Early Christian Views of Mary

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

In line with this plan, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, "Behold the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey even when she was a virgin. And just as she, having a husband, Adam, but being nevertheless still a virgin (for in Paradise "they were both naked, and were not ashamed," since they, having been created a short time before, had no understanding of having children: for it was necessary that they should first reach adulthood, and then multiply from that time onward), became disobedient, she was the cause of death for both herself and the entire human race. Likewise did Mary, having a man engaged to her, and being nevertheless a virgin, by being obedient, become the cause of salvation for both herself and the whole human race. Because of this, the law calls a woman engaged to a man, the wife of him who had engaged her, even though she was still a virgin; this reveals the connection back from Mary to Eve because what is joined together could not be separated other than by reversing the process by which these bonds were formed, so that the former ties be undone by the latter, allowing the latter to

Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ Direct teaching

...e sign of Christ’s birth, as Isaiah says: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: look, a virgin will conceive and bear a son." Isaiah 7:14 So then, we find what the sign is that will be spoken against: the conception and the giving birth of the Virgin Mary. About this, these sophists say, "She was a virgin and yet not a virgin; she gave birth and yet did not give birth," as though such language, if it must be spoken at all, would not fit us better than them. For she gave birth, because she brought forth offspring from her own flesh. Yet she did not give birth, since she did not bring Him forth from a husband’s seed. She was a virgin in regard to abstaining from a husband, and yet not a virgin in regard to bearing a child. However, there is not the equal line of reasoning that the heretics claim. In other words, it does not follow that, because she did not give birth in one sense, she who was not a virgin was still a virgin, simply because she became a mother without the fruit of her own womb. But with us there is no double meaning, nothing twisted into two senses. Light is light, and darkness is darkness. Yes is yes, and no, no. Whatever is more than these comes from

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

...ed David to raise up from the fruit of his belly as an eternal King is the same who was born of the Virgin, herself from David's lineage. For this reason, He promised that the King would be "of the fruit of his belly," which is the suitable term for a virgin conceiving, and not "of the fruit of his loins," nor "of the fruit of his reins," which is suitable for a man generating and a woman conceiving by a man. In this promise, therefore, the Scripture excluded any male influence; yet it does not mention that He who was born was not from the will of man. But it has established "the fruit of the belly," to declare the birth of Him who would be born from the Virgin, as Elisabeth testified when filled with the Holy Ghost, saying to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your belly;" the Holy Ghost pointing out to those willing to listen that the promise which God made, of raising up a King from the fruit of David's belly, was fulfilled in the birth from the Virgin, that is, from Mary. Let those, therefore, who alter the passage of Isaiah to "Behold, a young woman shall conceive," and who claim Him to be Joseph's son, also alter the form of the promise given t

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

But the Virgin Mary received faith and joy, when the angel Gabriel announced the good tidings to her that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon her, and the power of the Highest would overshadow her: wherefore also the Holy Thing begotten of her is the Son of God;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

...to dispel any doubts about Joseph, he says: "But the birth of Christ happened in this way. When His mother was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost." When Joseph considered divorcing Mary because she was pregnant, Matthew tells us about the angel of God appearing to him, saying: "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Ghost. She will give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. This took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which means God with us." This clearly signifies that the promise made to the forefathers was fulfilled, that the Son of God was born of a virgin, and that He Himself was the Christ the Savior whom the prophets had foretold. It counters the claims of those who say that Jesus was merely the one born of Mary and that Christ descended from above. Matthew might have said, "Now the birth of Jesus was in this way;" but the Holy Ghost, anticipating and guarding against false interpretati

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

...ll this has been done to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel," thus influencing him with the prophet's words and clearing any blame from Mary, showing that she was the virgin mentioned by Isaiah, who would give birth to Emmanuel. When Joseph was fully convinced, he took Mary and joyfully obeyed regarding all the rest of Christ's upbringing, undertaking a journey to Egypt and back, followed by a move to Nazareth. For this reason, those who did not know the Scriptures or God's promise, or the plan of Christ, eventually called him the child's father. For this reason, too, the Lord Himself read the prophecies of Isaiah in Capernaum: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me; He has sent Me to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and sight to the blind." Showing that He Himself was the one foretold by Isaiah, He said to them: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears."

