Deacon John Smolin
From “A Missionary Guide to the Bible”
The Theotokos: Mother of God
That the Most Holy Virgin Mary is to be venerated as Theotokos — the Mother of God — is clearly revealed in Scripture:
> “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isa. 7:14; cf. Matt. 1:23)
> “The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:35)
> “And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43)
These words confirm that she who bore Christ in her womb is rightly called Mother of the Lord — that is, Mother of God, since the One born of her is truly God incarnate.
The Ever-Virginity of the Theotokos
Scripture testifies that the Virgin Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ:
> “Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus… He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High…” (Luke 1:30–32)
> “Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’” (Luke 1:34)
This question reveals her firm resolve to remain a virgin — a vow she had already made.
Joseph, though betrothed to her, was not her husband in the carnal sense:
> “But while he thought about these things, 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 that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.’… And he took her as his wife, and did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son.” (Matt. 1:20, 24–25)
The phrase “did not know her” does not imply marital relations afterward, but rather emphasizes the miraculous nature of the birth. The word “until” in Scripture often denotes a fixed point without implying change afterward (cf. 2 Sam. 6:23: Michal had no children “until the day of her death”—yet she never bore any).
Thus, Joseph was not a spouse in the flesh, but a guardian —a protector of the Virgin and her divine Child.
The Prophecy of the Closed Gate
The perpetual virginity of the Theotokos is mystically foretold by the Prophet Ezekiel:
> “The Lord said to me: ‘This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.’” (Ezek. 44:2)
Just as Christ called Himself “the door” through which one enters into eternal life (John 10:9), so the prophet calls the Virgin “the gate” through whom the Savior entered the world. After His passage, the gate remained shut — sealed by divine decree, preserving her ever-virgin state.
“Woman” — A Title of Dignity, Not Diminishment
Christ addresses His Mother as “Woman” (Greek: γύναι)—not as a term of distance, but as a solemn and honorific title, used also for other women in Scripture:
> “Woman, behold your son!” (John 19:26)
> “Woman, what does this have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4)
Similarly, the angels and Christ address Mary Magdalene as “woman” (John 20:13, 15)—not to denote marital status, but simply to identify her as a woman. Thus, Christ’s use of this term in no way diminishes His Mother’s dignity; rather, it underscores her unique role in salvation history.
The “Brothers” of the Lord
The so-called “brothers of Jesus” mentioned in the Gospels are not children of the Virgin Mary. They are either:
- The sons of Mary of Clopas, sister of the Theotokos (thus, Christ’s cousins); or
- Children of Joseph from a previous marriage, making them step-brothers of Christ—but never biological siblings of the Lord.
This harmonizes with the consistent witness of Scripture and Tradition that the Theotokos remained ever-virgin.
The Queen Mother of Heaven
The Theotokos is rightly called Lady, Queen of Heaven, for she is the Mother of the King of Heaven:
> “The royal daughters are among Your honorable women; at Your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.” (Ps. 44:10 [LXX]; cf. John 19:26)
In the ancient Near East, the Queen Mother held a place of highest honor beside the king. So too, the Mother of the King of Kings stands in glory at the right hand of her Son.
The Spiritual Greatness of the Theotokos
The Virgin herself proclaims her exalted spiritual state:
> “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.” (Luke 1:46–49)
She is blessed among women — not by her own merit, but by divine grace. Yet her humility, obedience, and faith make her the greatest of all saints.
Even before Christ’s birth, she was honored:
> “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” (Luke 1:41–43)
And during Christ’s ministry, a woman from the crowd declared:
> “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” (Luke 11:27)
To which Christ did not object—but elevated the standard: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:28) — thus affirming that His Mother is blessed both in body and in soul.
Christ Himself Honored His Mother
The Lord set the example of honoring the Theotokos:
> “He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. And His mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)
Even at the moment of His death, He showed filial care:
> “When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’” (John 19:26–27)
In entrusting her to John — and through him, to the whole Church — Christ established the pattern of veneration: all believers are to honor the Theotokos as their spiritual Mother.
“Most Holy Theotokos, Save Us!” — A Biblical Understanding
Some object to the prayer “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!” But this plea must be understood in its proper sense.
The Apostle Paul, though not a savior, wrote:
> “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22)
> “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine… for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Tim. 4:16)
If the Apostles could cooperate in the salvation of others —through prayer, teaching, and intercession — how much more can the Mother of God, who gave flesh to the Savior Himself?
Thus, when we cry, “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!”, we do not ascribe to her the power of redemption — that belongs to Christ alone. Rather, we ask her to intercede for us before her Son, just as a mother pleads for her children. And Scripture assures us that “the prayer of a righteous person has great power” (James 5:16) — how much more the prayer of her who is “full of grace” (Luke 1:28)?
Conclusion:
The veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos is not only permitted by Scripture — it is demanded by it. From prophecy to fulfillment, from angelic greeting to apostolic witness, the Bible reveals her unique holiness, perpetual virginity, and maternal intercession. To honor her is to honor the One who chose her: Christ our God, who was pleased to become incarnate from her most pure blood for our salvation.
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