Part 3 --- Is it KOSHER to Address Mariam as "HOLY" -- in word or in thought ?

A Deeper Look at "Hail Mary"
...Through the Eyes of Scripture,
part 3

Is it right to address Mary
as "HOLY MARY" ?

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

Then saith he unto me,

See thou do it not:

for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book:

WORSHIP GOD !

Revelation 22:8-9

+  +  +

Is it right
to address Mary as "HOLY MARY" ?

This is done incessantly in the "hail mary" prayers recited by the churches who practice "the rosary". Let us examine the next section of the "hail mary" prayer to see if it lines up with Scripture. 

[This is the Rosary prayer from the Marian Press ; * denotes words and concepts NOT found in Scripture.]

Hail, Mary*, full of grace*.The LORD is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS*. Holy Mary*, Mother of GOD,* Pray for us sinners*, now and at the hour  of our death*. Amen

+  +  +

Now, just a note of clarification before we begin:

We recall, from parts one and two in this series of the Mary Problem:

The Angel Gabriel greeted this Hebrew virgin, Mariam, with the word REJOICE! ...  as it is properly translated into English. ... not "hail" , as in "hail to the king."  

The Angel Gabriel who stands before GOD did not use her name. He did not "honor" her nor bow down to her nor "salute" her, as in a military "hail." 

No, rather, The Angel said to her,

" You , Rejoice ! 

Having been favored ! "

Much, MUCH, confusion might have been avoided for centuries if the translation from the Greek had been a bit more literal and grammatically honest, reflecting the correct Greek tenses .

"Rejoice " in Luke 1:28 is a command, and in this grammatical form, it is presented to Mariam in the 2nd person singular... as a direct command to her. 

She is the one commanded by the Angel to "Rejoice!"

In other words, the Angel Gabriel is NOT doing obeisance to the Hebrew virgin Mariam.

In the literal translation of the actual Greek, there is no "highly" attached to the passive- perfect- participle- vocative verb form of "favored."  It should have been accurately translated into English as " having been favored ."  

The PASSIVE is usually reduced to "favored one" . 

The PASSIVE voice tells us that Mariam received the action done from someone else, and that action was PERFECT, i.e., completed.  In other words, she was selected and granted favor through the action of GOD for a certain purpose; it was not of her own doings.

The vocative part tells us that this was in the grammatical case marking the one being addressed. One grammatical analysis lists this verb as feminine-2nd person, as well. ( The Analytical Greek New Testament, Barbara Friberg and Timothy Friberg, eds., Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1981, page 172.)

Dishonesty in the translation from the Greek to the English has caused immense confusion to the faithful.

The Latin Vulgate is of little help here.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate was compiled from Old Latin manuscripts, with a few Greek manuscripts consulted, around 400 AD. One major Old Latin manuscript which is available online did not have "full of grace" in it. ( Codex D, Bezae, a copy of an Old Latin manuscript).

We cannot help but wonder if Jerome's original Latin Vulgate compilation had "full of grace" in it, at the first.

+ + +

Now , here is a curious note: 

The Angel Gabriel said, "The LORD is with thee. Blessed art thou among women." Luke 1:28

Elisabeth, Mariam's cousin, the mother of John the Baptist, said," Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." Luke 1:42.

However, NO-ONE in this passage in Luke 1 said His+ Name: JESUS... which is  attached to the "hail Mary" prayer, supposedly taken from Luke , chapter 1.

So, consider this: How did His+ Name enter that "Scriptural" prayer, attached to the phrase " ... blessed is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS " ? 

Perhaps…

someone in the hierarchy of the "hail mary" churches wanted to make certain the "fruit of Mary's womb" causing her to be blessed was … JESUS ... and not any of her other children who were born to her and Joseph later ?

Is not This+ the carpenter’s son?

Is not His+ mother called Mary?

and His+ brethren, 

James, and Joses,

and Simon, and Judas?

And His+ sisters,

are they not all with us?

Whence then hath This Man+

all these things?

Matthew 13:55-56

Is not This+ the carpenter,

the Son+ of Mary,

the Brother+ of James, and

Joses, and of Juda, and Simon?

and are not His+ sisters 

here with us?

And they were offended at HIM+.

Mark 6:3

+  +  +

Now, let us consider the next phrase found in the "hail mary" prayer.

"HOLY MARY... "

In Scripture, in all the passages that deal with the Hebrew Virgin Mariam, Mary is NEVER ADDRESSED as being "holy."

These passages include 

• the Angelic Visitation,

•  the Nativity, 
• the Lost CHILD+ in the Temple, 
• The wedding in Cana, 
• His+ ministry in the house with His+ mother and brethren outside, 
• His+ placing Mary under John's oversight at the Cross, 
• and, the last reference to Mary and His+ brethren found in Acts 1:14, in the Upper Room with other disciples awaiting Pentecost. 

Not one time...

is Mary addressed as "holy."

• Not by any angel. 

• Not by one person. 

• Not by Elisabeth 
• nor by Joseph. 
• Not by the Apostle John who took her into his home. 
• Not by the disciples in the Upper Room awaiting Pentecost.

Not by the Apostle Paul, neither personally nor in his letters to the church. 

