At Christmas, we celebrate the miraculous virgin birth of Christ. We also commemorate the immaculate conception of Christ. The angel spoke to Mary in Luke 1:28 of the supernatural conception: “And the angel said unto her, ‘Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And, behold, you shall conceive (emphasis added) in your womb, and bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” Before we discuss what is called in Roman Catholic theology the Immaculate Conception, I want to remind you of what has been called the Immaculate Reception because of one NFL football pass or reception that was also considered immaculate or miraculous.
The Immaculate Reception
On December 23, 1972, in the AFC Divisional Playoff, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the then Oakland Raiders were in the 4th quarter with 22 seconds left. Steeler quarterback Terry Bradshaw dropped back and passed to his receiver. The pass was deflected either by the Raider defensive player or the Steeler offensive end right into the hands of Steeler fullback Franco Harris who raced for forty-two yards to score the winning touchdown.
That play is considered by some as the greatest play in NFL history. It was called the Immaculate Reception by Steeler fans because it was thought to be miraculous just as the Immaculate Conception of Mary is thought to be miraculous in Roman Catholic dogma.
Another reference to Roman Catholic teaching from the same era used in football nomenclature is the “Hail, Mary” from the Rosary which is prayed to Mary. The expression became popular when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach threw a game-winning touchdown pass about which he said: "I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary [or prayed to Mary for the completion of this desperation pass]."[1]
The controversy around the Immaculate Reception
There is controversy around both the Immaculate Reception and the Immaculate Conception. There are two controversies related to the Immaculate Reception of 1972. The first controversy is this: If the football bounced off the Steeler offensive player rather than the Raider defender then the pass reception violated the two-touch rule, and the pass was ineligible to be caught by another Pittsburgh player. Therefore, no historic winning touchdown. The second controversy was related to this question: Did the deflected football that Franco Harris scooped up first touch the field? If it did, the pass was incomplete. Again, no immaculate reception.
The controversy around the Immaculate Conception
Likewise, controversy swirls around the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Many believers think the Immaculate Conception refers to the miraculous or sinless conception of Christ in the womb of Mary. But according to Roman Catholic theology, the Immaculate Conception refers to the miraculous and sinless conception of Mary in her mother Anne’s womb. Consequently, Mary was born sinless and lived a sinless life which has massive theological problems. To be fair and balanced, Roman Catholicism does not deny the virgin birth of Jesus and yet there are liberal Baptists and so-called evangelicals who deny the virgin birth. Rob Bell in 2012 wrote, “What if the DNA of Jesus was discovered and archeologists prove Jesus’ father was Larry?” in Velvet Elvis. For Bell, this would not be an issue. Rob Bell denied an orthodox doctrine of Christianity.
Roman Catholicism does not deny the virgin birth or conception of Jesus but advocates the Immaculate Conception or virgin birth of Mary. This puts Mary on par with Jesus and takes away from the preeminence of Christ. This gives veneration to Mary that should exclusively be offered up to Christ.
The Immaculate Conception
In 1854, the Immaculate Conception of Mary became church doctrine when Pope Pius IX in a papal bull wrote:
We declare ... that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, was ... preserved free from all stain of original sin.”
The doctrine of the immaculate conception is based on a mistranslation of Luke 1:28: “And the angel came to her and said, ‘Hail, you who are highly favored” or according to the Latin Vulgate “full of grace.” This description of Mary as full of grace is prayed to Mary in the rosary which Roger Staubach prayed when he threw his last effort pass into the in-zone.
The Rosary
Here are the words of the Rosary prayed to Mary: “Hail Mary, full of grace (emphasis added), 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.” In other words, Mary replaces Jesus as our mediator to whom we pray.
For Mary to be prayed to as our Mediator and to pray for us, Mary had to ascend to heaven bodily, called in Roman Catholic doctrine, the bodily assumption, and then be coronated as the Queen of heaven.
This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992 declared:
“Finally, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things ... by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.”
While Vatican II declared that Mary was not a mediator equal to Christ, it contradicted itself by stating: “The entire body of the faithful pours forth urgent supplications to the Mother of God and of men that she, who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers, may now, exalted as she is above all the angels and saints, intercede before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints.”[2]
Paul in 1 Timothy 2:5 clearly states that “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” This is why we pray in “Jesus’ name” as instructed by Jesus in John 14:13. John in his Epistle in 1 John 5:14 gives a commentary on what he wrote in his Gospel. To pray in Jesus’ name in John 14:13 according to 1 John 5:14 is to “ask anything according to his will.” R. C. Sproul noted that we have a great high priest who is passed into the heavens, not a great high priestess (Hebrews 4:14).
