An Evangelical Perspective on Mary

J. I. Packer, Mary: Mother and Disciple of Christ Jesus the Lord, at First Things.

This essay is a plain Bible study focusing on the first two chapters of Luke’s gospel (the annunciation, Elizabeth’s welcome, Mary’s song, the birth narrative, the circumcision narrative, and Jesus in the Temple at age 12), plus Luke 8:19–21 (Jesus’ spiritual family), and on two passages from John’s gospel, 2:1–12 (the Cana wedding) and 19:25–27 (John to care for Mary).

He sets out at the beginning that he’s coming from a conservative evangelical perspective. He believes Luke and John actually wrote their books. He disagrees with the distinctive Catholic dogmas.

I do not believe in Mary’s immaculate conception, nor her perpetual virginity, nor her assumption, nor the appropriateness of prayer to her. As an Anglican, I have been drilled in the liturgical use of Mary’s song, the Magnificat, and have long taught that we should notice how she celebrates God as her Savior and should think of her as head of the line of sinners, saved by the atoning death and resurrection of her own son.

Bottom line: “…Luke and John present mother Mary to us as Jesus’ disciple: a model for us all.”