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

But it has fixed and established “the fruit of the belly,” that it might declare the generation of Him who should be [born] from the Virgin, as Elisabeth testified when filled with the Holy Ghost, saying to Mary, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy belly;” the Holy Ghost pointing out to those willing to hear, that the promise which God had made, of raising up a King from the fruit of [David’s] belly, was fulfilled in the birth from the Virgin, that is, from Mary.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Long Version) Supporting witness

but, as less than any of you, I desire to guard you beforehand, that ye fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that you may rather attain to a full assurance in Christ, who was begotten by the Father before all ages, but was afterwards born of the Virgin Mary without any intercourse with man.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Twelve Topics on the Faith Direct teaching

If any one affirms that Christ was born of the seed of man by the Virgin, in the same manner as all men are born, and refuses to acknowledge that He was made flesh by the Holy Spirit and the holy Virgin Mary, mad became man of the seed of David, even as it is written, let him be anathema.

Matthew 1:18 Direct teaching

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:27 Direct teaching

to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.

Matthew 1:23 Direct teaching

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to Galilee, to a city called Nazareth, to a virgin who was engaged in marriage to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel came in to her and said, "Peace be to you, you who are filled with grace. Our Lord is with you, you blessed among women." But when she saw him, she was troubled at his words and wondered what this greeting could mean. The angel said to her, "Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God. You will now conceive and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom." Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen to me, when no man has known me?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come, and the power of the Most High will rest upon you. Therefore, he who is born of you will be pure and will be called the Son of God." And look, Elizabeth your kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her, she

Luke 1:30 Direct teaching

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:48 Supporting witness

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

...ected with a tree through His own obedience on the tree, thus undoing the deception that misled the virgin Eve, who was engaged to a man. This was joyfully announced through the truth spoken by the angel to the Virgin Mary, who was also engaged to a man. Just as the former was led astray by the word of an angel and fled from God after disobeying His command, the latter received the news through an angelic message that she would bear God, being obedient to His word. While the former disobeyed God, the latter chose to be obedient, so that the Virgin Mary might become the advocate for the virgin Eve. Thus, as humanity fell into the captivity of death by a virgin, it is redeemed by a virgin; virginal disobedience is countered by virginal obedience. Similarly, the sin of the first-created man is corrected by the First-begotten, and the serpent's deception is overcome by the innocence of the dove, breaking the chains that bound us to death.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

And Mary, exulting because of this, cried out, prophesying on behalf of the Church, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ Supporting witness

As Eve had believed the serpent, so Mary believed the angel.

Luke 1:38 Direct teaching

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:45 Supporting witness

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

... by the Baptist coming to him. It should be noticed that on the earlier occasion, when the sound of Mary's greeting came to Elisabeth's ears, the babe John leaped in his mother's womb. Then Elisabeth received the Holy Spirit, as it were, from the ground. For we read in Luke 1:41-42, "When Elisabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry and said," and so on. In the same way now, John sees Jesus coming to him and says, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." For in matters of great importance, one is first instructed by hearing, and afterward sees them with one's own eyes. That John was helped toward the shape he was to wear by the Lord, who was still being formed in His mother's womb and came to Elisabeth, will be clear to anyone who has grasped our proof that John is a voice, but Jesus is the Word. For when Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit at Mary's greeting, there was a great voice in her, as the words themselves show. For they say, "And she spoke out with a loud voice." Elisabeth plainly did this, and she spoke. For the sound of Mary's

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

Then Mary got up in those days and hurried into the hill country, to a city of Judah. She entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She cried out with a loud voice and said to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit in your womb. Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her from the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said,

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

...en about Bethlehem in the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come the leader who will shepherd my people.’ The Magi from Arabia went to Bethlehem, worshipped the Child, and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. However, they did not return to Herod because they were warned in a revelation after worshipping the Child in Bethlehem. Joseph, the husband of Mary, initially wanted to break off his engagement to Mary, thinking she became pregnant through relations with a man, i.e., through fornication. But in a vision, he was instructed not to leave his wife. The angel who appeared to him told him that what was in her womb was of the Holy Ghost. So, he was afraid and did not leave her. During the first census in Judea, under Cyrenius, Joseph went up from Nazareth, where he lived, to Bethlehem, which was his ancestral home, to be registered, as his family belonged to the tribe of Judah, which was settled in that area. Then, along with Mary, he was instructed to go to Egypt with the Child and stay there until another revelation told them to return to Judea. But when the Child was