Mary died like all sinners. Only Jesus is in heaven in his resurrected and glorified body.
Mary, the “New Eve”?
What is the meaning of the angel’s message to Mary? The angel literally spoke, “Greeting, you are much graced.” The angel did not say Mary was full of grace to dispense to those who pray to her, but that Mary had received much grace from God to be chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah.
The Roman Catholic bishops at Vatican II, under the subtopic: The Function of the Blessed Virgin in the Plan of Salvation portrayed Mary as the second Eve:
The Fathers see Mary not merely as passively engaged by God, but as freely cooperating in the work of man's salvation through faith and obedience. For, as St Irenaeus says, she ‘being obedient, became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.’ Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly asserted with him in their preaching: ‘the knot of Eve's disobedience was united by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.” Comparing Mary with Eve, they call her "Mother of the living," and frequently claim: "death through Eve, life through Mary.’”
The Scriptures teach that Christ was the “second man” (1 Cor 15:47) who reversed the death and judgment that the first Adam brought through his disobedient act. Christ as the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45) through his act of obedience in his atonement brought life and no condemnation to those who received him as Savior (Rom 5:15-21). Scripture nowhere teaches that Mary is a second Eve (or the “new Eve” as stated in Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, chapter 8 Lumen Gentium) who reversed the death and judgment that the first Eve brought through her disobedience. The Roman Catholic church at Vatican II declared Mary as the second Eve “freely cooperating in the work of man’s salvation ... became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race” through her obedience.[3]
All believers are “much graced” by God
This word used by the angel Gabriel is used only one other time in the New Testament which helps us understand its meaning in Luke 1:28. It is used by Paul in Ephesians 1:6 to describe all believers. Paul wrote that “He [God] has made us accepted” or “much graced.” Mary was highly “favored” or “much graced” (Gk. kecharitomene) because God chose to bestow special grace on her and in Ephesians 1:6 all believers are “much graced” (Gk. kecharitomene) by God. In Ephesians 1:3-7, Paul is revealing what God the Father has done for all believers. God the Father has blessed all believers with all kinds of spiritual blessings as stated in Ephesians 1:3:
1. He chose us before the foundation of the world in Ephesians 1:4.
2. He marked us off to be adopted into his family in Ephesians 1:5.
3. He “much graced” us to be accepted in Christ in Ephesians 1:6.
Just as God showed much grace to Mary, God has shown much grace to every believer. The Ephesians were not sinless just as Mary was not sinless and just as we are not sinless.
4. He has forgiven us of all our sins in Ephesians 1:7.
Next, Paul informs us of more spiritual blessings. In Christ, we have forgiveness of sins because Christ through his redemption paid our sin debt in the atonement so that we could receive “the riches of his grace” (Eph 1:7).
Sinners need a Savior
Mary in her own words confessed her sinfulness and need of a Savior in Luke 1:46-47 in her praise to God for choosing her to be the mother of the Messiah: “My soul does magnify the Lord.” Why did Mary magnify or praise the Lord? She tells us in the next verse: “And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Only sinners need a Savior and Mary gladly included herself among sinners. She never claimed to be sinless.
Gabriel next visited Joseph, to explain why his engaged fiancée was pregnant. Gabriel again highlighted the miraculous conception in Matthew 1:20. This child generated by the Holy Spirit would be named “Jesus” in Matthew 1:21 because “he shall save his people from their sins.” Which, according to the words of Mary included her sins.
Mary is a model believer
What we should admire about Mary is her willingness to accept the will of God which included the rejection by her husband, and the reproach that would pierce through her soul (Luke 2:35) when she claimed to be the mother of the Messiah. To Gabriel’s announcement that she would give virgin birth to “the Son of the Highest” or the Son of God, Mary acquiesced, “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word’” (Luke 1:38). Mary is a model of a humble believer surrendering to God’s will.
Christ alone, however, was free from sin in his miraculous virgin conception and birth. Christ alone lived a sinless life. Christ alone died for our sins, was buried, arose on the third day, and ascended bodily into heaven. He alone sits at the right hand of the throne of God and receives all that come unto him for salvation.
[1]“Chat Transcript with Roger Staubach” profootballhof.com. Pro Football Hall of Fame. December 8, 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
[2] Chapter 8 of Lumen Gentium under the subtitle: Mary, Sign of True Hope and Comfort for the Pilgrim People of God.
[3] Chapter 8 of Lumen Gentium under the subtitle: The Function of the Blessed Virgin in the Plan of Salvation.