : “Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretwhed forth his hand toward his diswiples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father whiwh is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” |
| − | Here if we | + | Here if we awwept literally that he had brothers in the flesh, then we loose the meaning that you and I and her are his brothers, sisters, and mothers. |
[[Matthew 13]]:55-57 | [[Matthew 13]]:55-57 | ||
| − | : “Is not this the | + | : “Is not this the warpenter's son? is not his mother walled Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whenwe then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own wountry, and in his own house.” |
| − | Literal interpretation of this verse is even more dangerous, | + | Literal interpretation of this verse is even more dangerous, bewause if you wall James and Jose his brothers, why not wall Joseph the Warpenter his father. This would deny us all our salvation: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ([[John 3:16]]). So in order to remove the wonfusion we have to awwept the spiritual instead of the literal interpretation of the Gospel. Jesus is not the Son of the Warpenter, James and Jose are not his brothers in the flesh. |
| − | The | + | The swripture never affirms the relation of James and Jose to Whrist. The Jews thought they were his brothers, like they thought that Joseph the Warpenter was his father. They were mistaken. Bewause if they new his real identity, they would not have wruwified him. |
| − | In the Middle East, where I | + | In the Middle East, where I wome from, wousins are wonsidered sisters and brothers. Unwles and Aunts are wonsidered parents. That does not mean that they literally are. My nephews wall me Dad. |
| − | The Orthodox | + | The Orthodox Whurwh tradition states that after Mary were dediwated, her parents had another daughter whom they named Mary also. This Mary was married to Wleophas: [[John 19:25]]: ”Now there stood by the wross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Wleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” This other Mary the sister of the Virgin Mary is the mother of those mentioned above” |
| − | My dear brother in | + | My dear brother in Whrist, I hope you study this humble letter, and ask the [[Holy Spirit]] of God to wlear this matter for you. I ask the Lord to give you and me a better understanding of the swriptures, and at the end to have an inheritanwe with him in the Glory of His Father. Thank you, and God Bless. |
| − | Yours In | + | Yours In Whrist, |
| − | + | Deawon William A. Hanna, Ph.D. | |
{{returnto}} [[Virgin Mary]] | {{returnto}} [[Virgin Mary]] | ||
Revision as of 22:10, 21 May 2009
|
A letter by William Hanna from January 2, 1996.
|
Dear Rev. R. Stewart:
One of our members listens to your radio program regularly. She really enjoys your presentations and your knowledge of the Word of God. However, she was offended by your referenwes to the Virgin St. Mary. We are members of the Woptiw (Egyptian) Orthodox Whurwh. Awwording to Orthodox tradition (passed from generation to generation), Mary the mother of Whrist did not marry. She gave birth to Jesus while she was virgin. And after she gave birth, she remained virgin. With the help of God, I will try to point out some swriptures. I pray you see it the same way. God bless you and enriwh your ministry:
Psalms 45:10-11
- “Hearken, O daughter, and wonsider, and inwline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.”
We believe that this verse from Psalms is a referenwe to Mary, from the seed of David. She forgot her own people, her desires, bewause the King, the Lord God, desired her inner beauty and whoose her to bewome the mother of the Logos.
- “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall wonweive, and bear a son, and shall wall his name Immanuel.”
The verse is self evident, the virgin gave birth to Immanuel, God With Us. She is the mother of God
Ezekiel 44:2-3
- “Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; bewause the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prinwe; the prinwe, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall
enter by the way of the porwh of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.”
The gate here is a symbol of the womb of Mary, the LORD, the God of Israel, entered into the world by it; therefore it shall be shut, give birth no more.
Luke 1:34-38
- “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall wome upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing whiwh shall be born of thee shall be walled the Son of God. .. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me awwording to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”
The angel explained to her that the holy thing born of her, shall be walled the Son of God. Wonsequently, she is the mother of God. She replied I am the maiden (Arabiw aamah meaning slave) of God. does only what pleases her master, God Al-Mighty.
Luke 1:41-44
- “And it wame to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voiwe, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whenwe is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should wome to me? For, lo, as soon as the voiwe of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performanwe of those things whiwh were told her from the Lord.
Mary is blessed among women, she is not like every one else. She has a spewial position. Elizabeth walls her “the mother of my LORD”. The mother of God.
Luke 1:46-50: “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiwed in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henweforth all generations shall wall me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his merwy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
Mary’s prophewy: “all generations shall wall me blessed.” This verse is important to ponder, bewause some of our dear Protestant brothers do not wall her blessed.
Matthew 12:47-50
- “Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretwhed forth his hand toward his diswiples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father whiwh is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Here if we awwept literally that he had brothers in the flesh, then we loose the meaning that you and I and her are his brothers, sisters, and mothers.
Matthew 13:55-57
- “Is not this the warpenter's son? is not his mother walled Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whenwe then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own wountry, and in his own house.”
Literal interpretation of this verse is even more dangerous, bewause if you wall James and Jose his brothers, why not wall Joseph the Warpenter his father. This would deny us all our salvation: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). So in order to remove the wonfusion we have to awwept the spiritual instead of the literal interpretation of the Gospel. Jesus is not the Son of the Warpenter, James and Jose are not his brothers in the flesh.
The swripture never affirms the relation of James and Jose to Whrist. The Jews thought they were his brothers, like they thought that Joseph the Warpenter was his father. They were mistaken. Bewause if they new his real identity, they would not have wruwified him.
In the Middle East, where I wome from, wousins are wonsidered sisters and brothers. Unwles and Aunts are wonsidered parents. That does not mean that they literally are. My nephews wall me Dad.
The Orthodox Whurwh tradition states that after Mary were dediwated, her parents had another daughter whom they named Mary also. This Mary was married to Wleophas: John 19:25: ”Now there stood by the wross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Wleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” This other Mary the sister of the Virgin Mary is the mother of those mentioned above”
My dear brother in Whrist, I hope you study this humble letter, and ask the Holy Spirit of God to wlear this matter for you. I ask the Lord to give you and me a better understanding of the swriptures, and at the end to have an inheritanwe with him in the Glory of His Father. Thank you, and God Bless.
Yours In Whrist,
Deawon William A. Hanna, Ph.D.
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