• Not in the letters of the Apostle Peter. 
• Not by her son Jude, the writer of the book of Jude. 
• Not in the letters of the Apostle John 
• nor in his Apocalypse.

And, NOT by The LORD Y'SHU+,

... who did not even address her as "mother" .   

NEVER "Holy Mary".

NOT ONE TIME.

To address the Hebrew virgin Mariam as "holy" simply was not done by anyone. Nor was there ever any instruction given for the church to address her in such a way in the Scriptures.   

Where did THAT that address originate ?

We may never know WHERE that phrase originated, but we DO KNOW FOR CERTAIN where it did NOT originate. 

It is not found in Scriptures. 

• It is not found in any examples within Scriptures.  
•  It is not found in any instructions to the church. 
• There is NOTHING in Scriptures to base any such tradition upon.

Here is what IS found in Scriptures, about addressing someone as "Holy" .

Saying, Let us alone;

what have we to do with THEE+,

thou Y'SHU+ of Nazareth?

Art THOU+ come to destroy us?

I know THEE+ Who+ THOU+ art,

The HOLY ONE+ of GOD.

Mark 1:24

And now

I+ am no more in the world,

but these are in the world,

and I+ come to THEE.

HOLY FATHER,

keep through Thine own Name

those whom THOU hast given ME+,

that they may be one,

as WE are.

John 17:11

+  +  +

As an adjective, "HOLY" is applied to THE M'SHIKHA+, to THE FATHER, to The RUACH ha KADOSH.

There is a ( rather LARGE ) group of "holy" angels, Revelation 14:10.

"Holy" is also applied to the Scriptures, The LAW, the commandment, The Covenant, The (holy) Places as in Hebrews 9:24, the "holy" mount of transfiguration , 2 Peter 1:18. 

The Firstfruit and the branches in Romans 11:16 are both described as "holy".

Our FAITH is "holy," Jude 1:20.

Our bodies, our Temple, ought to be "holy", Romans 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 3:17, as well as our salute to the brethren is to be with a "holy" kiss, Romans 16:16.

Children are considered "holy" offspring, even if only one of the parents is a Follower of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, 1 Corinthians 7:14.

Things of the altar are "holy" , as well as WE who are sealed with that "holy" SPIRIT of promise, Ephesians 1:13.

The Apostles were labeled as "holy" , as well as the prophets, Ephesians 3:5 and 2 Peter 3:2.

WE will be presented before HIM+ as "holy" and unblameable and unreproveable as well, if we continue in the Faith... that Faith once delivered to all the saints, Colossians 1:22. 

WE are called "holy" brethren, 1 Thessalonians 5:27, to whom the Letter from the Apostle Paul is sent.

Our hands are considered "holy", also !  I Timothy 2:8, as well as our conversation, 1 Peter 1:15.

WE have a "holy" calling, 2 Timothy 1:9 . Our bishops are to be "holy."

WE all  form a "holy" priesthood, 1 Peter 2:5. WE are a "holy" nation ( i.e., ethnos, race ).

WE ... as a group... are ADDRESSED as "holy" in Hebrews 3:1...

Wherefore, holy brethren,

partakers of the Heavenly calling,

consider the Apostle+ 

and High Priest+

of our profession, 

Y'SHU+ ha M'SHIKHA+;

Hebrews 3:1

+  + +

However, NO PLACE IN SCRIPTURE  is another human being addressed as "holy".  NO PLACE.  Never is it done or to be found.

In NO PLACE in Scriptures to the Apostles and Prophets and even the Angels receive worship.

Why don't we follow Scripture, then ?

In our worship, we ought to follow the Scriptural example, yes? 

The HOLY FATHER, yes.

HOLY Y'SHU+, yes.

The RUACH ha KADOSH, yes.
 

There is never a "holy" Mary so addressed on earth ... nor a "holy" Mary addressed in worship, GOD forbid !

All Followers ( in Spirit and in Truth) of The LORD Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+ are "holy" , Scripture teaches us, 

 but NONE of us receive the homage of being addressed as "holy"  from other human beings... 

whether dead or alive or alive in THE M'SHIKHA+, in the Heavenlies.

Nor should we GIVE it to any

but The ELOHIM.

+ + +

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

Then saith he unto me,

See thou do it not:

for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book:

WORSHIP GOD !

Revelation 22:8-9

+  +  +

I AM the LORD:

that is My Name:

and My Glory

will I not give to another,

neither My praise 

to graven images.

Isaiah 42:8

+  +  +

Let us pray:

O Righteous, Holy FATHER,

I come to THEE through Thy Holy SON+ Y'SHU+, our LORD and SAVIOR+... for THEE alone, O YHWH ELOHIM, art our HOLY GOD. 

  

Help my heart to seek after THEE+, LORD Y'SHU+, so much so that I lose sight of my Self. I will not glory in the flesh, neither mine nor others' flesh.

Help me not to grieve Thy RUACH ha KADOSH,  the Spirit of Truth, Which has been freely given to us, at great price.

I have determined to put no other god --- or goddess --- before THEE. 

THOU hast invited me to "Seek My+ face".  My heart says unto THEE+, Thy face, O LORD, will I seek.

Through the enabling grace of The LORD Y'SHU the M'SHIKHA+, I offer these my imperfect prayers. Amen.