Protestants today balk at the idea of Mary's perpetual virginity, that Jesus had no siblings, and that she remained a virgin all her life. Or even that she was anything but just another woman, deserving of no expressed special reverence. Though the father of their Protestant faith, Martin Luther, declared Mary's perpetual virginity, and also that she is worthy of the highest praise after God, and should be extraordinarily revered. Martin Luther also taught that Mary is truly the Mother of God.
Martin Luther on Mary's Perpetual Virginity:
"Christ, our Savior, was the real and natural fruit of Mary's virginal womb . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that."
- Martin Luther {Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539)}
Martin Luther commenting on the false teachings arising in Protestantism in his lifetime concerning the denial of Mary's perpetual virginity, teachings which Protestants erroneously attribute to Luther, which he himself calls lies.
Luther also refers to Mary here as the mother of God.
"A new lie about me is being circulated. I am supposed to have preached and written that Mary, the mother of God, was not a virgin either before or after the birth of Christ. . ."
- Martin Luther {That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew (1523)}
Martin Luther says that scripture does not say or indicate that Mary later lost her virginity, as most Protestants today mistakenly contend . .
"When Matthew [1:25] says that Joseph did not know Mary carnally until she had brought forth her son, it does not follow that he knew her subsequently; on the contrary, it means that he never did know her . . . This babble . . . is without justification . . . he has neither noticed nor paid any attention to either Scripture or the common idiom."
- Martin Luther {That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew (1523)}
Jesus had no siblings...
"Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . I am inclined to agree with those who declare that 'brothers' really mean 'cousins' here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers."
- Martin Luther {Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539)}
MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD...
"It is the consolation and the superabundant goodness of GOD, that man is able to exult in such a treasure. Mary is his true Mother."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, Christmas, 1522)
He again declares Mary the Mother of God...
". . . she is rightly called not only the mother of the man, but also the Mother of God. . . . it is certain that Mary is the Mother of the real and true God."
- Martin Luther {Sermon on John 14. 16}
Mary, the Mother of God, and mother of all Christians...
"Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of us even though it was Christ alone who reposed on her knees . . . If he is ours, we ought to be in his situation; there where he is, we ought also to be and all that he has ought to be ours, and his mother is also our mother."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, Christmas, 1529)
Mary is free from the stain of original sin.
"It is a sweet and pious belief that the infusion of Mary's soul was effected without original sin; so that in the very infusion of her soul she was also purified from original sin and adorned with God's gifts, receiving a pure soul infused by God; thus from the first moment she began to live she was free from all sin"
- Martin Luther (Sermon: "On the Day of the Conception of the Mother of God," 1527)
"She is full of grace, proclaimed to be entirely without sin- something exceedingly great. For God's grace fills her with everything good and makes her devoid of all evil."
- Martin Luther (Personal {"Little"} Prayer Book, 1522)
Concerning the veneration of Mary...
"The veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, September 1, 1522)
"She is the highest woman and the noblest gem in Christianity after Christ . . . She is nobility, wisdom, and holiness personified. We can never honor her enough. Still honor and praise must be given to her in such a way as to injure neither Christ nor the Scriptures."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, Christmas, 1531)
"One should honor Mary as she herself wished and as she expressed it in the Magnificat. She praised God for his deeds. How then can we praise her? The true honor of Mary is the honor of God, the praise of God's grace . . . Mary is nothing for the sake of herself, but for the sake of Christ . . . Mary does not wish that we come to her, but through her to God."
- Martin Luther (Explanation of the Magnificat, 1521)
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus!
Glory to God in the highest!
Martin Luther on Mary's Perpetual Virginity:
"Christ, our Savior, was the real and natural fruit of Mary's virginal womb . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that."
- Martin Luther {Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539)}
Martin Luther commenting on the false teachings arising in Protestantism in his lifetime concerning the denial of Mary's perpetual virginity, teachings which Protestants erroneously attribute to Luther, which he himself calls lies.
Luther also refers to Mary here as the mother of God.
"A new lie about me is being circulated. I am supposed to have preached and written that Mary, the mother of God, was not a virgin either before or after the birth of Christ. . ."
- Martin Luther {That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew (1523)}
Martin Luther says that scripture does not say or indicate that Mary later lost her virginity, as most Protestants today mistakenly contend . .
"When Matthew [1:25] says that Joseph did not know Mary carnally until she had brought forth her son, it does not follow that he knew her subsequently; on the contrary, it means that he never did know her . . . This babble . . . is without justification . . . he has neither noticed nor paid any attention to either Scripture or the common idiom."
- Martin Luther {That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew (1523)}
Jesus had no siblings...
"Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . I am inclined to agree with those who declare that 'brothers' really mean 'cousins' here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers."
- Martin Luther {Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539)}
MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD...
"It is the consolation and the superabundant goodness of GOD, that man is able to exult in such a treasure. Mary is his true Mother."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, Christmas, 1522)
He again declares Mary the Mother of God...
". . . she is rightly called not only the mother of the man, but also the Mother of God. . . . it is certain that Mary is the Mother of the real and true God."
- Martin Luther {Sermon on John 14. 16}
Mary, the Mother of God, and mother of all Christians...
"Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of us even though it was Christ alone who reposed on her knees . . . If he is ours, we ought to be in his situation; there where he is, we ought also to be and all that he has ought to be ours, and his mother is also our mother."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, Christmas, 1529)
Mary is free from the stain of original sin.
"It is a sweet and pious belief that the infusion of Mary's soul was effected without original sin; so that in the very infusion of her soul she was also purified from original sin and adorned with God's gifts, receiving a pure soul infused by God; thus from the first moment she began to live she was free from all sin"
- Martin Luther (Sermon: "On the Day of the Conception of the Mother of God," 1527)
"She is full of grace, proclaimed to be entirely without sin- something exceedingly great. For God's grace fills her with everything good and makes her devoid of all evil."
- Martin Luther (Personal {"Little"} Prayer Book, 1522)
Concerning the veneration of Mary...
"The veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, September 1, 1522)
"She is the highest woman and the noblest gem in Christianity after Christ . . . She is nobility, wisdom, and holiness personified. We can never honor her enough. Still honor and praise must be given to her in such a way as to injure neither Christ nor the Scriptures."
- Martin Luther (Sermon, Christmas, 1531)
"One should honor Mary as she herself wished and as she expressed it in the Magnificat. She praised God for his deeds. How then can we praise her? The true honor of Mary is the honor of God, the praise of God's grace . . . Mary is nothing for the sake of herself, but for the sake of Christ . . . Mary does not wish that we come to her, but through her to God."
- Martin Luther (Explanation of the Magnificat, 1521)
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus!
Glory to God in the highest!
