Posted on 08/15/2013 2:21:29 PM PDT by NYer
While the actual event of the Assumption of Mary in Heaven is not recorded in the Scriptures, nevertheless there is a biblical basis for the teaching that, considered as a whole, confirms Catholic teaching as both fitting and in keeping with biblical principles. Let’s ponder this feast in three stages:
1. Explained – To be “assumed” means to be taken up by God bodily into heaven. As far back as the Church can remember we have celebrated the fact that Mary was taken up into heaven. We do not just acknowledge that her soul was taken to heaven, as is the case with all the rest of the faithful who are taken there (likely after purgation). Rather Mary was taken up, soul AND body into heaven after her sojourn on this earth was complete. There is no earthly tomb containing her body, neither are there relics of her body to be found among the Christian faithful. This is our ancient memory and what we celebrate today, Mary was taken up, body and soul into heaven.
2. Exemplified - The actual event of the Assumption is not described in Scripture. However, there are “assumptions” recorded in the Scriptures and the concept is thus biblical.
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads… The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. (Rev 11:19 – 12:5)
The Woman is clearly Mary since the child is clearly Jesus (though she also likely allegorizes other realities such as Israel, and Mother Zion). And where is Mary seen? In heaven.
Now some may argue the text does not necessarily indicate her body is in heaven but may only be referring to her soul. However the physicality of the description of her is rather strong. Some also argue that Mary is linked to John’s sighting of the Ark of the Convent which is seen by John in Heaven. He mentions the Ark and goes on to describe the woman clothed with the sun (Mary) and there is a possibility that he is still describing the Ark he sees in Heaven. (I have written on this elsewhere. See here: Mary: The Ark of the New Covenant) If she is the Ark described that Ark is clearly described as being in heaven.
So, the Biblical record, while not recording the event of the Assumption, does set forth other assumptions and thus shows that assumption is a biblical concept. Further, Mary’s physical presence in heaven seems hinted at by John and some would argue that the passage actually attests to her physical presence there.
But remember, the Church does not rely solely on Scripture. In this case what we celebrate is most fundamentally taught to us by Sacred Tradition in that the memory of Mary’s assumption goes back as long as we can remember.
3. Extended – The Feast of the Assumption may be of theological interest to some and may provide for interesting biblical reflection but eventually the question is bound to come: “So What?” How does what happened to Mary have impact on my life and what does it mean for me? The answer to this question is bound up in nearly every Marian Doctrine. Simply put, what happened to Mary in an profound and preliminary way will also happen for us in the end. As Mary bore Christ into he world, we too bear him there in the Holy Communion we receive and in the witness of his indwelling presence in our life. As Mary is (and always was) sinless, so too will we one day be sinless (immaculate) with God in heaven. As Mary cared for Christ in his need, so do we care for him in the poor, the suffering, needy and afflicted. And as Mary was assumed, body and soul into heaven so too will we be there one day, body and soul.
For now our souls go to heaven once purified but our body lie in a tomb. But one day when the trumpet shall sound, on that “great gettin’ up morning” our bodies will rise and be joined to our soul:
For we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”…….Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:51-57)
So our bodies shall rise shall be assumed and joined to our soul.
Improved model! Now a older woman once said to me upon hearing that her body would rise: “Father if this old body has to rise, I’m hoping for an improved model!” Yes indeed! Me too! I want my hair back, my slender figure and knees that work! I want to upgrade from a general issue late model version, to a luxury model. And God will in fact do that. Scripture says:
The assumption of our bodies, prefigured by Christ in his own power and also in Mary by the gift of God, will one day be our gift too. For now, it waits till that “great gettin’ up morning.” Until that day, and on that day, fare you well, fare you well!
This song is an African American Spiritual and speaks of that Great Gettin’ up morning when our bodies will rise. And if we have been faithful they will rise to glory!
I’m gonna tell you about the coming of the judgement (Fare you well) There’s a better day a coming….In that great gettin’ up morning fare you well! Oh preacher fold your Bible, For the last soul’s converted….Blow your trumpet Gabriel…..Lord, how loud shall I blow it? Blow it right calm and easy Do not alarm all my people….Tell them to come to the judgement…….In that great gettin’ up morning fare you well. Do you see them coffins bursting? Do you see them folks is rising? Do you see the world on fire? Do you see the stars a falling? Do you see that smoke and lightning? Do you hear the rumbling thunder? Oh Fare you well poor sinner. In that great gettin’ up morning fare you well.