Papias, Fragments Direct teaching

1. Mary, the mother of the Lord; 2. Mary, the wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus, who was the mother of James the bishop and apostle, Simon, Thaddeus, and Joseph; 3. Mary Salome, the wife of Zebedee, mother of John the evangelist and James; 4. Mary Magdalene. These four Marys are found in the Gospel. James, Judas, and Joseph were sons of an aunt (2) of the Lord. James and John were also sons of another aunt (3) of the Lord. Mary (2), the mother of James the Less and Joseph, and the wife of Alphaeus, was the sister of Mary, the mother of the Lord, whom John refers to as of Cleophas, either after her father, family clan, or for another reason. Mary Salome (3) is called Salome, possibly due to her husband or her village. Some claim that she is the same as Mary of Cleophas, because she had two husbands.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

...sting before all creation; also to be the Son of the patriarchs, since He took on flesh through the Virgin from their lineage and accepted becoming a man, lacking in appearance, dishonored, and subject to suffering. Accordingly, He said, when talking about His future sufferings: "The Son of man must suffer many things, be rejected by the Pharisees and Scribes, be crucified, and rise again on the third day." He referred to Himself as the Son of man, either because of His birth by the Virgin, who was, as I mentioned, from the family of David, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham; or because Adam was the father of both Himself and those earlier figures from whom Mary is descended. We know that the fathers of women are also the fathers of the children their daughters bear. Christ called one of His disciples—previously named Simon—Peter, since he recognized Him to be Christ, the Son of God, by revelation from His Father: and since in the records of His apostles, it is stated that He is the Son of God, and because we call Him the Son, we understand that He originated before all creation from the Father by His power and will (since the prophets' writings refer to Him in various ways as Wisdom, th

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

...ruits. No one can grasp its meaning unless he has lain on Jesus' breast and has received from Jesus Mary to be his mother also. Anyone who is to be another John must become such a person, and must have Jesus Himself show him, like John, Jesus as He is. For if Mary, as those say who rightly honor her, had no other son but Jesus, and yet Jesus says to His mother in John 19:26, "Woman, behold your son," and not, "Behold, you have this son also," then He was in effect saying to her, "Look, this is Jesus, whom you bore." Is it not true that everyone who is perfect no longer lives himself, as Galatians 2:20 says, but Christ lives in him? And if Christ lives in him, then it is said of him to Mary, "Behold your son," meaning Christ. What kind of mind, then, must we have to interpret this work in a worthy way, even though it has been placed in the earthly storehouse of ordinary language, in writing that any passerby can read, and that can be heard when it is read aloud by anyone who gives to it his bodily ears? What shall we say about this work? The one who is to understand accurately what it contains should be able to say truthfully, "We have the mind of Christ, that we may know the thi

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Supporting witness

There are also many of our women here, who are desirous to see Mary [the mother] of Jesus, and wish day by day to run off from us to you, that they may meet with her, and touch those breasts of hers which nourished the Lord Jesus, and may inquire of her respecting some rather secret matters.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Supporting witness

nor do we mention such to thee. But, as we are informed by those who are worthy of credit, there is in Mary the mother of Jesus an angelic purity of nature allied with the nature of humanity.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Supporting witness

Salute thou also Mary my daughter, distinguished both for gravity and erudition, as also “the Church which is in her house.” May my soul be in place of hers: she is the very pattern of pious women.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

also Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus;

Acts 1:14 Direct teaching

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Direct teaching

Commemorating our all-holy, pure, most glorious, blessed Lady, the God-Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary, and all the saints that have been well-pleasing to You since the world began, let us devote ourselves, and one another, and our whole life, to Christ our God:

Early Liturgies, Liturgy of Adaeus and Maris Supporting witness

O mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, beseech for me the only-begotten Son, who was born of you, to forgive me my offenses and my sins, and to accept from my feeble and sinful hands this sacrifice which my weakness offers upon this altar, through your intercession for me, O holy mother.]

Methodius, Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna Supporting witness

Blessed of the Lord is your name, full of divine grace, and grateful exceedingly to God, mother of God, you that gives light to the faithful.

Methodius, Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna Supporting witness

Hail! Mother and handmaid of God. Hail! Hail!