“I am referring to the date it was written, not the date of the events.”
And you would still be wrong, and insidious, since it was Moses who wrote Deuteronomy:
“And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.” (Deu 31:9)
This verse marks not just the completion of Deut, but of all the books of Moses which make up the Jewish law. Though, the last few chapters which record Moses’ death were likely written by Joshua.
"This book" referred to above is only the book of Revelation, not the entire Bible. The doctrine of Sola Scripture can be found nowhere in Scripture. Rather it is a rationalization for the revolt against the authority that our Lord placed in an apostolicly organized Church.
Historically the Church preceded the closing of the canon of Scripture and confirmed its content. If the Church is a reliable authority here then it must be a reliable authority on the entirety of doctrine. If the Church is not reliable with doctrine then it cannot declare what is the canon of Scripture.
Then how do you explain Deut 34:10? This statement would be pointless during the time of Joshua; there are very few prophets of note.
There’s nothing to explain:
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
(Deu 34:10)
This is fundamentally true. The Jews called Moses the “Prince” or “Father” of Prophets, whom they expected none to match till the time of the Messiah, who would excel him. As Gill observes,
“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses,.... Not in the times of Joshua, who wrote this chapter, at least the last eight verses, Deu_34:5, as say the Jews (p); nor to the times of Samuel, whom others take to be the writer: of them; nor to the times of Ezra, as others; nor even throughout the whole Old Testament dispensation to the times of Christ, the great Prophet, like to Moses, that was to arise; and the Messiah is by the Jews owned, as by Maimonides (q), to be equal to him, and by others to be above him: it is a well known saying of theirs (r), that”the Messiah shall be exalted above Abraham, and extolled above Moses, and made higher than the ministering: angels;’’but as to all other prophets he excels them, and therefore they call him the prince, master, and Father of the prophets, and say, that all prophesied from the fountain of his prophecy (s): the difference between him and them is observed, by Maimonides (t) to lie in many things; as that they prophesied by a dream or vision, but he awake and seeing; they prophesied by the means of an angel, and saw what they did in parables and dark sayings; but Moses not by means of an angel, but the Lord spake to him face to face; they trembled and astonished, but not so Moses; they could not prophesy when they would, but he at any time, nor did he need to dispose and prepare his mind for it; some of which will not hold good, especially the last; the instances in which he really exceeded them follow:
whom the Lord knew face to face; owned, took notice of, and familiarly conversed with face to face, as a man with his friend; none were permitted to such familiarity with God as he; see Num_12:6; the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it,
“whom the Word of the Lord knew.’’
I know and more’s the shame. But since it was a general religion pst and not specifically directed at those of the roman church I figured why not
No. It's very likely that this represents the 12 tribes of Israel through which Jesus came to be...thus the 12 stars.
There's so much stretching in this article it's hard to comment on just one aspect of it. Error everywhere.
where is the body of any of the apostles? That is not proof of anything except that the body decays and goes back to the dust. The title of this ‘exposition’ was biblical roots....when the premise is ‘it is in the Bible’ and then starts off saying it isn’t it looses effectiveness
or perhaps we sing songs and psalms of praise and joy.....My church’s theology ( as opposed to the manner in which we worship) is Bible given....not derived out of thin air and specious arguendo
anytime you want.
My comment was directed to the theology being taught
How do you know that???
To the theology....
At the time of the transfiguration there was no new testament. There existed only the old testament which stated Moses had died. The OT was all the scripture the disciples had.
If the disciples on the mountain had insisted on rejecting anything not written in the text, in the same way Mary is often approached, they would have been forced to reject the appearance of Moses on the mountain. Per scripture he was dead. Only tradition and extra biblical writings of the day allowed for the assumption of moses.
It’s in the Bible.
Bible means book. The word book is in the bible.
Bible means book?
It a collection of books or of writings, all inspired by the Holy Spirit......not just a single book.
So for the literal Bible crowd......where is the word, “Bible” in the Bible?
Gn 5:24 (Hb 11:5) – Enoch taken to heaven without dying
2Kg 2:11 - Elijah assumed into
heaven in fiery chariot
Mt 27:52 - many saints who had fallen asleep were raised
1Thess 4:17 - caught up to
meet the Lord in the air
1Cor 15:52 - we shall be instantly changed at the last
trumpet
Rom 6:23 - for the wages of sin is death
Rev 11:19-21 - ark in heaven = woman clothed in sun
Ps 132:8 - Arise, O Lord & go to thy resting place, thou & the ark of thy might.
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